HOUSE FILE 2186

BY  GAINES, BERRY, and ABDUL-SAMAD

(COMPANION TO SF 2052)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to and making appropriations to the state board of regents for programs established by the state board or its universities that are designed to increase college readiness and college awareness in potential first-generation college students and underrepresented minority populations, and to increase the number of ethnically diverse Iowa students in agriculture, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics degree programs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  STATE BOARD OF REGENTS.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the state board of regents for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012, and ending June 30, 2013, the following amounts, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   1.  For purposes of the minority academic grants for economic success program in accordance with section 261.103 and in consultation with the college student aid commission:
.................................................. $  1,200,000
   2.  For development and implementation of college-possible programs pursuant to section 262.92, subsection 1, paragraph “a”:
.................................................. $    218,500
   3.  For establishment and implementation of the college go center program pursuant to section 262.94:
.................................................. $    299,880
   4.  For implementation of the science bound program at Iowa state university of science and technology pursuant to section 262.95:
.................................................. $    340,000
    Sec. 2.  Section 261.103, subsection 3, Code 2011, is amended to read as follows:
   3.  The amount of the grant shall not exceed a student’s yearly financial need or three
 
five thousand five hundred dollars, whichever is less. If the student is attending or seeking to enroll in an accredited private institution, fifty percent of the amount of the grant shall be provided by the accredited private institution and fifty percent shall be provided by the commission from state funds appropriated for that purpose.
    Sec. 3.  Section 262.92, subsection 1, Code 2011, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  The board of regents shall establish or contract to establish college-bound programs to provide Iowa minority students with information and experiences relating to opportunities offered at the regents’ universities.
   a.  Programs developed for students in grade five, which shall be known as college-possible programs, shall include partnerships of not less than six weeks’ duration that link institutions of higher learning governed by the state board of regents with classrooms whose student populations are largely comprised of low-income minorities underrepresented in college attendance. Program activities shall be planned and developed for all members of each student’s family and shall at a minimum provide access to information and tools for college preparation, admission, and success, and shall create networks that support college attendance. Program elements shall include measures for smoothing the transition to middle school, the importance of coursework selection and achievement, and identifying and participating in beneficial extracurricular activities, and may include other college preparation activities.
   b.  Programs developed
 
for students in grades seven through twelve may include, but are not limited to, the following elements:
   a.

(1)  Reinforcement of efforts to attract undergraduate students from age groups currently served by traditional methods of outreach which use high school and community college services.
   b.

(2)  Extension of traditional student recruitment methods which are designed to encourage minority students in grades seven through twelve to pursue postsecondary academic courses of study.
   c.

(3)  Identification, at each of the regents’ universities, of courses of study to be targeted for the recruitment of minority students.
   d.

(4)  Offerings at the regents’ universities of innovative programs, which are experience oriented, for families with minority children.
    Sec. 4.  NEW SECTION.  262.94  College go centers.
   1.  A college go center program is established under the state board of regents to promote college awareness and provide secondary school students and their families with resources and guidance to prepare and plan for college by serving as a point of coordination that connects students and their families and teachers with qualified coordinators, postsecondary student volunteers or peer educators, school system and community volunteers, career and guidance counselors, postsecondary representatives, and community, labor, and business centers and programs.
   2.  Institutions of higher education governed by the state board of regents may do the following:
   a.  Facilitate partnerships with secondary schools, communities, business and industry, labor, and nonprofit organizations that result in the creation and implementation of college go centers.
   b.  Assist college go center organizers in targeting funding resources, including but not limited to assistance with local, state, and federal grant applications; and promoting successful fundraising activities, ideas, and events in assisting college go centers.
   c.  Develop and distribute to college go centers parental and family outreach strategies that assist parents in supporting and motivating their children to pursue college goals and that provide parents with tools to help children plan and prepare for college.
    Sec. 5.  NEW SECTION.  262.95  Science bound program.
   1.  Iowa state university of science and technology shall establish a precollegiate, science bound program that is designed to increase the number of ethnically diverse Iowa students who pursue degrees in agriculture, science, technology, engineering, or mathematics; educate students and parents about college and career planning; raise teachers’ expectations of students’ academic abilities and career aspirations; provide students with more rigorous course expectations and academic support; identify, develop, and implement learning opportunities to meet students’ specific academic needs; provide experiences for students to observe and participate with professionals engaged in science and technology careers and interact with professional scientists, engineers, and technologists; and provide tuition scholarships for students who are admitted to the university and major in a science-related field.
   2.  The program shall include the provision of teacher enrichment opportunities, teacher resources, and professional development; parent workshops and mandatory parental involvement; and activities such as regular meetings with teachers, visits to the university’s campus, summer academic programs, overnight retreats, and study tables.
   3.  The university shall provide core administrative and financial support, including but not limited to full-tuition scholarships for students who were invited to participate in the program when enrolled in grades seven through nine and who successfully meet all of the following requirements:
   a.  Participated in at least seventy-five percent of required program activities, including satisfactory completion of a science fair project and an essay demonstrating a desire to participate in and learn from the science bound program.
   b.  Met high school graduation requirements and the university’s admission requirements.
   c.  Achieved a cumulative high school grade point average of at least three points on a four-point grade scale or its equivalent if another grade scale is used.
   d.  Declares a major in a technical degree program at the university.
   e.  Presents yearly a satisfactory justification for continuation of the tuition scholarship.
EXPLANATION
   This bill appropriates moneys for the 2012-2013 fiscal year from the general fund of the state to the state board of regents to fund programs established or expanded by the bill. The bill increases the maximum annual grant amount a student may be awarded under the minority academic grants for economic success program from $3,500 to $5,000; directs the state board of regents to establish college-possible programs for students in grade five and a college go center program; and directs Iowa state university to establish the science bound program, a precollegiate program that is designed to increase the number of ethnically diverse Iowa students who pursue degrees in agriculture, science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, and award successful science bound program participants full-tuition scholarships.
   The college-possible programs shall include partnerships of not less than six weeks’ duration that link regents universities with grade five classrooms whose student populations are largely comprised of low-income minorities underrepresented in college attendance. Program activities must be planned and developed for the students’ families and provide access to information and tools for college preparation, admission, and success. The programs must create networks that support college attendance. Program elements shall include measures for smoothing the transition to middle school, the importance of coursework selection and achievement, and identifying and participating in beneficial extracurricular activities, and may include other college preparation activities.
   The college go center program is established under the state board of regents to promote college awareness and provide secondary school students and their families with resources and guidance to prepare and plan for college by serving as a point of coordination that connects students and their families and teachers with qualified coordinators, postsecondary student volunteers or peer educators, school system and community volunteers, career and guidance counselors, postsecondary representatives, and community, labor, and business centers and programs.
   The science bound program must educate students and parents about college and career planning; raise teachers’ expectations of students’ academic abilities and career aspirations; provide students with more rigorous course expectations and academic support; identify, develop, and implement learning opportunities to meet students’ specific academic needs; and provide experiences for students to observe and participate in science and technology careers and interact with professional scientists, engineers, and technologists.
   The program shall include the provision of teacher enrichment opportunities, teacher resources, and professional development; parent workshops and mandatory parental involvement; and activities such as regular meetings with teachers, visits to the university’s campus, summer academic programs, overnight retreats, and study tables.
   The requirements participants must meet to qualify for full-tuition scholarships include participation in 75 percent of required program activities, successfully meeting high school graduation requirements and the university’s admission requirements, achieving a cumulative high school grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 grade scale, declaring a major in a technical degree program, and presenting yearly a satisfactory justification for continuation of the tuition scholarship.