Sponsors (2)
Introduced November 19, 2025 by Adriano J. Espaillat · Last progress November 19, 2025
The bill expands and funds early college and dual‑enrollment opportunities—particularly benefiting low‑income and underrepresented students and strengthening workforce links—while imposing significant matching, reporting, and administrative requirements that could disadvantage lower‑capacity districts and states and divert funds from direct services.
Students—especially low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students—gain expanded access to early college and dual/concurrent enrollment programs that make postsecondary coursework and credentials more available in high school.
Low-income and underrepresented students—participants in these programs—receive financial supports (tuition, fees, testing, transportation, textbooks, and other supports) that lower out-of-pocket costs and reduce barriers to participation.
Students and local employers—participants in aligned programs—benefit from workforce-aligned credentials and work-based learning (internships, pre-apprenticeships) that improve job readiness and transitions to employment.
Local school districts, colleges, and states—especially low‑resource jurisdictions—face steep matching requirements (local matches rising to 50% and state 50% annual match) that may strain budgets and limit participation.
Low-capacity states and smaller or poorer districts and their students risk being left out, widening disparities as wealthier or higher-capacity areas capture grants and program benefits.
Schools, districts, and states will incur new administrative, reporting, and compliance burdens (including data collection, disaggregated reporting, and coordination requirements) that require staff time and IT resources.
Based on analysis of 9 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes competitive federal grants ($250M/year FY2026–FY2031) to expand early college high schools and dual/concurrent enrollment, with matching requirements, reporting, and a national evaluation.
Creates a federal grant program to expand and strengthen early college high schools and dual/concurrent enrollment programs, authorizing $250 million per year for FY2026–FY2031 and directing funds to eligible institutions, States, and national activities. Grants support program start-up and scaling, require non‑Federal matching contributions, prioritize programs serving low‑income and underrepresented students, and include strong reporting and a national evaluation to track student credential and credit attainment. The law sets grant sizes and durations, funding shares among recipient types, data and accountability requirements, and technical assistance obligations. It preserves existing employee rights and specifies that graduates of supported early college high schools counted as on‑time completers for graduation-rate calculations when they finish within the program’s normal time frame.