(e) MAXIMUM STIPENDS.-Students participating in research under a postbaccalaureate achievement project may receive an award that

(1) shall include a stipend not to exceed $2,800 per annum; and

(2) may include, in addition, the costs of summer tuition, summer room and board, and transportation to summer programs.

(f) FUNDING.-From amounts appropriated pursuant to the authority of section 402A(f), the Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, allocate funds for projects authorized by this section in an amount which is not less than $11,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1993 through 1997.

SEC. 402F. [20 U.S.C. 1070a-16] EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTERS. (a) PROGRAM AUTHORITY; SERVICES PROVIDED.-The Secretary shall carry out a program to be known as educational opportunity centers which shall be designed

(1) to provide information with respect to financial and academic assistance available for individuals desiring to pursue a program of postsecondary education; and

(2) to provide assistance to such persons in applying for admission to institutions at which a program of postsecondary education is offered, including preparing necessary applications for use by admissions and financial aid officers.

(b) PERMISSIBLE SERVICES.-An educational opportunity center assisted under this section may provide services such as

(1) public information campaigns designed to inform the community regarding opportunities for postsecondary education and training;

(2) academic advice and assistance in course selection; (3) assistance in completing college admission and financial aid applications;

(4) assistance in preparing for college entrance examinations;

(5) guidance on secondary school reentry or entry to a general educational development (GED) program or other alternative education programs for secondary school dropouts;

(6) personal counseling;

(7) tutorial services;

(8) career workshops and counseling;

(9) mentoring programs involving elementary or secondary school teachers, faculty members at institutions of higher education, students, or any combination of such persons; and

(10) programs and activities as described in paragraphs (1) through (9) which are specially designed for students of limited English proficiency.

(c) REQUIREMENTS FOR APPROVAL OF APPLICATIONS.-In approving applications for educational opportunity centers under this section for any fiscal year the Secretary shall

(1) require an assurance that not less than two-thirds of the persons participating in the project proposed to be carried out under any application be low-income individuals who are first generation college students;

(2) require that such participants be persons who are at least nineteen years of age, unless the imposition of such limitation with respect to any person would defeat the purposes of this section or the purposes of section 402B; and

(3) require an assurance that individuals participating in the project proposed in the application do not have access to services from another project funded under this section or under section 402B.

SEC. 402G. [20 U.S.C. 1070a-17] STAFF DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES.

(a) SECRETARY'S AUTHORITY.-For the purpose of improving the operation of the programs and projects authorized by this chapter, the Secretary is authorized to make grants to institutions of higher education and other public and private nonprofit institutions and organizations to provide training for staff and leadership personnel employed in, participating in, or preparing for employment in, such programs and projects.

(b) CONTENTS OF TRAINING PROGRAMS.-Such training shall include conferences, internships, seminars, workshops, and the publication of manuals designed to improve the operation of such programs and projects and shall be carried out in the various regions of the Nation in order to ensure that the training opportunities are appropriate to meet the needs in the local areas being served by such programs and projects. Such training shall be offered annually for new directors of projects funded under this chapter as well as annually on the following topics and other topics chosen by the Secretary:

(1) Legislative and regulatory requirements for the operation of programs funded under this chapter.

(2) Assisting students in receiving adequate financial aid from programs assisted under this title and other programs.

(3) The design and operation of model programs for projects funded under this chapter.

(4) The use of appropriate educational technology in the operation of projects assisted under this chapter.

(c) CONSULTATION.-Grants for the purposes of this section shall be made only after consultation with regional and State professional associations of persons having special knowledge with respect to the needs and problems of such programs and projects.

SEC. 402H. [20 U.S.C. 1070a-18] EVALUATIONS AND GRANTS FOR PROJECT IMPROVEMENT AND DISSEMINATION PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS.

(a) EVALUATIONS.

(1) IN GENERAL.-For the purpose of improving the effectiveness of the programs and projects assisted under this chapter, the Secretary may make grants to or enter into contracts with institutions of higher education and other public and private institutions and organizations to evaluate the effectiveness of the programs and projects assisted under this chapter.

(2) PRACTICES.-The evaluations described in paragraph (1) shall identify institutional, community, and program or project practices that are particularly effective in enhancing the access of low-income individuals and first-generation college students to postsecondary education, the preparation of

the individuals and students for postsecondary education, and the success of the individuals and students in postsecondary education. Such evaluations shall also investigate the effectiveness of alternative and innovative methods within Federal TRIO programs of increasing access to, and retention of, students in postsecondary education.

(b) GRANTS.-The Secretary may award grants to institutions of higher education or other private and public institutions and organizations, that are carrying out a program or project assisted under this chapter prior to the date of enactment of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998, to enable the institutions and organizations to expand and leverage the success of such programs or projects by working in partnership with other institutions, community-based organizations, or combinations of such institutions and organizations, that are not receiving assistance under this chapter and are serving low-income students and first generation college students, in order to

(1) disseminate and replicate best practices of programs or projects assisted under this chapter; and

(2) provide technical assistance regarding programs and projects assisted under this chapter.

(c) RESULTS.-In order to improve overall program or project effectiveness, the results of evaluations and grants described in this section shall be disseminated by the Secretary to similar programs or projects assisted under this subpart, as well as other individuals concerned with postsecondary access for and retention of low-income individuals and first-generation college students.

SEC. 404A. [20 U.S.C. 1070a-21] EARLY INTERVENTION AND COLLEGE AWARENESS PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.-The Secretary is authorized, in accordance with the requirements of this chapter, to establish a program that

(1) encourages eligible entities to provide or maintain a guarantee to eligible low-income students who obtain a secondary school diploma (or its recognized equivalent), of the financial assistance necessary to permit the students to attend an institution of higher education; and

(2) supports eligible entities in providing

(A) additional counseling, mentoring, academic support, outreach, and supportive services to elementary school, middle school, and secondary school students who are at risk of dropping out of school; and

(B) information to students and their parents about the advantages of obtaining a postsecondary education and the college financing options for the students and their parents.

(b) AWARDS.

(1) IN GENERAL.-From funds appropriated under section 404H for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall make awards to eligible entities described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (c) to enable the entities to carry out the program authorized under subsection (a).

(2) PRIORITY.-In making awards to eligible entities described in paragraph (c)(1), the Secretary shall

(A) give priority to eligible entities that

(i) on the day before the date of enactment of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998, carried out successful educational opportunity programs under this chapter (as this chapter was in effect on such day); and

(ii) have a prior, demonstrated commitment to early intervention leading to college access through collaboration and replication of successful strategies;

(B) ensure that students served under this chapter on the day before the date of enactment of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 continue to receive assistance through the completion of secondary school.

(c) DEFINITION OF ELIGIBLE ENTITY.-For the purposes of this chapter, the term "eligible entity" means—

(1) a State; or

(2) a partnership consisting of—

(A) one or more local educational agencies acting on behalf of

(i) one or more elementary schools or secondary schools; and

(ii) the secondary schools that students from the schools described in clause (i) would normally attend; (B) one or more degree granting institutions of higher education; and

(C) at least two community organizations or entities, such as businesses, professional associations, communitybased organizations, philanthropic organizations, State agencies, institutions or agencies sponsoring programs authorized under subpart 4, or other public or private agencies or organizations.

SEC. 404B. [20 U.S.C. 1070a-22] REQUIREMENTS.

(a) FUNDING RULES.—

(1) CONTINUATION AWARDS.-From the amount appropriated under section 404H for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall continue to award grants to States under this chapter (as this chapter was in effect on the day before the date of enactment of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998) in accordance with the terms and conditions of such grants.

(2) DISTRIBUTION.-From the amount appropriated under section 404H that remains after making continuation awards under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall— (A) make available

(i) not less than 33 percent of the amount to eligible entities described in section 404A(c)(1); and

(ii) not less than 33 percent of the amount to eligible entities described in section 404A(c)(2); and

(B) award the remainder of the amount to eligible entities described in paragraph (1) or (2) of section 404A(c). (3) SPECIAL RULE. The Secretary shall annually reevaluate the distribution of funds described in paragraph (2)(B) based on number, quality, and promise of the applications and adjust the distribution accordingly.

(b) LIMITATION.-Each eligible entity described in section 404A(c)(1), and each eligible entity described in section 404A(c)(2) that conducts a scholarship component under section 404E, shall use not less than 25 percent and not more than 50 percent of grant funds received under this chapter for the early intervention component of an eligible entity's program under this chapter, except that the Secretary may waive the 50 percent limitation if the eligible entity demonstrates that the eligible entity has another means of providing the students with financial assistance that is described in the plan submitted under section 404C.

(c) COORDINATION.-Each eligible entity shall ensure that the activities assisted under this chapter are, to the extent practicable, coordinated with, and complement and enhance

(1) services under this chapter provided by other eligible entities serving the same school district or State; and

(2) related services under other Federal or non-Federal programs.

(d) DESIGNATION OF FISCAL AGENT.-An eligible entity described in section 404A(c)(2) shall designate an institution of higher education or a local educational agency as the fiscal agent for the eligible entity.

(e) COORDINATORS.-An eligible entity described in section 404A(c)(2) shall have a full-time program coordinator or a parttime program coordinator, whose primary responsibility is a project under section 404C.

(f) DISPLACEMENT.-An eligible entity described in 404A(c)(2) shall ensure that the activities assisted under this chapter will not displace an employee or eliminate a position at a school assisted under this chapter, including a partial displacement such as a reduction in hours, wages or employment benefits.

(g) COHORT APPROACH.

(1) IN GENERAL.-The Secretary shall require that eligible entities described in section 404A(c)(2)—

(A) provide services under this chapter to at least one grade level of students, beginning not later than 7th grade, in a participating school that has a 7th grade and in which at least 50 percent of the students enrolled are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch under the National School Lunch Act (or, if an eligible entity determines that it would promote the effectiveness of a program, an entire grade level of students, beginning not later than the 7th grade, who reside in public housing as defined in section 3(b)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937); and

(B) ensure that the services are provided through the 12th grade to students in the participating grade level.