HEA Reauthorization

On Tuesday evening, July 29th, a House/Senate Conference Committee reported the Higher Education Opportunity Act: Expanding College Access, Strengthening Our Future to both congressional chambers. On Thursday, July 31st, the House and Senate passed this much overdue reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1998.  This bill was signed by President Bush on August 14, 2008 as Public Law 110-315.

In addition to the broad provisions of the bill dealing with college costs, loan accountability, greater accessibility, textbook costs, opportunities for minorities, veterans and students with disabilities, campus safety, energy efficiency, and competitiveness, a number of provisions specifically concern foreign languages and international studies.

In Title I, General Principles, a very broad definition of “critical foreign languages” suggested by JNCL-NCLIS is included in the law. Title II, Teacher Quality Enhancement, has a new competitive grant program for math, science, technology, and critical foreign languages to serve as adjunct content specialists in support of teachers. Title IV, Student Assistance, contains provisions for loan forgiveness for teachers in high need areas, such as foreign languages, and includes foreign language teaching in public service areas for loan forgiveness. Title VII, Graduate and Postsecondary Improvement Programs, also includes foreign languages in the definition of “areas of national need.”

Title VI of HEA, dealing with foreign languages and international education, makes a number of changes that fine-tune and improve these programs through increased and improved linkages and outreach to both the public and private sectors, cooperation with math, sciences, and technology, reinstated eligibility for FLAS fellowships, and increased opportunities to study abroad.


 

Changes also are included to improve provisions in the section dealing with Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Information Access, the Centers for International Business Education and Research (CIBERs), and the Institute for International Public Policy (IIPP). Attempted provisions to create an International Education Advisory Board were not considered in the final compromise.

Finally, in Title IX dealing with amendments to other laws, the Department of Education Organization Act was changed to create a new Deputy Assistant Secretary for International and Foreign Language Education as follows:

SEC. 935. ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR
INTERNATIONAL AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE EDUCATION.
Section 205 of the Department of Education Organization Act
(20 U.S.C. 3415) is amended to read as follows:
"OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION
"SEC. 205. (a) There shall be in the Department an Office of Postsecondary Education, to be administered by the Assistant Secretary
for Postsecondary Education appointed under section 202(b). The Assistant Secretary shall administer such functions affecting
postsecondary education, both public and private, as the Secretary shall delegate, and shall serve as the principal adviser to the Secretary on matters affecting postsecondary education.
"(b) The Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education shall appoint a Deputy Assistant Secretary for International and Foreign
Language Education to perform such functions affecting postsecondary, international, and foreign language education as the Secretary
may prescribe. The Deputy Assistant Secretary for International and Foreign Language Education shall-
"(1) be an individual with extensive background and experience in international and foreign language education;
. "(2) have responsibility for encouraging and promoting the study of foreign languages and the study of the cultures of other countries at the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels in the United States; and
"(3) coordinate with related international and foreign language education programs of other Federal agencies.".

 read the bill summary