FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
July 30, 2008
For more information: Bob
Cohen
Luke Thomas
202-336-6836 202-336-6803
bobc@career.org luket@career.org
CCA Praises HEA
Conferees;
Urges Final
Passage of Legislation
Washington, DC – The Career College
Association (CCA) today praised House and Senate conferees for agreeing
last night on a final version of the Higher Education Act
reauthorization. The bill can now receive a final vote by Congress
prior to its August recess and be sent to the President’s for
signing. CCA urged lawmakers to complete work on the bill before
the break begins later this week.
“This is great news for
students across America,” said CCA
President Harris N. Miller. “We are pleased that the five
year delay in passing HEA reauthorization appears to be over and the
bill is ready to cross the finish line. We commend lawmakers on
both sides of the aisle, especially Chairman George Miller and Ranking
Member Buck McKeon, and Chairman Ted Kennedy and Ranking Member Mike
Enzi, for moving this critical legislation forward.”
Miller continued,
“Passing the Higher Education Act before Congress goes home this
week is important on two counts. Passing HEA sends a strong signal
of America’s intent to
stop procrastinating and to start addressing the issues of building a
more globally competitive workforce. And as a practical matter,
the Act makes important, immediate, and long overdue improvements to the
higher education system.”
The legislation facilitates
access to college by modernizing and streamlining the federal aid
application process, using technology and eliminating paper. A
streamlined, easy-to-use system will help reduce the simple act of
applying for aid as a formidable barrier to gaining a higher
education. Doing so will also help improve the odds that rich or
poor, everyone gets the opportunity to climb the self-improvement
ladder.
Other important HEA
provisions:
- Bring greater transparency to the cost of postsecondary education
along with other helpful information, including graduation rates and
popular majors;
- Help students receive full and fair lending information and protects
students from aggressive marketing tactics by lenders;
- Make the cost of college text books more manageable;
- Create year round Pell grant awards, recognizing the need of many
non-traditional students to attend school without a traditional summer
break;
- Foster greater fairness for service members and their families in
postsecondary education.
“The ball is at the goal
line.” Miller said. “Time for Congress to light up the
scoreboard for students, parents and higher education generally by
passing this important bill.”
The Career College Association
is a voluntary membership organization of accredited private
postsecondary schools, institutes, colleges and universities that
provide career-specific educational programs. CCA has more than 1,450
members that educate and support over one million students each year for
employment in over 200 occupational fields. CCA member institutions
provide the full range of higher education programs: masters and
doctoral degree programs, two- and four-year associate and baccalaureate
degree programs, and short-term certificate and diploma programs.
Visit CCA at www.career.org..
