Stansbury, Chavez-DeRemer, Heinrich Introduce Bill To Support Student Success In Higher Education

Congressional News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M) and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.) and U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) introduced the Postsecondary Student Success Act, legislation to support evidence-based practices that support student retention, completion, and success in postsecondary education.

Over the past two decades, there has been a significant increase in high school graduation and college enrollment rates, reflecting a concerted effort to expand access to higher education. However, despite these strides, there remains a troubling reality: a significant number of students who embark on their college journey, whether at two-year or four-year institutions, falter before completing their degrees. Currently, only 62 percent of college enrollees nationwide successfully achieve their educational aspirations.

The Postsecondary Student Success Act will provide investments in evidence-based initiatives aimed at enhancing retention and completion rates. This includes empowering individuals through support programs tailored to address the challenges that impede students’ progress from enrollment to graduation.

“It’s unacceptable that only 62 percent of college students end up achieving their college goals,” Stansbury said. “With the Post Secondary Success Act, student veterans, first-generation, low income, and students from historically underrepresented communities, and students with disabilities will finally get the opportunity to achieve their educational goals. This bill builds off the leadership of Governor Lujan Grisham and the state Legislature who made college universal for everyone in New Mexico. It’s past time we support those who are shaping their own futures!”

“By providing critical resources and aid to students, the Postsecondary Student Success Grant program is helping countless students attend and graduate college – supporting them as they work toward fulfilling their dreams,” Chavez-DeRemer said. “Our bipartisan legislation will strengthen the program to unlock even more opportunities in higher education, including for first-generation and low-income students. I was the first person in my family to graduate college, and I recognize the importance of supporting methods that are proven to help new students succeed.”

“Every New Mexican deserves a fair shot at success. With the Postsecondary Student Success Act, we’re moving one step closer to making this goal a reality — unlocking the long-term success that can come from higher education,” Heinrich said. “By removing the barriers students run into when completing their education, this legislation will help more New Mexicans graduate, achieve economic stability, and thrive in their communities.”

The Postsecondary Student Success Act of 2024 will remove barriers that stand in the way of students’ academic success by permanently reauthorizing the Postsecondary Student Success Grant program.

Bill authorizes funding to colleges/universities for evidence-based retention programs such as:

  • Providing faculty and peer counseling services
  • Incentivizing students to re-enroll and stay on track
  • Collecting real-time data on student progress
  • Providing direct student support services including tutoring and academic supports
  • Preparing students for a career by providing career coaching and counseling
  • Lowering student to advisor ratios
  • Recruiting and lowering faculty and other instructional staff
  • Reform developmental education, including utilizing career pathways and improving transfer student success.

The bill is endorsed by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, Complete College America, Campaign for College Opportunity, National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs (NASSGAP), New America, Results for America, State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, The Education Trust, The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS), Association of Community College Trustees, Third Way, UnidosUS, Doña Ana Community College, New Mexico State University, and the University of New Mexico.

A one-page summary of the bill is here.

The text of the bill is here.

Statements of Support  

“Completing a college degree is essential to unlocking the full benefits postsecondary education can offer. Third Way applauds Sen. Heinrich, Rep. Stansbury, and Re. Chavez-DeRemer for introducing the Postsecondary Student Success Act, which will help colleges and universities deploy evidence-based strategies to raise their retention and graduation rates. We’re thrilled to see growing bipartisan focus on college student success and urge Congress to pass this important legislation,” Michelle Dimino said, Director of Education at Third Way.  

“IHEP applauds Sen. Heinrich for introducing the Postsecondary Student Success Act of 2024 and for his commitment to student success. We are pleased this bill will codify the Postsecondary Student Success Grant program and help postsecondary institutions develop, implement, and scale evidence-based college retention and completion approaches. These efforts will improve student outcomes and increase the public return on investment in higher education, promising a brighter future for our nation’s students,” the Institute for Higher Education Policy said.   

“TICAS is proud to support the Postsecondary Student Success Act of 2024, and we applaud the leadership of Sen. Heinrich, Rep. Stansbury, and Rep. Chavez-De Remer. This bipartisan legislation builds on previous federal investments in evidence-based programs to improve student outcomes–including retention, transfer, credit accumulation, and completion. Across the country, comprehensive approaches to student success have proven that they can help more students achieve their dream of getting a college credential, avoiding the personal and professional challenges that accompany having student debt without a degree. However, only a tiny fraction of students receive these transformational supports. That’s why TICAS has long advocated for the authorization of the Postsecondary Student Success Grant program to provide sustained funding for evidence-based completion programs. We urge Congress to move this legislation forward as soon as possible,” Dr. Jhenai Chandler said, Senior Director of College Completion, The Institute for College Access & Success.    

“EdTrust hails the Postsecondary Student Success Act of 2024, introduced by Reps. Stansbury and Chavez-DeRemer, and Sen. Heinrich, and expresses our unqualified support for the bill. This legislation would strengthen the current Postsecondary Student Success Grant program and demonstrates strong bipartisan support for evidenced-based student success programs. These types of innovations provide the supports that students need to stay enrolled in school and graduate and have outsized benefits for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds. We urge Congress and the President to act on behalf of underserved students and enact this bill,” Wil Del Pilar said, Senior Vice President, The Education Trust.   

“We thank Sen. Heinrich, Rep. Stansbury, and Rep. Chavez-DeRemer for introducing the Postsecondary Student Success Act. This legislation would enable critical gains in student success and help ensure more students graduate faster with the skills they need to thrive in the workforce and contribute to society. We urge Congress to pass the Postsecondary Student Success Act, and provide significant funding for the Postsecondary Student Success Grant program in the next education spending bill,” Mark Becker said, President of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.  

“New America applauds the introduction of the Postsecondary Student Success Act. The bill will provide colleges with much needed resources to help their students get across the finish line, and its emphasis on evidence ensures that taxpayers’ dollars are invested in effective, proven practices,” New America said.   

“Results for America applauds the introduction of the Postsecondary Student Success Act, which will authorize an innovation fund to test and scale promising strategies that promote college completion and student success. This bill will not only support learning about what works to help students graduate from college, it will improve economic mobility outcomes in communities across the country,” Michele Jolin said, CEO and Co-Founder, Results for America.

“We are delighted to see a bipartisan, bicameral effort to authorize the Postsecondary Student Success Grant. ACCT has long advocated for a federal program specifically designed to enhance college completion and student success through evidence-based practices and partnerships. We are glad to see the program authorized to make its need known to both appropriators and authorizers. As open-access yet often under-resourced institutions, community colleges look forward to continuing to leverage this program to bolster students’ abilities to succeed in postsecondary education,” Jee Hang Lee said, President and CEO at the Association of Community College Trustees. 

“New Mexico State University welcomes the proposed Postsecondary Student Success Act as it aims to support students using evidence-based programs. Our students face many challenges in college, including that many are from lower income homes or have no family members who can guide and encourage them in their college journey. Their challenges in higher education begin before they even complete an application and do not end after they graduate. We applaud Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury for recognizing that more can be done to meet the needs of New Mexico’s students and we support this effort to increase retention and completion,” Dr. Renay Scott said, New Mexico State University Vice President of Student Success.

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