Contents by
Section: December 1997
The Higher Education Act
What is the Higher Education Act and why is it being reauthorized? The Higher Education Act of
1965 is the authorizing legislation for most of the federal government's higher
education programs, in particular those that provide financial aid to students.
Forty-four programs are currently receiving funding, with student aid programs
getting more than 95 percent of the total funds.
The Higher Ed Act
aims to expand postsecondary opportunity for low-income individuals and increase
the affordability of postsecondary education for many moderate-income families. Because the provisions of
the Higher Education Act expire after a prescribed period of time--something
like a sunset provision in a collective bargaining agreement--the Act must be
reauthorized periodically. This is the seventh reauthorization since the
original law was passed.
What does this reauthorization mean to faculty and staff working in our
nation's colleges and universities?
First, more than
40 percent of all students pursuing a postsecondary education receive federal
financial aid. That's nearly 7 million students, 5 million of whom would most
likely be unable to afford college without federal help. Clearly, many of the
approximately 6,200 postsecondary institutions that enroll students receiving
federal aid would not be able to survive without it. Overall, almost
three-quarters of all student aid comes from the federal government. The Higher Education Act
also provides resources and funding for community colleges, historically Black,
Hispanic, and tribal colleges and universities, college libraries, and
professional development.
What is the pending reauthorization expected to accomplish?
The current
campaign to reauthorize the Higher Ed Act is emphasizing the importance of
increasing access and improving the use of technology. But recent tax law
changes that will pump an additional $35 billion into higher education over the
next five years make other major changes to the Higher Education Act unlikely.
In addition, there is less potential for conflict because both houses of
Congress have taken a bipartisan approach to the reauthorization.
What does NEA want to see happen during the reauthorization? NEA lobbyists and leaders
are working closely with Congress to increase higher education access, quality,
and affordability. Among other goals: gaining adequate funding for professional
development, supporting technical innovation with safeguards for its use, and
holding all educational institutions that receive federal money accountable for
how it is spent.
