Federal Education Programs Update: Psychology Works to Make It’s Mark on Education

On March 30th, the U.S. House of Representative passed HR 609, the College Access and Opportunity Act of 2005 by a vote of 221 – 199.  This legislation reauthorizes many of the programs contained in the Higher Education Act, a law that guides our federal investment in post-secondary study.   Education Public Policy Office successfully advocated for the adoption of a Kennedy/Ros-Lehtinen amendment that provides loan forgiveness under the Loan Forgiveness for Service in Areas of National Need program to “child or adolescent mental health professionals” as well as gained the inclusion of a new definition for the term “teaching skills.”  [For additional information on the Kennedy amendment, please see the Child Healthcare Crisis Relief Act overview.]   The adoption of these provisions is significant in that it provides greater opportunities for students pursuing a degree in psychology as well as an expanded role for the psychological sciences in the area of K-12 education.

In general, Education-PPO has achieved some legislative successes in both the House and Senate HEA reauthorizations. The APA crafted definition for “teaching skills” is also included in the Senate bill (S.1614) in a modified form. Also in the Senate bill, departments of psychology are included among those entities that should be considered as part of federally funded teacher quality partnerships housed at institutions of higher education, and have as their goal improving the training and preparation, which prospective teachers receive during their post-secondary study.   The Senate version of the Higher Education Act reauthorization has not been considered by the full Senate.  

Broad areas of interest to the Association include accessibility to higher education, funding for graduate education, and teacher quality. In general, APA’s recommendations for improving HEA touch on a range of proposals to better integrate the role of psychology in education and expand opportunities for psychologists. They include: extending loan cancellation in Perkins to psychologists working in high need areas, improving teacher quality and including psychology as a science in the HEA science programs.

In addition to advocating for changes to the programs listed above, Education PPO continues to work in coalition with other education associations to monitor and advocate for other programs of interest to APA membership, such as early intervention programs (TRIO and GEAR UP), grant-aid for students (Work Study, Pell), tax policies, academic freedom and institutional aid (HBCU and HSI), as well as other issues that are brought to our attention.

No Child Left Behind Reauthorization

Education PPO, in partnership with Public Interest PPO has launched an effort to develop one set of comprehensive, Association-wide recommendations to the “No Child Left Behind Act,” the law that guides the federal investment in elementary and secondary education.  

This undertaking is one of great importance to the American Psychological Association.  The development of psychology-specific recommendations presents an opportunity for us to emphasize the role that psychology plays in elementary and secondary education as well as highlight and integrate the extraordinary research and expertise of psychologists. 

To date, Education and Public Interest PPO staff have met with staff from the Education, Science, Practice and Public Interest Directorates in an effort to gauge and gain a better understanding of the range of issues that are of interest to APA members represented by different divisions, committees and task forces.
APA’s Coalition for Psychology in Schools and Education, a broadly representative group within the Association, has been an outstanding resource in this process and continues to contribute greatly to the reauthorization discussion.

As a follow up to those meetings, Education and Public Interest PPO staff will continue to work with APA members with expertise in specific areas alongside other APA staff to hone the list of issues and create legislative recommendations for changes to the current law.

This is a long term project.  It is the goal of the Education and Public Interest PPO staff to have specific recommendations accompanied by legislative language ready when Congress convenes the 110th Congress in January 2007.

For additional information, please contact Jenny Smulson with Education Public Policy.

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