Chairman Alexander’s Proposal Fails Students and Taxpayers

WASHINGTON — Third Way issued the following statement from Lanae Erickson, Senior Vice President for Social Policy & Politics, on the introduction of Chairman Alexander’s Higher Education Legislation in the Senate:

“Minority-serving institutions (MSIs) play a critical role in providing the opportunity, equity, and upward mobility that the US higher education system promises to American students. Last week the House passed the bipartisan FUTURE Act to renew their funding, paid for by a policy change supported by the Administration. Yesterday’s introduction of a piecemeal approach to reauthorization of the Higher Education Act by HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander threatens to hold that funding hostage, and it also falls far short of addressing the pressing challenges facing higher education today.”

“Comprehensive reauthorization of the Higher Education Act is a decade overdue. Senator Alexander’s piecemeal proposal lacks the type of strong transparency and accountability measures needed to protect the huge investments students and taxpayers are making in higher education. It also stands to expose students to undue risk by failing to close the 90-10 loophole that encourages predatory institutions to target military veterans and by allowing Pell Grant dollars to flow to unproven short-term job training programs that use up students’ aid and leave them earning less than the typical high school graduate. We believe that the Senate should follow the House’s lead and pass the FUTURE Act immediately to secure funding for MSIs before it expires on September 30 — and then pursue comprehensive HEA reform focused on improving quality and value across the entire higher education system.”