text: SECTION 1. EARLY FEDERAL PELL GRANT COMMITMENT DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.
  
      Subpart 1 of part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
  (20 U.S.C. 1070a et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
  following:
  
  ``SEC. 401B. EARLY FEDERAL PELL GRANT COMMITMENT DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.
  
      ``(a) Demonstration Program Authority.--
              ``(1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to carry out 
          an Early Federal Pell Grant Commitment Demonstration Program 
          under which--
                      ``(A) the Secretary awards grants to 4 State 
                  educational agencies, in accordance with paragraph (2), 
                  to pay the administrative expenses incurred in 
                  participating in the demonstration program under this 
                  section; and
                      ``(B) the Secretary awards Federal Pell Grants to 
                  participating students in accordance with this section.
              ``(2) Grants.--
                      ``(A) In general.--From amounts appropriated under 
                  subsection (g) for a fiscal year, the Secretary is 
                  authorized to award grants to 4 State educational 
                  agencies to enable the State educational agencies to 
                  pay the administrative expenses incurred in 
                  participating in a demonstration program under which 
                  students in 8th grade who are eligible for a free or 
                  reduced price meal receive a commitment to receive a 
                  Federal Pell Grant early in their academic careers.
                      ``(B) Equal amounts.--The Secretary shall award 
                  grants under this section in equal amounts to each of 
                  the 4 participating State educational agencies.
      ``(b) Demonstration Project Requirements.--Each of the 4 
  demonstration projects assisted under this section shall meet the 
  following requirements:
              ``(1) Participants.--
                      ``(A) In general.--The State educational agency 
                  shall make participation in the demonstration project 
                  available to 2 cohorts of students, which shall consist 
                  of--
                              ``(i) 1 cohort of 8th grade students who 
                          begin the participation in academic year 2007-
                          2008; and
                              ``(ii) 1 cohort of 8th grade students who 
                          begin the participation in academic year 2008-
                          2009.
                      ``(B) Students in each cohort.--Each cohort of 
                  students shall consist of not more than 10,000 8th 
                  grade students who qualify for a free or reduced price 
                  meal under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch 
                  Act or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966.
              ``(2) Student data.--The State educational agency shall 
          ensure that student data from local educational agencies 
          serving students who participate in the demonstration project, 
          as well as student data from local educational agencies serving 
          a comparable group of students who do not participate in the 
          demonstration project, are available for evaluation of the 
          demonstration project.
              ``(3) Federal pell grant commitment.--Each student who 
          participates in the demonstration project receives a commitment 
          from the Secretary to receive a Federal Pell Grant during the 
          first academic year that student is in attendance at an 
          institution of higher education as an undergraduate, if the 
          student applies for Federal financial aid (via the FAFSA) 
          during the student's senior year of secondary school and during 
          succeeding years.
              ``(4) Applicability of federal pell grant requirements.--
          The requirements of section 401 shall apply to Federal Pell 
          Grants awarded pursuant to this section, except that the amount 
          of each participating student's Federal Pell Grant only shall 
          be calculated by deeming such student to have an expected 
          family contribution equal to zero.
              ``(5) Application process.--The Secretary shall establish 
          an application process to select State educational agencies to 
          participate in the demonstration program and State educational 
          agencies shall establish an application process to select local 
          educational agencies within the State to participate in the 
          demonstration project.
              ``(6) Local educational agency participation.--Subject to 
          the 10,000 statewide student limitation described in paragraph 
          (1), a local educational agency serving students, not less than 
          50 percent of whom are eligible for a free or reduced price 
          meal under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act or 
          the Child Nutritional Act of 1966, shall be eligible to 
          participate in the demonstration project.
      ``(c) State Educational Agency Applications.--
              ``(1) In general.--Each State educational agency desiring 
          to participate in the demonstration program under this section 
          shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time and 
          in such manner as the Secretary may require.
              ``(2) Contents.--Each application shall include--
                      ``(A) a description of the proposed targeted 
                  information campaign for the demonstration project and 
                  a copy of the plan described in subsection (f)(2);
                      ``(B) a description of the student population that 
                  will receive an early commitment to receive a Federal 
                  Pell Grant under this section;
                      ``(C) an assurance that the State educational 
                  agency will fully cooperate with the ongoing evaluation 
                  of the demonstration project; and
                      ``(D) such other information as the Secretary may 
                  require.
      ``(d) Selection Considerations.--
              ``(1) Selection of state educational agencies.--In 
          selecting State educational agencies to participate in the 
          demonstration program, the Secretary shall consider--
                      ``(A) the number and quality of State educational 
                  agency applications received;
                      ``(B) the Department's capacity to oversee and 
                  monitor each State educational agency's participation 
                  in the demonstration program;
                      ``(C) a State educational agency's--
                              ``(i) financial responsibility;
                              ``(ii) administrative capability;
                              ``(iii) commitment to focusing State 
                          resources, in addition to any resources 
                          provided under part A of title I of the 
                          Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, 
                          on students who receive assistance under such 
                          part A;
                              ``(iv) the ability and plans of a State 
                          educational agency to run an effective and 
                          thorough targeted information campaign for 
                          students served by local educational agencies 
                          eligible to participate in the demonstration 
                          project; and
                              ``(v) ensuring the participation in the 
                          demonstration program of a diverse group of 
                          students with respect to ethnicity and gender.
              ``(2) Local educational agency.--In selecting local 
          educational agencies to participate in a demonstration project 
          under this section, the State educational agency shall 
          consider--
                      ``(A) the number and quality of local educational 
                  agency applications received;
                      ``(B) the State educational agency's capacity to 
                  oversee and monitor each local educational agency's 
                  participation in the demonstration project;
                      ``(C) a local educational agency's--
                              ``(i) financial responsibility;
                              ``(ii) administrative capability;
                              ``(iii) commitment to focusing local 
                          resources, in addition to any resources 
                          provided under part A of title I of the 
                          Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, 
                          on students who receive assistance under such 
                          part A;
                              ``(iv) the ability and plans of a local 
                          educational agency to run an effective and 
                          thorough targeted information campaign for 
                          students served by the local educational 
                          agency; and
                              ``(v) ensuring the participation in the 
                          demonstration project of a diverse group of 
                          students with respect to ethnicity and gender.
      ``(e) Evaluation.--
              ``(1) In general.--From amounts appropriated under section 
          (g) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve not more 
          than $1,000,000 to award a grant or contract to an organization 
          outside the Department for an independent evaluation of the 
          impact of the demonstration program assisted under this 
          section.
              ``(2) Competitive basis.--The grant or contract shall be 
          awarded on a competitive basis.
              ``(3) Matters evaluated.--The evaluation described in this 
          subsection shall--
                      ``(A) determine the number of individuals who were 
                  encouraged by the demonstration program to pursue 
                  higher education;
                      ``(B) identify the barriers to the effectiveness of 
                  the demonstration program;
                      ``(C) assess the cost-effectiveness of the 
                  demonstration program in improving access to higher 
                  education;
                      ``(D) identify the reasons why participants in the 
                  demonstration program either received or did not 
                  receive a Federal Pell Grant;
                      ``(E) identify intermediate outcomes (relative to 
                  postsecondary education attendance), such as whether 
                  participants--
                              ``(i) were more likely to take a college-
                          prep curriculum while in secondary school;
                              ``(ii) submitted any college applications; 
                          and
                              ``(iii) took the PSAT, SAT, or ACT;
                      ``(F) identify the number of individuals 
                  participating in the demonstration program who pursued 
                  an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree, as well 
                  as other forms of postsecondary education;
                      ``(G) compare the findings of the demonstration 
                  program with respect to participants to comparison 
                  groups (of similar size and demographics) that did not 
                  participate in the demonstration program; and
                      ``(H) identify the impact on the parents of 
                  students eligible to participate in the demonstration 
                  program.
              ``(4) Dissemination.--The findings of the evaluation shall 
          be widely disseminated to the public by the organization 
          conducting the evaluation as well as by the Secretary.
      ``(f) Targeted Information Campaign.--
              ``(1) In general.--Each State educational agency receiving 
          a grant under this section shall, in cooperation with the 
          participating local educational agencies within the State and 
          the Secretary, develop a targeted information campaign for the 
          demonstration program assisted under this section.
              ``(2) Plan.--Each State educational agency receiving a 
          grant under this section shall include in the application 
          submitted under subsection (c) a written plan for their 
          proposed targeted information campaign. The plan shall include 
          the following:
                      ``(A) Outreach.--Outreach to students and their 
                  families, at a minimum, at the beginning and end of 
                  each academic year of the demonstration project.
                      ``(B) Distribution.--How the State educational 
                  agency plans to provide the outreach described in 
                  subparagraph (A) and to provide the information 
                  described in subparagraph (C).
                      ``(C) Information.--The annual provision by the 
                  State educational agency to all students and families 
                  participating in the demonstration program of 
                  information regarding--
                              ``(i) the estimated statewide average 
                          higher education institution cost data for each 
                          academic year, which cost data shall be 
                          disaggregated by--
                                      ``(I) type of institution, 
                                  including--
                                              ``(aa) 2-year public 
                                          colleges;
                                              ``(bb) 4-year public 
                                          colleges; and
                                              ``(cc) 4-year private 
                                          colleges;
                                      ``(II) by component, including--
                                              ``(aa) tuition and fees; 
                                          and
                                              ``(bb) room and board;
                              ``(ii) Federal Pell Grants, including--
                                      ``(I) the maximum Federal Pell 
                                  Grant for each academic year;
                                      ``(II) when and how to apply for a 
                                  Federal Pell Grant; and
                                      ``(III) what the application 
                                  process for a Federal Pell Grant 
                                  requires;
                              ``(iii) State-specific college savings 
                          programs;
                              ``(iv) State-based merit aid;
                              ``(v) State-based financial aid; and
                              ``(vi) Federal financial aid available to 
                          students, including eligibility criteria for 
                          the Federal financial aid and an explanation of 
                          the Federal financial aid programs.
              ``(3) Cohorts.--The information described in paragraph 
          (2)(C) shall be provided to 2 cohorts of students annually for 
          the duration of the students' participation in the 
          demonstration program. The 2 cohorts shall consist of--
                      ``(A) 1 cohort of 8th grade students who begin the 
                  participation in academic year 2007-2008; and
                      ``(B) 1 cohort of 8th grade students who begin the 
                  participation in academic year 2008-2009.
              ``(4) Reservation.--Each State educational agency receiving 
          a grant under this section shall reserve $200,000 of the grant 
          funds received each fiscal year for each of the 2 cohorts of 
          students (for a total reservation of $400,000 each fiscal year) 
          served by the State to carry out their targeted information 
          campaign described in this subsection.
      ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
  appropriated to carry out this section--
              ``(1) $1,300,000 for fiscal year 2008, of which--
                      ``(A) $500,000 shall be available to carry out 
                  subsection (e); and
                      ``(B) $800,000 shall be available to carry out 
                  subsection (f)(2)(C);
              ``(2) $1,600,000 for fiscal year 2009, of which $1,600,000 
          shall be available to carry out subsection (f)(2)(C);
              ``(3) $1,600,000 for fiscal year 2010, of which $1,600,000 
          shall be available to carry out subsection (f)(2)(C);
              ``(4) $2,100,000 for fiscal year 2011, of which--
                      ``(A) $500,000 shall be available to carry out 
                  subsection (e); and
                      ``(B) $1,600,000 shall be available to carry out 
                  subsection (f)(2)(C);
              ``(5) $1,600,000 for fiscal year 2012, of which $1,600,000 
          shall be available to carry out subsection (f)(2)(C);
              ``(6) $14,600,000 for fiscal year 2013, of which--
                      ``(A) $800,000 shall be available to carry out 
                  subsection (f)(2)(C); and
                      ``(B) $13,800,000 shall be available for Federal 
                  Pell Grants provided in accordance with this section; 
                  and
              ``(7) $13,800,000 for fiscal year 2014, of which 
          $13,800,000 shall be available for Federal Pell Grants provided 
          in accordance with this section.''.
target: Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize an Early Federal Pell Grant Demonstration Program.
  
  Directs the Secretary of Education to award grants to four states to cover administrative expenses incurred in the program. Limits a state to a cohort of up to 10,000 of its eighth grade students who are eligible for a free or reduced price meal under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966. Provides for a cohort for each of the academic years 2007-2008 and 2008-2009. Declares that each student who participates in the demonstration project receives a commitment to receive a Pell Grant during their first year of undergraduate study at an institution of higher education, subject to a specified condition.
  
  Requires state grantees to choose local educational agencies to participate in the program from among those serving students at least half of whom are eligible for free or reduced price meals.
  
  Calculates participating students' Pell Grants by deeming them to have no expected family contribution.
  
  Directs the Secretary to arrange for an independent evaluation of the demonstration program's effectiveness in providing needy students with access to, and an incentive to pursue, higher education.
  
  Requires state grantees annually to provide program participants with information concerning college costs, Pell Grants, state college savings programs, and other state and federal aid programs.
feat_title: A bill to establish an establish an Early Federal Pell Grant Commitment Demonstration Program.