The federal Higher Education Act — the renewal of which has been stalled by partisan bickering for nine years — is closer to final approval. The law that governs most federal student-aid programs has been extended repeatedly since 1998, after the House and Senate could not agree on terms of reauthorization bill.

The House Education and Labor Committee in mid-November unanimously approved the 747-page renewal legislation, which they call the College Opportunity and Affordability Act.

“The unanimous vote is a sign that both parties are now working together and realize that the future of higher education is a top priority,” said UUP President and AFT Vice President William Scheuerman. He has been in Washington to advocate for passage of the bill and the inclusion of additional student aid.

“The road to higher education reform has been a long one, with many hard-fought battles,” said Rep. Howard McKeon (R-Calif.), the committee’s ranking minority member. “It has taken time to build a coalition in support of these reforms, but the legislation is stronger because of it.”

Among the key provisions in the measure:

• a streamlining of the federal student financial aid application process;

• allowing students to receive year-round Pell Grant scholarships; and

• boosting science, technology and foreign language opportunities.

“This legislation … will help close the college access and completion gaps for low-income and minority students; improve the financial aid application and delivery system; and improve preparation so that low-income and first-generation college students are ready to succeed in college — academically, financially and socially,” said Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX), chair of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning and Competitiveness.

The action by the House committee comes on the heels of the Senate’s unanimous approval in August of its version of the reauthorization bill. The full House is expected to vote on its bill sometime this month. Both chambers will then get together in a conference committee to reconcile their versions of the legislation.

This latest bill represents a significant advance from previous versions of the reauthorization bill.

The House committee defeated an amendment that would have restored language strongly supporting the so-called “Academic Bill of Rights.” Scheuerman hailed that development as a victory for academic freedom.

“Government need not and should not be in the business of policing the presentation of ideas in the classroom as part of some political agenda,” he said.

The creation of a single definition of “higher education institution,” included in past versions of the reauthorization legislation, presented another concern. That change would have paved the way for for-profit institutions to be eligible for additional student aid and other funding, shifting money from traditional colleges and universities. But the single definition is nowhere to be found in the new legislation.

The “90/10 rule,” requiring that institutions receiving federal aid must have at least 10 percent of their income derived from nonfederal sources, remains, but with softened standards. Both the Senate and House bills loosen the restrictions on what programs can be considered as nonfederal income sources, making it easier for for-profits to comply with the rule.

Overall, the AFT is generally supportive of the reauthorization bills, though some aspects of the legislation remain a matter of concern, including the relaxation of the 90/10 rule. Scheuerman and AFT President Edward McElroy agree more needs to be done.

“We look forward to working with Congress to continue to strengthen this legislation,” McElroy said.

— Donald Feldstein