AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS NONACADEMIC BARRIERS TO SUCCESS GRANT PROGRAM to PROVIDe COMMUNITY COLLEGES GRANTS TO SUPPORT STUDENT academic SUCCESS and to APPROPRIATE funds.

Whereas, there are more than 300,000 curriculum, continuing education, and basic skills students enrolled in the North Carolina Community College System; and

Whereas, there are more than 150,000 curriculum students in the North Carolina Community College System who receive Pell Grant funds; and

Whereas, studies have found that 39% of college students at two‑year colleges are facing food insecurity and 48% are experiencing housing insecurity or homelessness; and

Whereas, studies have found that programs that address basic needs of students on college campuses are correlated with an increase in college persistence and academic achievement; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  The State Board of Community Colleges (State Board) shall develop and administer a grant program designed to improve student academic success by addressing nonacademic barriers impacting students. The program shall be known as the Community College Support Student Academic Success Program (Grant Program) and shall provide funds of up to one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) to 10 community colleges. All North Carolina community colleges may apply for a grant and both degree and nondegree seeking students are eligible to receive services provided using grant funds.

SECTION 1.(b)  As used in this act, the phrase nonacademic barriers shall include the lack or insufficient availability and accessibility of:

(1)        Mental health and other behavioral health services.

(2)        Affordable and stable housing.

(3)        Sufficient and healthy nutrition.

(4)        Affordable health care services and affordable health insurance.

(5)        Legal and other support services.

SECTION 1.(c)  The funds shall be used to improve existing services or provide new services to students to address nonacademic barriers to student academic success. The following are allowable uses of grant funds:

(1)        The provision of new services, the improvement of existing services, or both to address nonacademic barriers to academic success for students enrolled in the community college. This may include a one‑stop service for students who are in crisis or are otherwise at risk of not completing a course of study due, at least in part, to nonacademic barriers. The service may utilize individuals who are trained to assess student needs and assist students with accessing appropriate services and community resources.

(2)        Research regarding the improvement of community college student academic success.

(3)        The expansion of outreach and training on the community college campus to identify and address the nonacademic barriers to student academic success.

SECTION 1.(d)  The State Board shall develop an application process, including metrics, definitions, and benchmarks, for the Grant Program. The application shall include, at a minimum, all of the following components:

(1)        Identify the nonacademic barriers specific to that college that negatively impact student academic success and an inventory of existing services currently available to students to overcome those barriers.

(2)        Identify current methods the community college uses to measure whether exiting services improve student academic success.

(3)        Specify how the community college will use grant funds to address nonacademic barriers to student academic success.

(4)        Specify how the community college will measure the impact grant funds have on addressing nonacademic barriers and improving student academic success.

SECTION 1.(e)  The State Board shall take into consideration all of the following when awarding Grant Program funds:

(1)        The demonstrated need for services for students enrolled in the community college with priority given to colleges located in catchment areas where fewer mental and behavioral health services are available.

(2)        Whether the proposal includes effective approaches for initiating or expanding on‑campus services that address the nonacademic barriers to student academic success and student mental health.

(3)        The extent to which the proposal targets underserved and at‑risk populations as defined by the System Office.

(4)        The extent to which the proposal includes coordination with existing community mental and behavioral health services and other community resources.

(5)        The extent to which the proposal includes innovative practices to improve student academic success as defined by the System Office.

(6)        The extent to which the proposal demonstrates the greatest potential for replication and dissemination.

SECTION 1.(f)  The State Board shall make all grant awards no later than March 31, 2022. Except as provided in subsection (h) of this section, no community college may receive more than one grant for the 2021‑2023 fiscal biennium. Each community college shall use at least eighty percent (80%) of the funds awarded to pay for personnel. The community college may use up to twenty percent (20%) of the funds awarded to provide professional development to community college employees and acquire technology and other equipment and supplies to implement the grant. The funds shall remain available for expenditure for two years from the date the State Board awards a grant to the community college.

SECTION 1.(g)  Each community college that receives grant funds shall report all of the following related to use of the funds to the State Board and on a schedule to be determined by the State Board:

(1)        The number of unique services provided to students.

(2)        The unduplicated number of students who received services.

(3)        The types of services received.

(4)        Of the students who received services provided with grant funds, the percentage that reenrolled for the following semester or completed their program of study during the semester when services were received.

SECTION 1.(h)  The State Board may award up to eighty thousand dollars ($80,000) in additional funds to each community college that meets its benchmarks after one year and requests additional funding. The community college shall use the funds to continue the services for up to two years beyond the termination of the original grant, and the funds shall remain available for expenditure during that time.

SECTION 2.(a)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community College System the sum of one million six hundred thousand dollars ($1,600,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2021‑2022 fiscal year to establish the Community College Support Student Academic Success Program (Grant Program) to be allocated as follows:

(1)        $1,500,000 to provide funds to selected community colleges to implement the Grant Program pursuant to Section 1 of this act.

(2)        $100,000 to develop and administer the Grant Program.

SECTION 2.(b)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community College System the sum of one million one hundred thousand dollars ($1,100,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2022‑2023 fiscal year to be allocated as follows:

(1)        $800,000 to extend successful grant programs as provided in Section 1(f) of this act.

(2)        $300,000 to evaluate the Grant Program.

SECTION 3.  The State Board of Community Colleges shall report no later than October 1, 2022, and annually thereafter until October 1, 2025, to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on the following:

(1)        The grant process, including which community colleges applied for grants, which received grants, the amount of each grant including any additional funding received under Section 1(f) of this act, and a summary of the services to be provided by each community college that received a grant.

(2)        Data, by community college, on the use of the grant funds over time, including data regarding whether the programs and services have reduced nonacademic barriers to student academic success.

(3)        Recommendations for modifying, extending, or terminating the Grant Program.

SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2021.