National Community College Agenda

The information below outlines the 2005 federal legislative priorities for community colleges. Important programs face budget cuts, few may see increases in funding and some programs face termination. Please familiarize yourself with these legislative issues, as they are important to Community College of Philadelphia. We will be asking you for support on these issues in the near future.

2005 Community College Federal Legislative Priorities
Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 Budget and Appropriations The Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 Budget and Appropriations process is underway.

Raise the Pell Grant Maximum by $450, to $4,500, in FY 2006:
Each year, Pell Grants enable 2 million community college students to attend college by helping pay for tuition, books and equipment, and living expenses. The maximum grant has remained frozen for three years. In the meantime, state budget cuts have contributed to higher tuitions, and an increasing number of students from low-income families need Pell Grants to realize their higher education goals. In addition, Congress should fully fund the Pell Grant program shortfall, as proposed by President Bush.

Increase HEA Title III-A Funding to $101.3 Million:
For community colleges, Title III-A of the Higher Education Act, the Strengthening Institutions Program, provides critical funds to institutions that have few resources and serve high proportions of low-income and historically underrepresented populations. Grants enable the colleges to improve their educational programs and related services. These awards are subject to an intense competition process. (Current funding, $81.3 million.)

Fund the Administration's Community College Job Training Grants:
President Bush has proposed extending the $250 million Community-Based Job Training Grants through FY 2006, after initial funding of $248 million in FY 2005. These grants will give community colleges critical training and infrastructure support to meet local labor demands. Current demands on colleges in this area are pressing.

Appropriate $1.4 Billion for the Perkins Basic State Grant Program:
The Basic State Grant of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act is a key source of workforce development program funding. Despite Administration assertions to the contrary, the Perkins Act is highly effective at the postsecondary level. Community colleges use grants for a variety of activities, including innovative occupational education curricula; helping students meet challenging academic, vocational, and technical standards; supporting professional development; and strengthening links between institutions and the business community. (Current funding, $1.194 billion)

Higher Education Act (HEA) Reauthorization
The reauthorization of the Higher Education Act will begin late this winter.

Enhance the Pell Grant program by increasing its authorization level. Retain the Pell Grant's need-based focusmerit principles should not be applied to this fundamental student access program.

Ensure that community college students have access to year-round Pell Grants (H.R. 609 only).

Reject the "single definition" of "institution of higher education" in the HEA. The single definition would give for-profit colleges access to federal grants such as Title III-A, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, DOL, nursing, NSF, and numerous other programs.

Continue to allow institutions to establish transfer-of-credit policies appropriate to their mission and academic programs (H.R. 609 only).

Allow colleges to set lower borrowing ceilings for students, where appropriate.

Include President Bush's proposed "Community College Access Grants" in the legislation. The grants will help develop new concurrent enrollment programs between high schools and community colleges, and ease the pathway to baccalaureate institutions for community college graduates.

Carl D. Perkins Act Reauthorization
The Carl D. Perkins Act will be considered by Congress shortly. Reauthorize the Perkins Act, which provides crucial federal funding for improvement of career and technical education (CTE) programs at the secondary and postsecondary levels. The reauthorized Perkins Act should strengthen the role of community colleges in CTE, maintain Tech Prep as a separately authorized program, and better support student transition to baccalaureate degree CTE programs while continuing to focus postsecondary funds at the associate-degree level.

Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Reauthorization
The reauthorization of the WIA has begun. In reauthorizing the Workforce Investment Act, Congress should improve the federal workforce system by placing a greater emphasis on training. Eligibility criteria and reporting requirements for training providers must be simplified, and community colleges should be guaranteed a place on local workforce investment boards. The WIA reauthorization should authorize the President's Community-Based Job Training Grants program as proposedhelping community colleges, working in conjunction with businesses and workforce investment boards, expand training capacity and train more workers for available jobs.

WIA Update

DREAM/Student Adjustment Act
Congress needs to enact this legislation expeditiously. Pass legislation eliminating federal restrictions on community colleges choosing to offer in-state tuition to undocumented students. Support making such students eligible for federal student financial assistance, and do not require their participation in the SEVIS reporting system, as in last year's Senate Judiciary Committee legislation.

Hope Scholarship Tax Credit
Education tax legislation is likely to be taken up by Congress in 2005. Expand the Hope tax credit slightly but significantly to cover required fees, books, supplies and equipment. Currently, the Hope credit only covers tuition and related expenses; for most community college students, tuition is only a small fraction of their overall college costs. Also, amend Hope so that financially needy college students who receive Pell Grant and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG) funding do not, as under current law, have their Hope eligibility reduced by any amounts received. These improvements would help more lower- and middle-income students benefit from the Hope tax credit. Representatives are encouraged to co-sponsor H.R. 625, which embodies these changes; Senators should be sought to introduce companion legislation.