Legislative Priorities
112th Congress
2011 Community College Federal Legislative Priorities
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2011 COMMUNITY COLLEGE FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
FEDERAL FUNDING PRIORITIES
AACC and ACCT strongly believe that targeted investments in education and job training are essential to the nation’s competitiveness in the global economy. In the 21st century economy, higher education is critical to our nation’s continued economic growth and sustainability.
Maintain the Pell Grant Maximum at $5,550
The most important federal student aid program by far, Pell Grants help approximately 3 million low- and moderate-income community college students attend college each year by helping cover the cost of tuition, books and equipment, and living expenses. The economic downturn has made Pell Grants even more essential, as both the overall number of community college students and those with financial need have surged in recent years. Congress has risen to the occasion by growing the size of the maximum grant to $5,550, but it now faces an acute challenge in maintaining that level. Pell Grant funding is a critical investment in our nation’s college students and American competitiveness in the 21st century economy.
Other Essential Federal Programs:
• The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act Programs
The Basic State Grant, Tech-Prep, and other Perkins programs help community colleges improve their career and technical education offerings that lead to high-demand, high-skilled occupations. Congress should maintain a separate line item for Tech-Prep.
• Institutional Aid Programs
Investments in direct institutional aid to those colleges that serve a disproportionate number of minority, low-income, and first-generation college students are even more essential in light of greatly reduced state funding for these institutions. Congress should continue its support for the Strengthening Institutions program (HEA Title III-A), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HEA Title V), Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Predominately Black Institutions.
• Workforce Development
American businesses are facing a paucity of workers with the requisite skill levels, and the situation is certain to get worse as the economy recovers and the demand for skilled workers increases. The Workforce Investment Act’s job training and adult basic education programs provide workers, particularly those with little means or skills, with the education and training they need to meet this growing demand.
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
The National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program is a pillar of support for community college STEM programs that are developed in conjunction with businesses in nanotechnology, alternative energy, advanced manufacturing, and many others.
LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
Reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
Congress should reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) this year, prioritizing the role community colleges play in delivering education and training to America’s workers and businesses. Job training and adult basic education must be better integrated and emphasize the attainment of postsecondary credentials. Accountability measures should be modified to recognize and value longer-term training where appropriate and necessary. WIA should encourage innovative approaches to service delivery, including contracts with training providers and regional and sector-based initiatives. Public institutions of higher education should automatically be eligible training providers.
Extend the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Authorization
The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program, which helps workers, firms, and others negatively impacted by trade, is an important source of federal support for workforce training, and many of its beneficiaries attend community colleges. In 2009, Congress reauthorized and improved this program by extending it to the service and public sectors, increasing the amount of money available for training and creating a new TAA for Communities section that includes the Community College and Career Training Grant (CCCTG) program. America’s workers, firms, and communities risk losing these improvements if Congress does not reauthorize TAA, although TAA extension must not be paid for by cutting the CCCTG program.
Help Community Colleges Serve Veteran Students
Community colleges need additional support in their essential and traditional role of providing support to veterans as well as active duty service members. Congress should ensure that veterans receive comprehensive counseling and related services about all educational options and fund the Centers of Excellence for Veterans Success in the Higher Education Act.
Pass the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act
The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act provides a path to legal status for thousands of undocumented students that were brought to this country as children, worked their way through high school, and now face an uncertain future. The DREAM Act would return to the states the decision of whether to extend in-state tuition to undocumented students. The DREAM Act has strong bipartisan support, and the legislation should be enacted now.
Improve the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
When Congress examines reauthorization of this key education statute, it needs to consider the critical role that community colleges play in supporting the nation’s K-12 system. Community colleges look to partner with the federal government to offer more dual enrollment programs and early college high schools, and they also play an enhanced role in teacher preparation. Additionally, Congress should focus on effective implementation of national college and career readiness standards that will help reduce the need for remedial education and improve student time-to-degree.
Make the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) Permanent
Community colleges strongly support the consolidation, streamlining, and retargeting of federal higher education tax benefits to the students who need it most. The American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) is a critical element of support to students and families who struggle to pay for college expenses, and it should be made permanent.