Update on federal issues on college access tailored to Pennsylvania college admission counseling professionals

1. Policy Issues for College
Admission Counseling
Professionals
David Hawkins, NACAC Executive Director of
Educational Content & Policy
February 20, 2019

2. Issue #1: Equitable Access
to College Preparatory
Curriculum
• Education Funding
• Budget
• Appropriations
• Shutdown politics
www.cef.org

3. https://projects.propublica.org/miseducation/
• Data indicates that Black
and Hispanic students are
significantly under-
represented in advanced
coursework overall in
Pennsylvania.

4. Issue #2: Access to
School Counselors
• National/State
trends
• ESSA Title IV
• GEAR UP / TRIO
• Reach Higher /
Better Make Room

5. https://public.tableau.com/profile/nacac.research#!/vizhome/shared/BD3GQ7CNQ

6. • Higher Education Act (HEA) likely to be
reauthorized in 2019-20. GEAR UP and TRIO
seem secure as the premier college access
programs in HEA, though need to see final draft
bills.

7. • Unsure of how GEAR UP or TRIO will be treated
in Fiscal 2020 budget proposals; president
proposed GEAR UP phase out in 2019 budget,
Congress did not follow through.
• Underfunding of ESSA Title IV – state
opportunity – Title IV Coalition
• Reach Higher/Better Make Room:
@ReachHigher @BetterMakeRoom

8. Issue #3: Need-
based Financial
Aid for College
• Pell Grant
• State Need-
based Aid
• College Cost /
Affordability
• HEA Reauth
Source: https://www2.ed.gov/finaid/prof/resources/data/pell-data.html
$1,407$1,400
$6,065
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
$5,000
$6,000
$7,000
Pell Grant, 1976-2017
MAXIMUM PELL GRANT INFLATION ADJUSTED/2014 $
KEEPING PACE WITH INFLATION

9. Source: NASSGAP Annual Report,
https://www.nassgapsurvey.com/survey_reports/2016-2017-48th.pdf

10. https://www.ecs.org/how-students-use-federal-state-and-institutional-aid-to-pay-for-college-a-
primer-for-state-policymakers/

11. Education Committee Members from Pennsylvania –
116th Congress

12. Issue #4: Student
Protections
• For-Profit Colleges
and Conversions
• Deregulation
• HEA
Reauthorization
• Incentive
Compensation
www.protectstudentsandtaxpayers.org

13. Issue #5:
International
Priorities
• Travel ban upheld by Supreme
Court
• NACAC opposes “extreme
vetting” with all higher ed
associations
• International student
enrollment at US institutions
declining
• Extreme Vetting
• Policy, politics, and
perception

14. Other Prominent
Issues
• Regents of the University of
California, et al. v.
Department of Homeland
Security, et al. – DACA
remains in effect
• DREAM Act votes possible
in Washington with new
Congress

15. For more information on NACAC advocacy:
Mike Rose, Director of Government Relations
mrose@nacacnet.org
Julie Kirk, Government Relations Manager
jkirk@nacacnet.org