New Joint Statement
NEA and AFT issue another joint statement of priorities for the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA). The recommendations focus on the core goal of HEA— to increase access and make college affordable to students regardless of their financial circumstances.

AFT/NEA Recommendations
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA) join forces to state their priorities for the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA).

Recent Reports
"Rethinking Graduation Rates as Accountability Measures"(, 912k), NEA Research Center Update, January 2004. This report explains why the congressional initiatives to use graduation rates as an accountability measure is a bad idea. Look at the data that illustrates how institutional graduation rates underestimate the true rate of attaining a college degree.

"Why Are College Prices Increasing and What Should We Do About It?"(, 961k), NEA Research Center Update, December 2003. This report explains how proposed government tuition price controls would affect institutions depending on tuition revenue for operational costs more adversely than institutions that, historically, have high tuition and large endowment funds.

Long, Bridget T. "The Impact of Higher Education Tax Credits for Higher Education Expenses", Working Paper 9553, National Bureau of Economic Research, March 2003. This study concludes that access to higher education did not improve and the tax credit facilitated tuition increases. Read our summary of this report.

Based on the findings in this Update report, "Faculty Salaries, 2002-03", it's clear that faculty salaries are not driving tuition increases. Over a 30-year period, the average salary (in constant dollars) for all ranks increased 4.6%.

Higher Ed Act Reauthorization Recommendations
In 1998, NEA and AFT joined forces to state their recommendations on distance learning for the Higher Education Reauthorization Act.