April 12, 2006
Higher Education Act Passes the House… Action Needed in the Senate
On March 30, the House passed the first broad rewrite of the federal higher education policy since 1998. H.R. 609 reauthorizes the Higher Education Act (HEA) for five years and guides the distribution of about $90 billion in financial aid for college students. The good news is that loan forgiveness is available for child welfare workers and child or adolescent mental health professionals, which include social workers.
The "national need" program would forgive up to $5,000 of student loan debt after five years of employment. Other eligible professionals include early childhood educators, nurses, foreign language specialists, and speech-language pathologists. In addition to social workers in child welfare, the amendment sponsored by Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) also adds librarians, first responders, and bilingual education teachers. New appropriations would be needed to implement the program.
Senate Action
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP) approved its version of the HEA reauthorization bill, the Higher Education Amendments (S. 1614) on September 8, 2005. As introduced, S. 1614 did not include any new loan forgiveness provisions, and by prior agreement, no amendments were offered during Committee consideration. The Committee approved the bill unanimously.
Although the bill does not include any new loan forgiveness provisions, it does include a provision that could assist social workers in repaying loans. The provision, which was supported by NASW, amends the current Income Contingent Repayment (ICR) program. Under the ICR, graduates pay a percentage of their income (around 20 percent) for 25 years; after 25 years, any remaining balance is forgiven. The new provision, authored by Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), would shorten the repayment period to 10 years for borrowers with jobs in the "public sector."
Public sector is defined as emergency management, government, public safety, law enforcement, public health, education (including early childhood education), and public interest legal services.
The Senate bill is awaiting floor action by the full Senate. No date has yet been set for its consideration. NASW is promoting loan forgiveness for social workers as part of its on-going work to improve working conditions, salaries, and other benefits for members of the profession and to ensure that consumers have access to qualified professionals. We need your help to ensure that the Senate version supports social workers!
Action Needed:
The Senate is in recess from April 10-21 and will likely take up this issue soon afterward so this would be an ideal time to call or e-mail your Senator and urge them to ensure that social workers and child and adolescent mental health professionals are included any loan forgiveness provisions in the final bill. Call your Senator through the Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121, and ask for the office by name.
Message:
As a constituent, professional social worker, and member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), I urge you to ensure that social workers and child and adolescent mental health professionals are included in any loan forgiveness legislation that passes. Providing loan forgiveness for individuals in social work will help states and community organizations recruit and retain qualified workers and will ultimately improve outcomes for the children and families we serve.
THANKS FOR YOUR ADVOCACY
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