May 18, 2008
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Higher Education


The Higher Education Act (HEA) includes federal student aid programs, such as Pell Grants, as well as support for teacher education programs. Congress has not reauthorized the law since 1998, opting instead for temporary extensions.

Why is This Important to Your School District?

Title II of the Higher Education Act authorizes grants aimed at strengthening teacher quality by improving teacher education programs and assisting districts in their teacher recruitment and retention efforts. This is crucial since teacher quality is the greatest school-related factor in raising student achievement.

What to Tell Congress: NSBA's Position

NSBA is pleased with the House and Senate changes to Title II's Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants, which will direct all funds to Partnership Grants that directly involve local school districts. The grants will help strengthen teacher preparation programs and can be used by districts to establish a teacher residency program that will pair prospective teachers with a mentor in hard-to-staff schools. NSBA believes teacher preparation programs need to collaborate with local school districts to ensure that future teachers have the subject matter knowledge and classroom skills needed to be successful. NSBA wants the conference committee to include the House-passed requirement for a National Academy of Sciences study on best practices in teacher preparation and instruction.

What's Happening Now in Congress?

The Senate passed S. 1642, the Higher Education Act, by a 95-0 vote in July 2007. The House passed its version of HEA, H.R. 4137, by a 354-58 vote in February 2008. A conference committee will negotiate differences and final action could be completed this spring. In the interim, Congress has passed another temporary extension for HEA extending to April 30, 2008.

Contact Us

If you are a school board member or state school boards association staff member, please contact Kathleen Branch, NSBA's Manager of Federal Advocacy Programs at kbranch@nsba.org.

If you are a Congressional staffer or a member of the media, please contact Marcus Egan, NSBA's Director of Federal Affairs, at 703-838-6707 or by e-mail at megan@nsba.org.

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We want to hear from you!  Send an e-mail to Kathleen Branch, Manager of Federal Advocacy Programs at kbranch@nsba.org.


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