PRINTER'S NO. 2870
No. 2254 Session of 1995
INTRODUCED BY COY, LAUGHLIN, MELIO, HERMAN, GEORGE, BAKER,
STABACK, WOZNIAK, SERAFINI, CLARK, MASLAND, BATTISTO, THOMAS,
HALUSKA, ITKIN, LUCYK, SURRA, TRELLO, D. R. WRIGHT, STETLER,
McCALL, DALEY, SCRIMENTI AND ROONEY, NOVEMBER 27, 1995
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, NOVEMBER 27, 1995
AN ACT
1 Providing incentives and assistance for rural students to attend
2 college; and making an appropriation.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Short title.
6 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Rural
7 Education Opportunity Act.
8 Section 2. Definitions.
9 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
10 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
11 context clearly indicates otherwise:
12 "Board." The State Rural Education Opportunity Board.
13 "Department." The Department of Education of the
14 Commonwealth.
15 "Program." The Rural Education Opportunity Program.
16 "Rural school district." A school district with fewer than
17 300 persons per square mile and postsecondary participation
1 rates below the State average in at least one of the preceding
2 five years prior to the year of application.
3 "System." The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.
4 Section 3. Board membership.
5 The board shall consist of the following members:
6 (1) Chancellor of the system or his designee, who shall
7 be chairman.
8 (2) The Secretary of Education or his designee.
9 (3) The chairperson of the Education Committee of the
10 Senate.
11 (4) The minority chairperson of the Education Committee
12 of the Senate.
13 (5) The chairperson of the Education Committee of the
14 House of Representatives.
15 (6) The minority chairperson of the Education Committee
16 of the House of Representatives.
17 (7) Two first-generation college graduates of State
18 universities who reside in rural Pennsylvania.
19 (8) A representative of the Center for Rural
20 Pennsylvania.
21 Section 4. Authorization and purpose.
22 (a) Grant program.--The system, in consultation with the
23 board, shall establish a program of grants to universities
24 within the system and rural school districts qualifying under
25 this act.
26 (b) Purpose.--Grants awarded under the provisions of this
27 act may be used for any of the following purposes:
28 (1) To establish and maintain programs designed to serve
29 those primary and secondary students who are college able but
30 may not have considered college as an option.
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1 (2) To serve nontraditional students presently in junior
2 and senior high school.
3 (3) To implement three-way partnerships among the
4 universities, school districts and parents.
5 (4) To work with students to assure adequate preparation
6 for college through program scheduling in high school for
7 admissions and financial aid presentations, for practice
8 tests and for other supportive activities to help
9 nontraditional students prepare for college life.
10 (5) To provide opportunities for students to visit
11 campuses and become comfortable with the college environment.
12 (6) To provide instruction in study skills to ensure
13 success in college.
14 (c) Guidelines.--The system, in consultation with the board,
15 shall establish guidelines to award grants for the purpose set
16 forth in subsection (b) and other purposes deemed appropriate by
17 the system and approved by the board.
18 Section 5. Applications.
19 (a) By university or rural school district.--A State system
20 university or rural school district may make application at the
21 time, in the manner and containing the information the system
22 requires. The system shall determine from the information
23 provided whether the applicant is eligible for consideration by
24 the board.
25 (b) Annual meeting.--Representatives of the system shall
26 meet annually to award grants to qualifying rural school
27 districts and system universities.
28 (c) Other meetings.--The board shall meet at the call of the
29 chairperson to conduct business related to the award of grants.
30 Section 6. Grants.
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1 The department shall make grants to qualifying organizations
2 upon the recommendation of the board.
3 Section 7. Regulations.
4 The system shall administer the provisions of this act and
5 may, with the approval of the board, prescribe and adopt program
6 policy guidelines or regulations relating to the administration
7 and enforcement of this act.
8 Section 8. Appropriation.
9 An annual appropriation of not less than $500,000 is
10 appropriated to the State System of Higher Education for the
11 purposes of carrying out the provisions of this act.
12 Section 9. Effective date.
13 This act shall take effect immediately.
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