Education
The 14th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States provides, in part, that no State can "deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property..."
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THE HIGHER EDUCATION ACT (HEA) OF 1965. The Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965 is a federal law that governs the administration of federal higher education programs. Its purpose is to strengthen the educational resources of our colleges and universities and to provide financial assistance for students in postsecondary and higher education. First passed in 1965 to ensure that every individual has access to higher education, regardless of income or zip code, the HEA governs student-aid programs, federal aid to colleges, and oversight of teacher preparation programs.
The Higher Education Act is generally scheduled for reauthorization by Congress every five years to encourage growth and change. Congress’ current proposal is the Promoting Real Opportunity, Success, and Prosperity Through Education Reform (PROSPER) Act. This bill revamps the Higher Education Act’s, proposes new borrowing limits, reduces repayment options, and strengthen the gainful employment rule, which protects students from career training programs that leave graduates with unaffordable loan payments or earnings no better than what someone who did not pursue postsecondary education earns in their state.
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ADULT EDUCATION AND FAMILY LITERACY ACT (AEFLA). The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) was enacted in 1998 as Title II of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA, P.L. 105-220) and was reauthorized in 2014 through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA; P.L. 113-128). It is the primary federal law supporting basic education for out-of-school adults - commonly referred to as adult education. AEFLA programs mainly support educational services at the secondary level and below and English language instruction. Authorizations of appropriations for the AEFLA program have expired. Annual appropriations acts have continued to provide discretionary funding.
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