This report provides a brief overview of the major provisions of the Higher Education Act (HEA), organized by title and part. Appendix A of this report provides detailed appropriations figures for HEA programs, from FY2019 through FY2023. Appendix B gives a brief overview of the General Education Provisions Act, which applies to the majority of…

This report describes the several programs devoted to financially assisting minority-serving institutions (MSIs) under the Higher Education Act (HEA). MSIs are eligible for other federal programs for which institutions of higher education (IHEs) and nonprofit organizations are eligible if they meet the program eligibility criteria. This report…

In response to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic, Congress and the Administration have taken several actions to support the continued education of elementary, secondary, and higher education students and to protect student loan borrowers and educational institutions from related economic hardship. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic…

The Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA; P.L. 89-329, as amended) authorizes programs and activities to provide support to individuals who are pursuing a postsecondary education and to institutions of higher education (IHEs). During the 116th Congress, the House Committee on Education and Labor marked up and ordered to be reported the College…

This brief is intended as an evidence-based guide for policy analysts and decision makers to inform critical areas in the Higher Education Authorization Act related to racial justice. Our recommendations prioritize combating systemic racism in higher education with a particular focus on disrupting anti-Blackness, though several sections focus on…

The Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA; P.L. 89-329), as amended, authorizes a broad array of federal student aid programs that assist students and their families with financing the cost of a postsecondary education, as well as programs that provide federal support to postsecondary institutions of higher education (IHEs). Programs authorized by the…

This marks the ninth hearing that the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee has convened in advance of the Higher Education Act reauthorization. The purpose of this hearing is to discuss the unique challenges facing minority serving institutions (MSIs) and to learn about programs and support to help facilitate student success.…

Growing numbers of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are entering the arena of online distance education. Some are seeking to grow large-scale programs that can compete for market share with historically White institutions and for-profit schools. This theoretical essay develops a composite model to assist HBCU administrators in…

Minority-serving institutions (MSIs) are institutions of higher education that serve high concentrations of minority students who, historically, have been underrepresented in higher education. Many MSIs have faced challenges in securing adequate financial support, thus affecting their ability to develop and enhance their academic offerings and…

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been studied consistently as a single institutional group. However, at least ostensibly, HBCUs are relatively heterogeneous. Consequently, we evaluated the homogeneity of three educational outcomes that have been recognized as potentially distinguishing features of HBCUs (i.e., STEM major,…

Historically Black colleges and universities are a unique institutional cohort in American higher education. These colleges have been celebrated for their achievements and critiqued for their composition at differing points during their collective history. This article addresses contemporary ebbs and flows of their relevance and reputation in the…

The federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, defines a "historically" black institution of higher education as "any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principle mission was, and is, the education of black Americans." They are usually referred to as HBCUs. Most private…

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are facing challenges to their continued existence on several fronts. One is fiscally, as federal funding for education has been cut and the responsibility for paying for higher education has been levied on students and parents. Another challenge is the amount of endowment dollars available to…

Minority-Serving Institutions are colleges that enroll a high percentage of minority students. Because minority populations have experienced disproportionate barriers to higher education, the federal government provides them with financial support through various titles of the Higher Education Act. MSIs include Historically Black Colleges and…

This book is organized into nine chapters. First the authors provide a historical overview of historically black colleges or universities (HBCUs), examining their founding as well as the role of African Americans, missionaries, and industrial philanthropists in their development. They also look at how these institutions have changed over time,…