Higher Education Opportunity Act - 2008

What's New

In accordance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA), by October 29, 2011, each postsecondary institution in the United States that participates in Title IV student aid programs must post a net price calculator on its Web site that uses institutional data to provide estimated net price information to current and prospective students and their families based on a student’s individual circumstances. To assist institutions in meeting this obligation, The National Center for Education Statistics, in cooperation with the Office of Postsecondary Education and IT Innovative Solutions Corp., has designed and developed a fully functional net price calculator available to all Title IV postsecondary institutions for use on their institutional Web sites.

To use or review the template, go to: http://npc.inovas.net/institution/.

Information Required to Be Disclosed Under the Higher Education Act of 1965: Suggestions for Dissemination: A Report by the National Postsecondary Education Cooperative (NPEC) Working Group on the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA). (October 2009)

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (Public Law 110-315) (HEOA) was enacted on August 14, 2008, and reauthorizes the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). This page provides information on the Department's implementation of the HEOA.

Some parts of the law will be implemented through new or revised regulations. The negotiated rulemaking process will be used for some regulations, as explained below. Other areas will be regulated either through the usual notice and comment process or, where regulations will merely reflect the changes to the HEA and not expand upon those changes, as technical changes.

As we move through the implementation process, we will be updating this page, so check back often.

Higher Education Opportunity Act (P.L. 110-315)

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Dear Colleague Letter

The Department has published a Dear Colleague Letter which provides a summary of each provision of the HEOA. However, affected parties are responsible for taking the steps necessary to comply by the effective dates established by the HEOA. The provisions of the HEOA are effective upon enactment unless otherwise noted in the law. Potentially affected parties should review the legislation immediately to determine the proper measures they must take to comply.

Negotiated Rulemaking

Negotiated Rulemaking 2009-10: On September 9, 2009, the Department published a notice in the Federal Register announcing its intent to establish two negotiated rulemaking committees to prepare proposed regulations under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. This notice also solicits nominations for negotiators.

On May 29, 2009, Deputy Undersecretary Robert Shireman held a conference call with analysts and investors who monitor the career college and education industry to discuss the purpose and nature of these negotiated rulemaking sessions.
- Transcript of the Call download files PDF (48K)

On May 29, 2009, Deputy Undersecretary Robert Shireman also held a conference call with the career college community to discuss the negotiated rulemaking sessions.
- Transcript of the Call download files PDF (52K)

Negotiated Rulemaking Spring 2009: The Web page for each team provides information such as schedules, lists of negotiators, team protocols, issue papers, and other materials.

Negotiated Rulemaking Spring 2009 Web Site

On March 23, 2010, the Department published in the Federal Register a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). Through this NPRM, the Secretary proposes to amend current regulations, and establish new regulations, for the High School Equivalency Program and College Assistance Migrant Program (HEP and CAMP); the Federal TRIO programs (TRIO Programs--Training Program for Federal TRIO Programs (Training), Talent Search (TS), Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC), Upward Bound (UB), Student Support Services (SSS), and the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement (McNair) Programs; and the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program (GEAR UP) program.

On October 29, 2009, the Department published in the Federal Register final regulations amending the Federal Perkins Loan (Perkins Loan) Program, Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, and William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program regulations to implement provisions of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA), and other recently enacted legislation. These regulations are effective July 1, 2010.

On October 29, 2009, the Department published in the Federal Register final regulations amending the regulations for Institutional Eligibility Under the Higher Education Act of 1965, the Student Assistance General Provisions, the Federal Work-Study (FWS) Programs, the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program, the Federal Pell Grant Program, and the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership Program (LEAP) to implement various general and non-loan provisions of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) and other recently enacted legislation. These regulations are effective July 1, 2010.

On October 28, 2009, the Department published in the Federal Register, final regulations regarding Institutions and Lender Requirements Relating to Education Loans, to implement requirements relating to education loans that were added to the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA). The Secretary also amends the regulations for Student Assistance General Provisions, the Federal Perkins Loan (Perkins Loan) Program, the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, and the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program to implement certain provisions of the HEA that involve school-based loan issues and that were affected by the statutory changes made to the HEA by the HEOA. These regulations are effective July 1, 2010.

On October 27, 2009, the Department published in the Federal Register final regulations governing institutional eligibility and the Secretary's recognition of accrediting agencies. The Secretary is amending these regulations to implement changes to the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), resulting from enactment of the Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 (HERA), and the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), and to clarify, improve, and update the current regulations. These regulations are effective July 1, 2010.

For general information on negotiated rulemaking, see The Negotiated Rulemaking Process for Title IV Regulations, Frequently Asked Questions.

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

As a result of the recent passage of Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, the National Center for Education Statistics will make a number of changes to the IPEDS data collection for 2008-09, to comply with the legislated mandates regarding College Navigator by August 2009. These changes will be mandatory for 2008-09. Updated Institutional Characteristics (IC) forms, upload specifications, and instructions will be available on the IPEDS Web site. The other survey materials for the affected Winter and Spring surveys will be available in the near future. For additional information on these changes, visit the IPEDS Web site.

Reports and Studies

U.S. Department of Education's Report to Congress Regarding Simplification of the Federal Student Aid Process and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

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Last Modified: 12/11/2023