College Thriving Act | ChamberLight

IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS

House BillHR 1409Performance measurementTeaching, teachers, curricula

College Thriving Act

INTRO FEB 18· LAST ACTION FEB 18

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WHAT THE BILL DOES

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Many students struggle with the transition to college, leading to increased stress, academic challenges, and sometimes even dropping out. This bill aims to tackle these issues head-on by providing dedicated resources for colleges to equip new students with practical life skills that go beyond traditional academics. It addresses the real-world problem of students feeling overwhelmed or unprepared for the non-academic demands of college.

If this bill becomes law, more colleges, especially those serving economically disadvantaged students, could offer structured support to help their first-year students thrive both personally and academically. This could potentially improve student retention rates and overall well-being. If it doesn't become law, colleges will continue to rely on existing, potentially less comprehensive, or unfunded programs to provide similar support, or students may simply not receive such structured assistance.

KEY PROVISIONS

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PROVISION 01

Establishes a competitive grant program for colleges to develop and implement "skills-for-success" courses for all first-year students.

This creates the funding mechanism for colleges to offer new support courses focused on student well-being and practical skills.

PROVISION 02

Gives priority in grant awards to colleges where at least 50% of students are eligible for Federal Pell Grants.

This directs resources to institutions serving a larger share of financially needy students, who may particularly benefit from robust support systems.

PROVISION 03

Mandates a 5-year grant period with distinct phases for course development, pilot implementation, and full rollout.

This ensures a structured approach to creating and refining the courses, allowing for evaluation and improvement before widespread implementation.

PROVISION 04

Defines "skills-for-success" courses to include topics like mental wellbeing, time management, stress coping, goal setting, and building relationships, with a low student-to-teacher ratio and pass-fail grading.

This ensures the courses focus on crucial non-academic skills and are designed to be supportive rather than burdensome for students.

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ACTION TIMELINE

2 EVENTS

FEB 18

Introduced in House

INTROREFERRAL

FEB 18

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

HOUSE · INTROREFERRAL

BILL INFO

TypeHouse Bill

NumberHR 1409

Congress119th

StatusIn Committee

IntroducedFeb 18, 2025

Last actionFeb 18, 2025

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Call my reps

IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED FEB 18, 2025

House BillHR 1409Performance measurementTeaching, teachers, curricula

College Thriving Act

INTRODUCED FEB 18, 2025· LAST ACTION FEB 18, 2025

PASSAGE CHANCES

—%

READING

5 min

COSPONSORS

COMPLEXITY

Moderate

Call my reps

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

STEP 2 OF 8

Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed House

Passed Senate

Conference

To President

Became Law

Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

KEY PROVISIONS

AI-extracted

high

Establishes a competitive grant program for colleges to develop and implement "skills-for-success" courses for all first-year students.

This creates the funding mechanism for colleges to offer new support courses focused on student well-being and practical skills.

high

Gives priority in grant awards to colleges where at least 50% of students are eligible for Federal Pell Grants.

This directs resources to institutions serving a larger share of financially needy students, who may particularly benefit from robust support systems.

med

Mandates a 5-year grant period with distinct phases for course development, pilot implementation, and full rollout.

This ensures a structured approach to creating and refining the courses, allowing for evaluation and improvement before widespread implementation.

high

This ensures the courses focus on crucial non-academic skills and are designed to be supportive rather than burdensome for students.

DEADLINES & DATES

AI-extracted

An AI model extracted this from the bill’s official record and can make mistakes. Check the official text ↗ (opens in new tab)

5 years

Grant period length for awarded grants

Upon completion of the 5-year grant period

Report to the Secretary of Education on course evaluations and grant usage

First year of the grant period

Preparation phase for course development

Second year of the grant period

Pilot phase for course implementation and evaluation

Third, fourth, and fifth years of the grant period

Full implementation of the skills-for-success course

FUNDING & AUTHORIZATIONS

AI-extracted

An AI model extracted this from the bill’s official record and can make mistakes. Check the official text ↗ (opens in new tab)

AMOUNT	PROGRAM	TYPE	YEARS
$50,000,000	College Thriving Act grant program	discretionary	until expended

GLOSSARY

AI-written

Grant Program: A system where the government provides money to colleges or organizations for specific purposes, usually with conditions and requirements.
Eligible Institutions: Colleges or universities that meet specific criteria, like being accredited, to qualify for federal programs or funding.
Federal Pell Grant: Financial aid provided by the U.S. government to undergraduate students with exceptional financial need to help pay for college expenses.
Competitive Basis: A process where grants or funds are awarded after institutions apply and are judged against each other based on their proposals and how well they meet the program's goals.
Skills-for-Success Course: A course designed to teach first-year college students practical life skills like time management, stress coping, and building relationships, to help them succeed in college.
Authorization of Appropriations: A legislative act that permits money to be spent on a program, setting a maximum amount, but the actual release of funds still requires a separate 'appropriations' bill.
Technical Assistance

ACTION TIMELINE

2 EVENTS

FEB 18, 25

Introduced in House

INTROREFERRAL

FEB 18, 25

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

INTROREFERRAL

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Feb 18, 2025

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College Thriving Act

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

KEY PROVISIONS

SPONSORSHIP

ACTION TIMELINE

BILL INFO

READER REACTIONS

Discussion

College Thriving Act

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

KEY PROVISIONS

DEADLINES & DATES

FUNDING & AUTHORIZATIONS

GLOSSARY

ACTION TIMELINE

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