# Jumpstart on College Act: Plain Language Summary

This bill creates a federal grant program to help high schools partner with colleges to let students earn college credits while still in high school. The program focuses on two main approaches: early college high schools (where students attend a school specifically designed to combine high school and college coursework) and dual enrollment programs (where students take college classes while finishing their regular high school education). The goal is to help students—especially low-income students and those whose families are the first to attend college—complete college degrees faster and more affordably.

The federal government would invest $250 million per year for six years to fund these programs. At least 40 percent of the money goes directly to colleges and school districts that want to start or expand these programs, with individual grants up to $2 million per organization over six years. The remaining funds support state-level efforts and research. Organizations receiving grants must match the federal money with their own resources, starting at 20 percent in the first two years and increasing to 50 percent by year six, though they can count in-kind contributions (like staff time) toward this requirement.

For students, this means more opportunities to get a head start on college without paying full tuition. Participating high schools must provide support services like tutoring, career counseling, and help with college applications. They can use grant money to cover college tuition and fees for participating students, buy textbooks, and arrange internships or apprenticeships. For teachers and professors, the program funds professional development and collaboration time so high school and college instructors can work together to create smooth transitions between institutions. The bill prioritizes funding for schools serving mostly low-income students and schools that are struggling academically, aiming to make college more accessible to students who might otherwise not pursue higher education.

Jumpstart on College Act

Espaillat, Adriano

Jumpstart on College Act This bill directs the Department of Education (ED)&nbsp;to award grants to support early-college high schools and dual- or concurrent-enrollment programs. Specifically, ED must award grants to&nbsp;(1) institutions of higher education in partnership with one or more local educational agencies to assist them in establishing or supporting early-college high schools or dual- or concurrent-enrollment programs, and (2) states to assist them in supporting or establishing these schools or programs.