Giving Compass' Take:

· The recent unveiling of the Democratic Aim Higher Act sparked conversation regarding the similarities on higher education reform in the PROSPER Act.

· What does this mean for student loan financing? When are changes expected to occur? How will this affect access to funding higher education?

· Read more on the Aim Higher Act.


The bill summary of the Aim Higher Act follows the heels of Republicans' introduction of their version of the HEA called the PROSPER Act, or Promoting Real Opportunity, Success, and Prosperity through Education Reform, in December 2017.​ When House Republicans introduced the 500-plus page piece of legislation last year, policymakers were still struggling to make sense of it all and broach bipartisan conversations. But, it became clear the legislation was focused on deregulation, with key provisions, for instance, to eliminate the Education Department's oversight and ability to create new regulations around gainful employment, a type of institutional accountability measure based on student return on investment.

Scott said during the bill's unveiling that it's based on access, affordability and completion through availability of college choice data, relief to students struggling with rising costs and for those who borrow, making loans easier to repay, and a crack down on predatory for-profit institutions.

And as Craig Lindwarm, assistant vice president of congressional and governmental affairs at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, said in a phone conversation with Education Dive, "these bills are polar opposites" and at this point "it's a message about House Democrat priorities and a signal of where they might begin if they retake the House next year."

Read the full article about education reform by Shalina Chatlani at Education Dive.