The U.S. House of Representatives has decided to take a
piecemeal approach to the Higher Education Act by recently passing five bills
that address some of the easier aspects of the legislation. Overhaul of the
entire act isn’t likely to be completed until next year.
Among the bills passed, one would simplify the application
for federal student aid and another focused on financial counseling, according
to a report in U.S. News & World Report. Other bills dealt with making information about colleges and universities easier to access
and improving benefits to historically black colleges and Hispanic-serving
institutions.
“We have more work to do to strengthen higher education,
but today we are making important progress,” said Rep. John Kline (R-MN), chair
of the House’s Committee on Education and the Workforce, during a speech as
lawmakers prepared to vote on the bills.
The
legislation passed by the House has a strong chance of passing in the Senate
because states will not have to take on spending to deliver the services to
students, according to Education Dive.
However, the Senate is still trying to tackle the entire Higher Education Act
with one overhaul.
