February 12, 2015
HACU opposes proposed regulations for teacher preparation
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) is expressing strong opposition to the U.S. Department of Education’s proposed regulations for teacher preparation programs Accountability System under Title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). The proposal was released in December with the intent of final regulations being issued in the summer of 2015.
The U.S. Secretary of Education also proposed amending the regulations governing the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program under Title IV of the HEA so as to condition TEACH Grant program funding on teacher preparation program quality.
In a letter to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, HACU stated its opposition to the regulations and the negative impact they will have on Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) and other Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs).
“This proposal represents a major shift in higher education policy, affecting federal student financial aid, the equity work ongoing in education, with consequences for our K-12 school system, and the certainty of a disproportionate negative impact on HSIs, HBCUs, TCUs, and other MSIs,” states the letter signed by HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores.
The HACU letter submitted on January 30, 2015, detailed the following eight concerns:
- Disproportionate impact on HSIs, HBCUs, TCUs, other MSIs and high-need districts and fields (impact on teacher diversity and the direct link between student aid and the programs’ ratings).
- Federal overreach (the intrusion of the federal government into state-level and institution-level decision making)
- No evidence of efficacy
- Extension of K-12 “Test and Punish” model into higher education
- Working against equity in education
- Unfunded mandate (time and cost burden on institutions)
- Unworkability of proposed system
- Negative effect on affordability and access to college
To date, a total of 4,578 public comments have been received on the website, regulations.gov. HACU has requested that the U.S. Department of Education not proceed with the implementation of the NPRM but instead reformulate them.