HBCU Propelling Agency Relationships Towards a New Era of Results for Students Act - Short Title

Oct 15, 2026

An Act titled “HBCU Propelling Agency Relationships Towards a New Era of Results for Students Act” (also cited as “HBCU PARTNERS Act”) strengthens historically Black colleges and universities through robust public-sector, private-sector, and community partnerships. It sets out Congress’s findings on HBCUs’ educational role, enrollment and demographics, and measurable outcomes. The Act defines key terms, establishes an applicable-agency framework, and states purposes focused on capacity building, competitiveness, improved student opportunities, and productive federal interactions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

SEC. 2. FINDINGSAND PURPOSES.

(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:

(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are—

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

PUBLIC LAW 116–270—DEC. 31, 2020 134 STAT. 3325 Public Law 116–270 116th Congress An Act To strengthen the capacity and competitiveness of historically Black colleges and universities through robust public-sector, private-sector, and community partnerships and engagement, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ‘‘HBCU Propelling Agency Relationships Towards a New Era of Results for Students Act’’ orthe ‘‘HBCU PARTNERS Act’’. SEC. 2. FINDINGSAND PURPOSES. (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: (1) As many colleges and universities across the country kept their doors closed to African American applicants, historically Black colleges and universities (referred to in this section as ‘‘HBCUs’’) played a central role in ensuring that African Americans could attain an excellent education. (2) Today, HBCUs continue to play a critical role in ensuring that African Americans, and those of all races, can access high-quality educational opportunities. (3) HBCUs enroll nearly 300,000 students, an estimated 70 percent of whom come from low-income backgrounds and 80 percent of whom are African American. (4) According to the National Association For Equal Opportunity In Higher Education (referred to in this section as‘‘NAFEO’’), HBCUs make up just 3 percent of American institutions of higher education but serve more than a fifth of African American college students. (5) According to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (referred to in this section as ‘‘TMCF’’), approximately 9 percent of all African American college students attend HBCUs. (6) A March 2017 report from the Education Trust concluded that HBCUs have higher completion rates for African American students than other institutions serving similar student populations. (7) According to TMCF, 40 percent of African American Members of Congress, 50 percent of African American lawyers, and 80 percent of African American judges are graduates of HBCUs. (8) According to NAFEO, HBCUs graduate approximately 50 percent of African American public school teaching professionals. Dec. 31, 2020 [S. 461] HBCU Propelling Agency Relationships Towards a New Era of Results for Students Act. 20 USC 1001 note. 20 USC 1063d note. 134 STAT. 3326 PUBLIC LAW 116–270—DEC. 31, 2020 20 USC 1063d note. (9) According to the United Negro College Fund (referred to in this section as ‘‘UNCF’’), African American graduates of HBCUs are almost twice as likely as African Americans who graduated from other institutions to report that their university prepared them well for life. (10) According to a study commissioned by UNCF, in 2014, HBCUs generated a total direct economic impact of $14,800,000,000 and created more than 134,000 jobs. (11) According to a 2019 report produced by the American Council on Education and UNCF, despite efforts to countera historical legacy of inequitable funding and notable investments by the Federal Government and many State governments, resource inequities continue to plague HBCUs. (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are— (1) to strengthen the capacity and competitiveness of HBCUs to fulfill their principal mission of equalizing educational opportunity, as described in section 301(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1051(b)); (2) to align HBCUs with the educational and economic competitiveness priorities of the United States; (3) to provide students enrolled at HBCUs with the highest quality educational and economic opportunities; (4) to bolster and facilitate productive interactions between HBCUs and Federal agencies; and (5) to encourage HBCU participation in and benefit from Federal programs, grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements. SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) APPLICABLE AGENCY.—The term ‘‘applicable agency’’means— (A) the Department

FAQs

What is the short title of the Act?

The Act may be cited as the “HBCU Propelling Agency Relationships Towards a New Era of Results for Students Act” or the “HBCU PARTNERS Act.”

What does Congress identify as key findings about HBCUs?

Congress finds that HBCUs play a central role in expanding educational access, enroll nearly 300,000 students with high shares from low-income and African American backgrounds, and contribute to completion and career outcomes cited from multiple organizations and reports.

What are the main purposes of the Act?

The Act aims to strengthen HBCU capacity and competitiveness, align them with national educational and economic priorities, provide top-quality opportunities for students, and foster productive interactions between HBCUs and federal agencies while encouraging HBCU participation in federal programs.

Oct 15, 2026

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