The Higher Education Act
Background and Issues for Debate
The Higher Education Act (HEA), whose programs are administered by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), includes the Federal Government’s major student aid programs, as well as other significant programs, such as those providing aid to special groups of higher institutions and support services to enable disadvantaged students to complete secondary school and enter and complete college. Although important support from outside of the HEA flows to postsecondary education institutions through multiple Federal agencies for activities such as research and development, the Federal presence in postsecondary education is shaped to a significant degree by the HEA. For example, HEA student…
