text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Path to Success: Gang Prevention 
  through Community Partnerships Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
  
      The purpose of this Act is to encourage community supported 
  programs that--
              (1) leverage and enhance community support for at-risk 
          young adults by facilitating the transition of such young 
          adults who are eligible individuals into productive learning 
          environments where such young adults can obtain the life, 
          social, academic and vocational skills and credentials 
          necessary to strengthen the Nation's workforce;
              (2) provide counseling, as appropriate, for eligible 
          individuals participating in the programs to allow such 
          individuals to build a relationship with one or more guidance 
          counselors during the period that the individuals are enrolled 
          in the programs, including providing referrals and connections 
          to community resources that help eligible individuals 
          transition back into the community with the necessary life, 
          social, academic and vocational skills after being in 
          detention, or incarcerated, particularly resources related to 
          health, housing, job training, and work-place readiness;
              (3) provide training and education for eligible individuals 
          participating in the programs, to allow such individuals to 
          assist community officials and law enforcement agencies with 
          the deterrence and prevention of gang and youth violence by 
          participating in seminars, training, and workshops throughout 
          the community; and
              (4) provide each eligible youth participating in the 
          programs with individual attention based on a curriculum that 
          matches the interests and abilities of the individual to the 
          resources of the program.
  
  SEC. 3. REENTRY EDUCATION PROGRAM.
  
      (a) Grant Program Established.--The Secretary of Education is 
  authorized to award grants to community colleges to enter into and 
  maintain partnerships with juvenile detention centers and secure 
  juvenile justice residential facilities to provide assistance, 
  services, and education to eligible individuals who reenter the 
  community and pursue, in accordance with the requirements of this Act, 
  at least one of the following:
              (1) A certificate of graduation from a school providing 
          secondary education, a general equivalency diploma (GED), or 
          another recognized equivalent of such a certificate or diploma.
              (2) A certificate of completion for a specialized area of 
          study, such as vocational training and other alternative post-
          secondary educational programs.
              (3) An associate's degree.
      (b) Grant Period.--A grant awarded under this Act shall be for one 
  2-year period, and may be renewed for an additional period as the 
  Secretary determines to be appropriate.
      (c) Application.--A community college desiring to receive a grant 
  under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
  time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
  shall require, which shall include--
              (1) an assessment of the existing community resources 
          available to serve at-risk youth;
              (2) a detailed description of the program and activities 
          the community college will carry out with such grant; and
              (3) a proposed budget describing how the community college 
          will use the funds made available by such grant.
      (d) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
  of Education shall give priority to community colleges that accept the 
  highest number of eligible individuals from high-risk areas, and among 
  such community colleges, shall give priority to community colleges that 
  the Secretary determines will best carry out the purposes of this Act, 
  based on the applications submitted in accordance with subsection (c).
  
  SEC. 4. ALLOWABLE USES OF FUNDS.
  
      A community college awarded a grant under this Act may use such 
  grant to--
              (1) pay for tuition and transportation costs of eligible 
          individuals;
              (2) establish and carry out an education program that 
          includes classes for eligible individuals that--
                      (A) provide marketable life and social skills to 
                  such individuals;
                      (B) meet the education program requirements under 
                  section 5;
                      (C) promote the civic engagement of such 
                  individuals; and
                      (D) facilitate a smooth reentry of such individuals 
                  into the community;
              (3) create and carry out a mentoring program--
                      (A) that is specifically designed to help eligible 
                  individuals with the potential challenges of the 
                  transitional period from detention to release;
                      (B) is created in consultation with guidance 
                  counselors, academic advisors, law enforcement 
                  officials, and other community resources; and
                      (C) that is administered by a program coordinator, 
                  selected and employed by the community college, who 
                  shall oversee each individual's development and shall 
                  serve as the immediate supervisor and reporting officer 
                  to whom the academic advisors, guidance counselors, and 
                  volunteers shall report regarding the progress of each 
                  such individual;
              (4) facilitate employment opportunities for eligible 
          individuals by entering into partnerships with public and 
          private entities to provide opportunities for internships, 
          apprenticeships, and permanent employment, as possible, for 
          such individuals; and
              (5) provide training for eligible individuals participating 
          in the programs, to allow such individuals to assist community 
          officials and law enforcement agencies with the deterrence and 
          prevention of gang and youth violence by participating in 
          seminars and workshop series throughout the community.
  
  SEC. 5. EDUCATION PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.
  
      An education program established and carried out under section 4 
  shall--
              (1) include classes that are required for completion of a 
          certificate, diploma, or degree described in paragraphs (1) 
          through (3) of section 3(a);
              (2) provide a variety of academic programs, with various 
          completion requirements, to accommodate the distinctive 
          academic backgrounds, learning curves, and concentration 
          interests of the eligible individuals who participate in the 
          program;
              (3) offer flexible academic programs that are designed to 
          improve the academic development and achievement of eligible 
          individuals, and to avoid high attrition rates for such 
          individuals; and
              (4) provide for a uniquely designed education plan for each 
          eligible individual participating in the program, which shall 
          require such individual to receive, at a minimum, a certificate 
          or diploma described in paragraph (1) of section 3(a) to 
          successfully complete such program.
  
  SEC. 6. REPORTS.
  
      Each community college awarded a grant under this Act shall submit 
  to the Secretary of Education a report--
              (1) documenting the results of the program carried out with 
          such grant; and
              (2) evaluating the effectiveness of activities carried out 
          through such program.
  
  SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.
  
      In this Act:
              (1) Community college.--The term ``community college'' 
          means a public or nonprofit institution of higher education (as 
          such term is defined in section 101 or 102(a)(2)(B) of the 
          Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001, 1002(a)(2)(B)), 
          that--
                      (A) provides an educational program of not less 
                  than two years; and
                      (B) that is accredited by a regional accrediting 
                  agency or association.
              (2) Eligible individual.--The term ``eligible individual'' 
          means an individual who--
                      (A) is 16 to 19 years of age;
                      (B) has been convicted of a gang-related offense, 
                  and has served a period of detention in a juvenile 
                  detention center for such offense; and
                      (C) is detained in, or has been released from such 
                  center.
              (3) Gang-related offense.--The term ``gang-related 
          offense'' means conduct constituting any Federal or State 
          crime, punishable by imprisonment in any of the following 
          categories:
                      (A) A crime of violence.
                      (B) A crime involving obstruction of justice, 
                  tampering with or retaliating against a witness, 
                  victim, or informant, or burglary.
                      (C) A crime involving the manufacturing, importing, 
                  distributing, possessing with intent to distribute, or 
                  otherwise dealing in a controlled substance or listed 
                  chemical (as those terms are defined in section 102 of 
                  the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)).
              (4) Guidance counselor.--The term ``guidance counselor'' 
          means an individual who works with at-risk youth on a one-on-
          one basis, to establishing a supportive relationship with such 
          at-risk youth and to provide such at-risk youth with academic 
          assistance and exposure to new experiences that enhance their 
          ability to become responsible citizens.
              (5) High-risk area.--The term ``high-risk area'' means a 
          specified area within a State where there is a 
          disproportionately high number of gang-related activities 
          reported to State and local law enforcement authorities.
  
  SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
      There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
  $20,000,000 for the period beginning with fiscal year 2008 and ending 
  with fiscal year 2010.
target: Path to Success: Gang Prevention through Community Partnerships Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to community colleges to establish partnerships with juvenile detention centers and secure juvenile justice residential facilities to provide assistance, services, and education to individuals age 16 through 19 who have served or are serving time in juvenile detention facilities for a gang-related offense who reenter the community and pursue: (1) a secondary education graduation certificate, a general equivalency diploma (GED), or equivalent certificate or diploma; (2) a certificate of completion for a specialized area of study; or (3) an associate's degree.
  
  Requires such education programs to establish a uniquely designed education plan for each individual program participant that requires the individual to receive at least a secondary education certificate or diploma in order to complete the program successfully.
feat_title: To establish an educational mentoring pilot program for at-risk youth through community partnerships that provides life, social, academic and vocational skills necessary for youth to become productive law abiding citizens.