Archived  Information

II. E.  Higher Education Programs

• Overview
• Title III: Aid for Institutional Development
• Developing Hispanic-serving Institutions
• International Education and Foreign Language Studies
• Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education
• Tribally Controlled Postsecondary Vocational and Technical Institutions
• Federal TRIO Programs
• Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP)
• Scholarships and Fellowships
• Child Care Access Means Parents in School
• Teacher Quality Enhancement
• GPRA Data/HEA Program Evaluation
• Academic Facilities
• Howard University
• National Security Education Trust Fund

Overview

New data from the National Center for Education Statistics predict that college enrollments will continue increasing to record highs during the first decade of this century. The current enrollment is expected to increase 13 percent by the year 2012, to a total of 17.7 million students. To meet this growing need, our fiscal year 2004 budget requests $2.2 billion to strengthen support for a range of programs that complement the efforts of the No Child Left Behind Act by supporting institutional development, providing opportunities for students to gain international expertise and training as language and area specialists, strengthening student services, and designing innovations to improve the quality and availability of postsecondary education.

The majority of Higher Education programs serve to enhance the quality of and access to postsecondary education, contributing to Goal 5 of the Department's Strategic Plan. These programs strengthen the quality of institutions of higher education; provide financial aid to increase access to college; and strengthen the programs and services that prepare students for and support them during college. As the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act nears and the Nation's attention turns towards ensuring that every child develops the knowledge and skills to be successful in the 21st century, it is critical for the Administration to demonstrate a strong commitment toward educating the future workers of America.

Therefore, the 2004 request provides an increase of 5 percent for programs to strengthen institutions of higher education that serve high proportions of minority and disadvantaged students, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Historically Black Graduate Institutions, Hispanic-serving Institutions, and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities.

The request also provides $102.5 million for the International Education and Foreign Language Studies (IEFLS) programs to continue support for programs designed to meet the Nation's security and economic needs through the development of national capacity in foreign languages and area and international studies. The increased complexity of the post-Cold War world and the events of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States underscore the importance of maintaining and expanding American international expertise in world areas, economies, and foreign languages.

The request includes $802.5 million for the Federal TRIO Programs and $285 million for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) to provide educational outreach and support services that will help more than 2.2 million disadvantaged students to enter and complete college. The budget also would provide $82 million for merit- and need-based scholarships and fellowships to postsecondary students under the Byrd Honors Scholarships, Javits Fellowships, and Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) programs.

Finally, a $39.1 million request for the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) would support a wide-range of projects to reform and improve postsecondary education, while $90 million for Teacher Quality Enhancement would continue support for projects to reform and improve teacher preparation programs and certification requirements.

Title III: Aid for Institutional Development
(B.A. in millions)

The 2004 request for Title III demonstrates the Administration's strong commitment to ensuring access to high quality postsecondary education for the Nation's minority and disadvantaged students. Title III funding would help provide equal educational opportunity and strong academic programs for such students and help achieve greater financial stability for the institutions that serve these students.

Developing Hispanic-serving Institutions

The 2004 request would expand and enhance the academic quality, institutional management, fiscal stability, and self-sufficiency of the colleges and universities that enroll large percentages of Hispanic students. Hispanic Americans are the largest ethnic group in the United States, yet continue to lag behind their non-Hispanic peers in overall educational achievement. This request demonstrates the Administration's commitment to ensuring that Hispanic students have access to high quality postsecondary education and to closing the gaps between Hispanic and majority students in academic achievement, high school graduation, postsecondary enrollment, and life-long learning.

International Education and Foreign Language Studies
(B.A. in millions)

The 14 International Education and Foreign Language Studies programs strengthen the American education system in the area of foreign languages and international studies. These programs support comprehensive language and area study centers within the United States, research and curriculum development, opportunities for American scholars to study abroad, and activities to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in international service. In addition to promoting general understanding of the peoples of other countries, the Department's international programs also serve important economic, diplomatic, defense, and other security interests of the United States.

Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE)

FIPSE supports exemplary, locally developed projects that are models for innovative reform and improvement in postsecondary education. The 2004 request would fund 163 new and continuing projects under the Comprehensive Program in a variety of priority areas. Additionally, the request would continue support for the international consortia programs and 27 projects previously funded under the Demonstration Projects to Ensure Quality Higher Education for Students with Disabilities program. The 2002 total included $149.7 million for one-time projects.

Tribally Controlled Postsecondary Vocational and Technical Institutions

This program supports competitive grants to institutions that provide postsecondary vocational and technical education to Native American students.

Federal TRIO Programs
(B.A. in millions)

The Federal TRIO Programs fund postsecondary education outreach and student support services for disadvantaged individuals to help them enter and complete postsecondary education programs. The 2004 request would support a new competition in the Staff Training program and maintain current service levels in the other programs. Over the last few years, significant investments have been made to increase the intensity of services and the number of projects in the Talent Search, Educational Opportunity Centers, Student Support Services, Upward Bound, and Upward Bound Math/Science programs. The request would maintain these and other investments to improve program effectiveness, including targeting higher-risk students and providing work-study opportunities through Upward Bound and providing grant aid to the most needy Student Support Services participants. The combined TRIO programs would serve a total of 872,000 disadvantaged students.

Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP)
(B.A. in millions)

GEAR UP provides mentoring, tutoring, academic and career counseling, and college scholarships to low-income elementary and secondary school students to give them the skills and encouragement they need to successfully pursue postsecondary education. The 2004 request would maintain support for all continuing projects including a 6th and final year for projects first funded in 1999. GEAR UP's unique cohort approach, partnerships, and matching requirements complement the Federal TRIO programs and merit a continued investment until information on program effectiveness is available. GEAR UP projects would serve a total of 1.4 million low-income students at the 2004 request level.

Scholarships and Fellowships
(B.A. in millions)

Byrd Honors Scholarships provide merit-based support in the amount of $1,500, through formula grants to States, to undergraduate students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement. The 2004 request would provide awards for 27,334 scholars, including 6,548 new scholars.

Javits Fellowships provide up to 4 years of support to students of superior ability and high financial need who are pursuing doctoral degrees, or the highest terminal degree, in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. The 2004 request would support 271 fellowships in academic year 2005-2006, including 60 new fellows.

GAANN provides fellowships, through grants to postsecondary institutions, to graduate students with superior ability and financial need studying in areas of national need. Participating graduate schools must provide assurances that they will seek talented students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. The 2004 request would support 845 fellowships, including 336 new fellowships.

Child Care Access Means Parents in School

This program supports the participation of low-income parents in the postsecondary education system by providing campus-based childcare services. Grants made to institutions of higher education must be used to supplement childcare services or start a new program, not to supplant funds for current childcare services. The program gives priority to institutions that leverage local or institutional resources and employ a sliding fee scale. Funds would be used for the continuation of grants first funded in fiscal years 2001 and 2002. No funds are requested for new awards.

Teacher Quality Enhancement
(B.A. in millions)

The Teacher Quality Enhancement program helps improve the recruitment, preparation, licensing, and support of new teachers. State Grants may be used to reform teacher licensing and certification requirements, hold institutions of higher education accountable for high-quality teacher preparation, expand alternative pathways to teaching, and increase support for new teachers. Partnership Grants support a wide range of reforms and improvements in teacher preparation programs. Recruitment Grants help reduce shortages of qualified teachers in high-need school districts through scholarships, support services, and recruitment efforts. The 2004 request would allow the Department to maintain support for 53 existing State, Partnership, and Recruitment projects and would fund 24 new Partnership Grants.

GPRA Data/HEA Program Evaluation

The 2004 request would allow the Department to continue program evaluations and data collections for measuring program performance. In particular, funds would continue support for the evaluation of the Teacher Quality Enhancement program and collecting data for the State teacher quality accountability reports required by Title II of the Higher Education Act.

Academic Facilities
(B.A. in millions)

These programs support the construction, reconstruction, and renovation of academic facilities at institutions of higher education. Funding for Interest Subsidy Grants and CHAFL Federal Administration is used solely to manage and service existing portfolios of facilities loans and grants made in prior years. The request for HBCU Capital Financing Federal Administration would support management and servicing of both previously issued and new loans.

Howard University
(B.A. in millions)

The 2004 request would maintain support for Howard University's academic programs, research programs, endowment program, construction activities, and the Howard University Hospital. The request reflects continued support for maintaining and improving the quality and financial strength of an institution that has played a continuing role in providing access to postsecondary educational opportunities for African Americans.

National Security Education Trust Fund

The 2004 request proposes to transfer the National Security Education Trust Fund from the Department of Defense to the Department of Education. The National Security Education Act of 1991 established the National Security Education Program (NSEP) for undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, and grants to educational institutions in critical area studies, foreign languages, and other international fields. This program enhances the quality of U.S. educational programs in these fields by making it possible for more American students to study abroad, and will develop a larger pool of potential U.S. Government employees with knowledge of particular cultures, languages, and governments. All expenditures for the NSEP are derived from the National Security Education Trust Fund created by a one-time appropriation in 1991.

Student Financial Assistance Institute of Education Sciences

For further information contact the ED Budget Service.

This page last modified—September 15, 2006 (jer).