ED Seeks Reauthorization Comments by February 28, 2003 Deadline

The Department of Education has requested comments by February 28, 2003 on the upcoming reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA). The December 20, 2002 Federal Register Notice provides an introductory glance at Presidents Bush's goals and objectives for higher education, and will serve as an informative document for lawmakers as they review current HEA regulations.

Comments may be submitted to ED through a Web site at http://bcol01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/OPE/HEA/index.cfm or by postal mail. ED has set up a Web site at http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/reauthorization that provides information on the upcoming reauthorization.

[In responding to this invitation to comment, financial aid administrators may wish to refer to the reauthorization recommendations that NASFAA transmitted to Congress on December 19 (see http://www.NASFAA.org/publications/2002/greauthrecstohill122002.html].

The Department notice proposed a number of new goals and objectives, including:

• Linking accountability and federal funds by creating performance-based grants;

• Reducing the gaps in college access and completion among student populations of different race or ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and disability status while increasing overall educational attainment;

• Improving services for customers and partners through electronic communication and record storage;

• Strengthening historically-black, tribal, and Hispanic-serving institutions by offering technical assistance for planning, implementation, and evaluation, and assisting in promoting technology infrastructure;

• Modernizing the federal student aid programs and reducing their high-risk status by creating a more efficient student aid delivery system and improving program monitoring;

• Linking funding decisions to results by documenting program effectiveness;

• Making better use of community- and faith-based organizations by removing regulatory barriers to their full participation; and

• Advancing teacher quality by improving the quality of teacher preparation programs.

• How can ED improve access for all students, especially those with disabilities?

• How can the federal government encourage greater persistence and completion among higher education students?

• How can existing HEA programs be changed and made to work more efficiently and effectively in today's environment?

• How can the feds eliminate any unnecessary burdens on students, institutions, or the government, yet maintain taxpayer accountability of federal funds?

• How can ED best prioritize the use of higher education funds?

• How can the federal funding already provided for HEA programs best help to improve educational quality, expand access, and ensure affordability?

• Are there innovative ways that ED can use tax credits, deductions, and tax-free savings incentives to improve access and choice in postsecondary education?

• How can program effectiveness be measured for HEA programs?

• Are there other ideas for how to improve the way the government promotes access to higher education and ensures accountability of taxpayer funds?

Jeffrey R. Andrade
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning and Innovation
Office of Postsecondary Education
1990 K Street, N.W., Room 8046
Washington, D.C. 20006
attention: HEA Reauthorization

Posted December 23 , 2002 on www.NASFAA.org, Web Site of the
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
Copyright 2002.
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