H.R. 3136: Advancing Competency-Based Education Demonstration Project Act of 2014

113th Congress · introduced 2013-09-19 · Education · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2013-09-19 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Salmon, Matt [R-AZ-5] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: 3 recorded votes in our records. Latest: House roll call 439 (2014): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR3136 (2014-07-23), Agreed to. See all
Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Advancing Competency-Based Education Demonstration Project Act of 2014

Plain summary

Advancing Competency-Based Education Demonstration Project Act of 2014 - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to select up to 20 institutions of higher education (IHEs) or systems or consortia of IHEs to: (1) carry out, on a voluntary basis, competency-based education demonstration projects; and (2) receive waivers of certain statutory and regulatory requirements that would otherwise prevent such an entity from participating in federal student aid programs or inhibit the operation of competency-based education. Defines "competency-based education" as an educational process or program that measures students' knowledge, skills, and experience through assessments instead of, or in addition to, measuring their credit or clock hours. Includes in the waivers: (1) limitations on the provision of instruction through correspondence courses, (2) requirements that schools provide a minimum number of weeks of instruction, and (3) requirements that students enroll for at least a minimum number of credit or clock hours. Requires each demonstration project to enroll a minimum of 50 and a maximum of 3,000 students. Requires the Secretary to prioritize proposed demonstration projects that show promise in reducing the time or cost required to complete a degree, certificate, or credential. Prohibits the Secretary from selecting an IHE or a system or consortium of IHEs to conduct a competency-based education demonstration project if such entity had, for one of the two preceding fiscal years: (1) a cohort default rate of 30% or greater, and (2) more than 50% of its students borrowing title IV loans. Requires each entity carrying out a demonstration project to provide the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences with certain disaggregated information regarding the students participating in the project, including the average number of competencies a student acquires while participating in the project and the time it takes the student to acquire such competencies. Requires the Director, annually, to: (1) evaluate each competency-based education demonstration project, and (2) submit a report to Congress that includes information on the evaluations and recommendations for enhancing those projects. Directs the Secretary, on a continuing basis, to: (1) oversee, and provide technical assistance to, the demonstration projects; and (2) consult with accrediting entities and state regulatory authorities for additional ways to improve the delivery of competency-based education. Makes $1 million of the amount authorized to be appropriated for Department of Education salaries and expenses available to carry out this Act and its amendments.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Advancing Competency-Based Education Demonstration Project Act of 2014

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House with amendment(s))

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Salmon, Matt [R-AZ-5] · 10 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Recorded votes

House roll call 439 (2014): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR3136 (2014-07-23): Agreed to
House roll call 440 (2014): On Motion to Recommit with Instructions, HR3136 (2014-07-23): Failed
House roll call 441 (2014): On Passage, HR3136 (2014-07-23): Passed

Words on this page, explained (4)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House with amendment(s))
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-113hr3136.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/113/hr>

Record fed-us-cong113-hr3136 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113