Detailed Summary

Pathways to College Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive 5-year grants to local educational agencies that serve mostly high-need secondary schools for programs to increase the number of students from low-income families who attend college. Defines "high-need secondary schools" as those where at least one-half of the students are from low-income families.

Requires grantees to use such funds to: (1) train teachers and counselors to provide students with advice concerning postsecondary education; (2) ensure that each student receives postsecondary information and planning assistance before the end of their first semester of secondary school; (3) inform students and parents regarding the benefits, expenses, and financing of higher education; and (4) ensure that their schools develop comprehensive, school-wide plans of action to strengthen their college-going culture.

Directs the Secretary to provide technical assistance to grantees in calculating and analyzing their college-going rates and adopting best practices for elevating such rates.

Requires grantees to measure externally verified school-wide college enrollment, track data that leads to increased college-going, and evaluate the success of their grant activities.

Status of the Legislation

Latest Major Action: 7/24/2008: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Points in Favor

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Points Against

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