Tag Archives: higher education

U.S. House and Senate Take Action on DREAM Act

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This past week the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act with a vote of 216-198. 

The DREAM Act authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to grant conditional nonimmigrant status to undocumented students who were brought to this country before the age of 16 and have been here at least 5 years as of the enactment date. They also must be under 30 years of age. After 10 years, participating individuals would be eligible to have their status adjusted from conditional nonimmigrant to legal permanent resident if they have received a degree from an institution of higher education, completed at least two years toward a bachelor’s (or higher) degree, or served at least two years in the military.

This upcoming week the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on the version of the DREAM Act passed by the House.  This past week the Senate introduced a different version of the DREAM Act but have tabled this version in order to vote on the House’s version.

The House’s version of the bill is a bit more conservative than the Senate version introduced earlier this month. Under the House bill, unauthorized residents could qualify for conditional nonimmigrant status if they:

  • Were less than 16 years of age when they entered the country,
  • Lived in the United States for at least five years prior to the bill’s enactment,
  • Are high school graduates or high school students who have been admitted to an institution of higher education or have a general education development (GED) certificate, and
  • Meet other requirements.

The initial conditional nonimmigrant status available under the bill would be valid for a period of five years after which individuals could apply for a single five-year extension. Individuals would be eligible for an extension if they had earned a degree from an institution of higher education, completed at least two years toward a bachelor’s (or higher) degree, or served at least two years in the military, and had met other standards. After completing the second five years, individuals who met the criteria for the five-year extension could have their status adjusted from conditional nonimmigrant to legal permanent resident (LPR) status. 

Latest Tax Agreement Includes Extension of Education Credits

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The tentative federal tax deal dominating the news includes potential benfits for students and their families. 

Yesterday, the Obama administration struck a tentative deal with Republicans to temporarily extend Bush-era tax cuts in order to garner support for additional tax breaks, including a two-year extension of the American Opportunity Tax Credit.

The American Opportunity Tax Credit, which is scheduled to expire at the end of this year, provides a tax credit of up to $2,500 per student for those who make less than $80,000 ($160,000 for joint filers). This credit is partially refundable making it available to low-income families that don’t owe any taxes.

Despite the deal, there is a lack of consensus, making final passage of the tax-cut extension deal uncertain, especially in the House where there appears to be more opposition to parts of the agreement.

In addition to the American Opportunity Tax Credit several other provisions are scheduled to expire at the end of this year if the 111th Congress is unable to extend expiring higher education tax breaks before it adjourns.

  • Section 127 Employer Provided Education Assistance — Allows employers to offer up to $5,250 in tuition assistance to employees annually. These funds offer tax benefits to both employers and student employees.
  • Enhanced Student Loan Interest Deduction (SLID) — Improvements made to SLID in 2001 are set to expire this year. If not extended, SLID will be drastically limited by reduced income thresholds and a 5-year limit
  • Expanded Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) — Expansions to Coverdell ESAs made in 2001 are also set to expire this year. If allowed to expire, Coverdell ESAs will revert to allowing only $500 in tax-free annual contributions (currently $2,000).

Students and parents will be able to take advantage of these benefits when they file taxes in April 2011, but won’t know if they will be able to take advantage of them for the 2011 tax year (when they file in 2012) until Congress makes it clear if they will be extended or not.

In addition, several higher education tax benefits expired in 2009, including:

  • The above the-line deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses — Ideally, Congress will permanently extend the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which would eliminate the need for the tuition deduction to apply to undergraduate students in the future.
  • The Individual Retirement Account (IRA) Charitable Rollover — helps colleges and universities generate new or increased charitable contributions that can be used in a myriad ways to benefit students, including financial aid.

Committees Review Work Completed During the Interim

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The Washington Senate arrived in Olympia yesterday. Members from both parties were in caucus or committee meetings for most of Monday and will likely do the same today.

Yesterday, the Senate Ways & Means Committee met. Committee members received budget updates and outlooks for both the operating and capital budgets.

Today, the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee met to hear several reports completed during the interim. In particular the Committee focused on:

  • An update on employment opportunities in Washington, training needs, and current training efforts from the Workforce Training Education Coordinating Board.
  • An update on the mission study, progress on applied baccalaureates, and e-learning as well as a briefing on the efficiency study work plan from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.
  • An update on the state’s progress toward the goals indentified in the Statewide Strategic Master Plan. Report on system design plan implementation from the Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Both Committee hearings can be viewed via TVW.

New Version of DREAM Act Introduced in U.S. Senate

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A new version of the Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act (S. 3992) was introcuced by U.S. Senator Harry Reid.

S. 3992 would authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security to grant conditional nonimmigrant status to undocumented students who were brought to this country before the age of 16, have been here at least five years as of the enactment date, and are under 30 years of age. After 10 years, individuals could have their status adjusted from conditional nonimmigrant to legal permanent resident status if they have received a degree from an institution of higher education, completed at least two years toward a bachelor’s (or higher)degree, or served at least two years in the military.

Key provisions in the bill include:

  • Increasing the conditional nonimmigrant status from six to ten years
  • Lowering the age requirement, so only those younger than 30 are eligible
  • Expanding the definition of “institution of higher learning” to include vocational institutions
  • Requiring the children to be brought to the U.S. before the age of 16 and live here at least five years when the legislation is enacted into law
  • Requiring a U.S. high school diploma or GED credential

A vote on S. 3992 coud come as early as next week in the Senate. It is unknown if the House will introduce and vote on its own version of the bill or take up the Senate’s version.

Higher Education Act 2013 Renewal on Agenda

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This week U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan convened a subcommittee of the Department’s National Advisorty Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity to develop a set of legislative recommendations for the 2013 renewal of the Higher Education Act.

The subcommittee plans to make recommendations regarding the nation’as decentralized system of accreditation as well as on non-accreditation issues.

Susan Phillips, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at State University of New York Albany, Chair of the subcommittee, framed the charge of the subcommittee in an outline. The outline targets several key issues facing higher education:

  • How well does the federal investment in education serve the nation?
  • How well does the current accreditation/recognition system protect the interests of the taxpayer who is underwriting the investment in education?
  • If we began today, we would design the current system?

The subcommittee plans to host a policy forum in February 2011 to seek input from the public. The goal is to have a set of recommendations to the Secretary by December 2011.

In addition to Chair Phillips the subcommittee includes:

  • Arthur E. Keiser, chancellor of the Kesier Collegiate System
  • William E. (Brit) Kirwan, chancellor of the University System of Maryland
  • Daniel J. Klaich, chancellor and chief operating officer of the Nevada System of Higher Education
  • Anne D. Neal, president of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni
  • William Pepicello, provost and president of the University of Phoenix
  • Jamienne S. Studley, president and CEO of Public Advocates, Inc.
  • Ex officio: Cameron C. Staples, member of the Connecticut House of Representative
  • Ex officio: Arthur J. Rothkopf, president emeritus Lafayette College

New Federal Regulations for Higher Education Expected

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This week, the Obama Administration is expected to release new finalized regulations for colleges and universities that participate in federal student aid programs.

The regulations amount to a significant expansion of federal oversight of higher education. The regulations range from efforts to reshape how admissions recruiters are paid to how course credits are defined to how career training programs are launched.

A hotly debated fourteenth proposal, known to many as the “gainful employment” regulation is still pending and expected to be resolved in early 2011. The “gainful employment” regulation would force for-profit colleges and others that offer non-degree vocational programs to meet new standards related to student debt to qualify for federal aid.

A list was released Wednesday of forty groups and institutions that had either met or will meet with the U.S. Department of Education in the coming weeks to discuss their comments on the gainful employment metrics.

In the works for over a year, the thirteen regulations were circulated among lawmakers yesterday. The rules will take effect July 1, 2011.

Washington Receives Funds to Improve College Access

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On Friday, the U.S. Department of Education announced the award of more than $141 million from the College Access Challenge Grant Program to fifty states, five territories, D.C, and the Republic of Palau. 

Washington received $2. 08 million through the Higher Education Coordinating Board. 

The funds are intended to increase college access for low-income students and to help them complete their postsecondary education.  Grantees, such as Washington, are authorized to implement an array of activities and services such as:

  • Providing information to students and families on postsecondary education benefits, opportunities, planning and career preparation, financing options, financial literacy, and debt management;
  • Implementing professional development for guidance counselors at middle and secondary schools and financial aid administrators and college admissions counselors at institutions of higher education, to improve such individuals’ capacity to assist students and parents; and
  • Offering need-based aid to students and repayment or cancellation of student loans, or lowering of interest rates for borrowers who are employed in a high-need geographical area or a high need profession.

Joint WA House Hearing Focuses on Higher Education

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Tuesday morning the Washington House Higher Education Committee joined the House Education Appropriations Committee to discuss several bedrock issues for higher education.

The Committee heard several presentations focused on the state’s current approach to higher education funding, accountability and performance, and the work of the Governor’s Higher Education Task Force.

Ways & Means Committee staff reported that the Legislature will likely need to consider an emerging ARRA Maintenance of Effort (MOE) issue.  Given recent reductions the state is approximately $25-$30 million below the MOE requirement that was tied to the stimulus dollars Washingon received in the 2009-11 biennium.

The accountabilityand performance discussion echoed much of the conversation that has happened over the last several years. Policymakers raised concerns regarding the absence of measurements about the quality of instruction and noted the emphasis on measurements that focus on pushing students through the system. 

Policymakers also dialogued with representatives from the Higher Education Coordinating Board, Council of Presidents, and the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges about the limits of current accountability and performance metrics, such as IPEDs, given the diverse way students approach and interact within the  higher education sector. In addition, policymakers expressed the need for “real” time data and the push to use technology to collect this data.

Finally, questions rose again regarding the use of the six-year graduation rate. Mike Reilly, Executive Director for the Council of Presidents, differentiated between the six-year graduation rate measurement and time to degree and the value of both.  It was also noted that using the 2003 cohort, Washington has the highest completion rate for public baccalaurate institutions in the nation; a rate that has improved by approximatley 9% over the last decade.

The Committees wrapped up their work this morning with a presentation from Governor Gregoire’s staff on the Higher Education Task Force regarding the work to date of the Task Force and next steps.

Across-the-Board Cuts; State Revenues Decline

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Today Governor Gregoire directed state agencies to reduce their 2009-11 budgets by 6.3% beginning October 1. The Governor did not provide any discretion with regard to how the reductions should or would be applied.

The across-the-board cut imposed by the Governor comes on the heels of this morning’s release of the September state economic and revenue forecast.  The forecast shows the state faces a projected shortfall of $770 million for the 2011 fiscal year.  With $250 million in reserves, this creates an immediate deficit of $520 million for the state.

Washington’s Chief Economist, Dr. Arun Raha set the context for the latest reduction in state revenues. According to Raha, job growth is anemic, the housing market is in search of a bottom, and small businesses are still challenged in the credit environment. 

What the state is facing is not risk (defined as the unknown knowns) but uncertainty which are the unknown unknowns.

“Things will eventually get better, but at a slow and uncertain pace,” Raha said. “That cannot be entirely reassuring, but that is the best that I have at this time.”

Consortium Receives Funds; Benefits Washington

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Washington will benefit from Race to the Top Funds, announced today, as a member of a national consortium.

The federal government awarded the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium – of which Washington is a member – $160 million to build on the fast growing movement toward national learning standards for K-12.

The goal of the Consortium is to ensure that all students leave high school prepared for post-secondary success in college or a career through increased student learning and improved teaching.

To achieve this goal the Consortium is expected to use the funds over the next four years to develop an assessment system with the following major deliverables:

  • Online computer adaptive summative assessments that give a snapshot of student performance without a “one size fits all approach.” This assessment can be used to describe student achievement and growth of student learning as part of program evaluation and school, district and state accountability systems. This assessment will measure English language arts and mathematics in grades 3-8 and 11 across the full range of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).
  • Optional interim and formative assessments that help teachers identify the specific needs of each student so that they can help the students progress toward being career and college ready.
  • Opportunities for Professional Development. Teachers will be involved at all stages of item and test development, including item writing, scoring, and the design of reporting systems. This will ensure the system works well and that teachers can learn from national experts and from each other as they evaluate students’ performance.
  • An online tailored reporting system that supports educators to access information about student progress toward college and career readiness

The SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) is a collection of 31 states that have been working collaboratively since December 2009 to develop a student assessment system aligned to a common core of academic content standards to apply for a Race-to-the-Top Assessment grant.