Pathways and NACAC to convene Congressional Forum on February 28, 2006

The Pathways to College Network and the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) will convene a Congressional policy forum during the NACAC legislative conference on February 28, 2006 to make the case for stronger linkages between K-12 and postsecondary education policy at the federal level to better align student transitions. During the forum, 12 organizations (listed below) will share their perspectives on the federal role in providing support for need-based financial aid, counseling and college information, and a rigorous course of study in secondary school. The goal of the forum is to inform the development of upcoming legislation and the work of the National Commission on the Future of Higher Education.

Please join us for the Congressional Forum on College Access
Who: All are welcome!
Date: Tuesday, February 28, 2006, 9:00-11:45 am
Location: Room HC-08, Capitol Building, Washington, DC
For more information: contact Karen Cheng

Participating Organizations include:
ACT, Inc., the Alliance for Excellent Education, the American School Counselors Association, the College Board, the Council for Opportunity in Education, the International Baccalaureate Organization of North America, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, the National College Access Network, the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships, the Pathways to College Network, and NACAC.

Invited Speakers include:
Representative Mike Castle (R-DE), Chair of the Education Reform subcommittee of the House Education and Workforce Committee, Representative George Miller (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.

Pressing Topics: Where Policy Meets Access
This is an excerpt from an article summarizing the most pressing policy topics in college access today. Read the full article on the Pathways Policy issue site.

• Affordability
  Lumina Foundation for Education's recently-launched initiative, "College Costs: Making Opportunity Affordable," shines a powerful spotlight on the issue of affordability in higher education. The ripple effect of increasing college costs impacts students, families, states, businesses, and the nation by limiting opportunity for many students.
• Financial aid
  An essential tool in the effort to increase access and success for students in postsecondary education is financial aid. Clearly, more money than ever is going into aid. A major concern is that grant aid has increased by 84% in real terms, while education loan volume has grown by 137%. Loans may represent a viable investment for many students, but they are not an option for all students. The many contributors to the pool of financial aid -- the federal and state governments, institutions, industry, and philanthropic organizations -- need to work together to make the best use of limited resources to ensure opportunity for all students.
• Setting Higher Education Policy
  The tension between federal and state policies for higher education continues to increase. Although the provision of postsecondary opportunity is first and foremost a state responsibility, some argue that "fiscal uncertainty, unclear expectations...and uneven higher education leadership have diminished the capacity of states to develop higher education policy" (Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges). The question people ask is: have states given up too much to reclaim their leadership role in setting higher education policy?
• P-16
  The movement toward P-16 - which connects education from pre-kindergarten through college graduation - has matured into the accepted way of thinking about the relationship between K-12 and higher education in over half of the states. While the intent of creating a seamless education system is clear, the implementation of P-16 policy is complex, as states struggle with how to blend areas of responsibility and decision-making.
• Public Accountability
  As budgets were slashed at the beginning of the 21st century and requests increased for information on how higher education institutions spent their state allocations, there have been renewed mandates for accountability measures and comprehensive data systems covering all of education. As many states rethink governance structures and the autonomy/accountability relationship for colleges and universities, the interest in reporting, clear performance measures, and linked data systems will continue to grow.
• Read the full article to learn more about how policy intersects with the Participation of Low-Income Students in Higher Education, Quality of the Higher Education Experience, the needs of Low-Income Adult Learners, and High School Reform.

The Pathways to College Network
http://www.pathwaystocollege.net