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| Policy Initiatives | Data
Collection & Reporting |
| Library: Legislation, Regulations, Etc. |
The Office of Postsecondary Education formulates federal postsecondary education policy including policy relating to the federal student financial assistance programs. OPE also collects and disseminates student financial assistance program data as well as data in several key areas relating to postsecondary education.
Policy Initiatives
Negotiated Rulemaking 2009-10
On September 9, 2009, the Department published a notice in the Federal Register announcing its intent to establish two negotiated rulemaking committees to prepare proposed regulations under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. This notice also solicits nominations for negotiators.
Negotiated Rulemaking 2009-10 Web site
- Program Integrity Team
- Foreign Schools Team
Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act
On August 14, 2008, the Higher Education Opportunity Act was signed into law. This law reauthorizes and extends the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). The HEA provides the authorizing legislation for most of the programs administered by OPE, as well as for the Federal Student Aid Programs.
The HEOA requires that the Secretary consult with federal agency heads in order to receive recommendations regarding areas of national need for expertise in foreign languages and world regions. The links below provide the areas of national need identified by the Secretary, consisting of the seventy-eight priority languages that are less commonly taught and the world regions.
Dear Colleague Letter
The Department has published a Dear Colleague Letter which provides a summary of each provision of the HEOA. However, affected parties are responsible for taking the steps necessary to comply by the effective dates established by the HEOA. The provisions of the HEOA are effective upon enactment unless otherwise noted in the law. Potentially affected parties should review the legislation immediately to determine the proper measures they must take to comply.
Negotiated Rulemaking Spring 2009
Information on the spring 2009 negotiated rulemaking activities for higher education.
On October 29, 2009, the Department published in the Federal Register final regulations amending the Federal Perkins Loan (Perkins Loan) Program, Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, and William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program regulations to implement provisions of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA), and other recently enacted legislation. These regulations are effective July 1, 2010.
On October 29, 2009, the Department published in the Federal Register final regulations amending the regulations for Institutional Eligibility Under the Higher Education Act of 1965, the Student Assistance General Provisions, the Federal Work-Study (FWS) Programs, the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program, the Federal Pell Grant Program, and the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership Program (LEAP) to implement various general and non-loan provisions of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) and other recently enacted legislation. These regulations are effective July 1, 2010.
On October 28, 2009, the Department published in the Federal Register, final regulations regarding Institutions and Lender Requirements Relating to Education Loans, to implement requirements relating to education loans that were added to the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA). The Secretary also amends the regulations for Student Assistance General Provisions, the Federal Perkins Loan (Perkins Loan) Program, the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, and the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program to implement certain provisions of the HEA that involve school-based loan issues and that were affected by the statutory changes made to the HEA by the HEOA. These regulations are effective July 1, 2010.
On October 27, 2009, the Department published in the Federal Register final regulations governing institutional eligibility and the Secretary's recognition of accrediting agencies. The Secretary is amending these regulations to implement changes to the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), resulting from enactment of the Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 (HERA), and the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), and to clarify, improve, and update the current regulations. These regulations are effective July 1, 2010.
Dear Colleague Letter
The Department published a Dear Colleague Letter to accrediting agencies in response to the information they provided about how they are coming into compliance with the Secretary’s Criteria for Recognition in light of the new provisions in the HEOA. The letter provides general guidance concerning how the Department interprets each of the new provisions in the HEOA and identifies portions of the regulations reflecting these changes that will be effective on July 1, 2010. The letter enclosured a complete copy of the new regulations.
Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans
The Department of Education is committed to ensuring that every eligible student and his or her parents are able to obtain the federal student loans they need to meet educational expenses.
Competitive Loan Auction Pilot Program for PLUS loans
Please note that the loan auction scheduled for April 15, 2009 has been cancelled.
Negotiated Rulemaking for Higher Education 2007-08
Information on the 2007-08 negotiated rulemaking activities for higher education.
Negotiated Rulemaking for Higher Education 2006-07
Information on the 2006-07 negotiated rulemaking activities for higher education.
Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) and National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant) Programs:
- Program Information and Overview
- Information for Students and Parents
- Data for years one and two for AC and National SMART Grants
News and Announcements - News, Congressional testimony, and other information from the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
Dear Partner (Colleague) Letters
Data Collection and Reporting
OPE collects and reports on data in several areas relating to postsecondary education:
Student Financial Assistance Program Data - Includes annual summary data for the federal Pell, Campus-Based and Loans Programs, quarterly updates of student loan volumes, other federal student aid program data, and links to other federal data and statistical resources.
Title II Reports on the Quality of Teacher Preparation Programs
The Secretary's Sixth Annual Report on Teacher Quality: A Highly Qualified Teacher in Every Classroom
PDF (2.55 MB)
Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarship Program Performance Reporting
Library: Legislation, Regulations, Etc.
Links to the authorizing legislation for OPE programs, program regulations, reports, and other relevant policy information.
Other Policy Resources
Includes additional resources from the U.S. Department of Education, other federal agencies, and non-federal sources.
Federal Resources
- Department of Education Budget News
- THOMAS: U.S. Congress on the Internet
- U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Education and Labor
- U.S. Senate, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
- Office of Management and Budget
- Government Accountability Office
- Congressional Budget Office
- Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance
Education Agencies and Associations
- National Teaching and Learning Forum - List of Higher Education Associations
- Yahoo! Directory of Higher Education Organizations
- State Guaranty Agencies
- State Higher Education Agencies
- United States Student Association
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Postsecondary Education
1990 K Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
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