College Thriving Act

House Bill

H.R. 1409

119th Congress

College Thriving Act

In Committee

Introduced:Feb 18, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Scott H. Peters

Representative

Democratic

CA-50

Cosponsors

1

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Education

Summary

The College Thriving Act requires ED to award grants for skills-for-success courses for first-year college students including transfers. Courses must have low student-teacher ratios, be pass-fail, and cover topics like time management, stress coping, and goal setting.

Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

The College Thriving Act requires ED to award grants for skills-for-success courses for first-year college students including transfers. Courses must have low student-teacher ratios, be pass-fail, and cover topics like time management, stress coping, and goal setting.

Last updated: 1/5/2026

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

College Thriving ActThis bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to award competitive grants to eligible institutions of higher education (IHEs) to carry out skills-for-success courses for all enrolled first-year students (including transfer students). Skills-for-success course means a course that (1) has a low student-to-teacher ratio, (2) is not graded or is pass-fail, and (3) provides skills for success in college in specified topics (e.g., time management skills, coping with stress, and goal setting). In awarding grants, ED must give priority to IHEs where at least 50% of all students enrolled in the most recent academic year were eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant.

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Creates grants for first-year success courses
Requires low student-to-teacher ratios
Courses must be pass-fail or ungraded
Covers time management, stress, goal setting
Prioritizes schools with high Pell Grant populations

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

First-year college students would take courses designed to help them succeed academically and personally. Schools serving more low-income students would receive priority for these competitive grants.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Education

Related Subjects

Education programs funding

Higher education

Performance measurement

Teaching, teachers, curricula

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

1409, 119th Congress (2025). "College Thriving Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-1409