; and (9) an assurance that the State or Indian tribe will clearly communicate to prospective students, their families, and the general public— (A) plans to implement the program funded under this subpart; and (B) how eligible students can attend a community college operated by the State or tribe without paying the cost of tuition and fees. 499D. Program requirements (a) General requirements for States and indian tribes As a condition of receiving a grant under this subpart, a State or Indian tribe shall meet the following requirements: (1) For each year of the grant the total amount of community college tuition and fees charged to an eligible student in the State or Indian tribe shall be $0. (2) For each year of the grant no amount of financial assistance for which an eligible student qualifies may be applied to such tuition or fees. (b) State requirements As a condition of receiving a grant under this subpart, a State shall meet the following requirements: (1) Alignment of K–12 and higher education (A) In general The State shall— (i) submit a plan to align the requirements for receiving a regular high school diploma from public schools in the State with the requirements for entering credit-bearing coursework at community colleges in such State; and (ii) not later than 3 years after the date on which the State first receives a grant under this subpart, certify to the Secretary that such alignment has been achieved. (B) Failure to certify If a State does not provide the certification required under subparagraph (A) by the date specified in such subparagraph, the State shall submit to the Secretary, at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require— (i) a written explanation for the delay in making the certification