	Overview of the Higher Education Opportunity Act

In the 110 th Congress, the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA; P.L. 110-315 ) was enacted to amend, extend, and establish new programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA; P.L. 89-329). In most cases, funding authorization for programs extended or newly established under the HEOA is provided through FY2014. The HEOA also makes amendments to and extends funding authorization within a number of other laws. The HEA authorizes a broad array of federal student aid programs that assist students and their families with paying for or financing the costs of obtaining a postsecondary education, as well as programs that provide aid to institutions of higher education (IHEs). The HEA, as amended by the HEOA, is organized into eight titles. HEA programs are administered by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). The Higher Education Act of 1965 was enacted as P.L. Prior to the enactment of the HEOA, the last comprehensive reauthorization of the HEA occurred in 1998, under the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 ( P.L. 105-244 ), which authorized funding for most HEA programs through FY2003. During the period leading up to the enactment of the HEOA, authorization for HEA programs had been extended for one additional fiscal year under the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), and then incrementally through a series of Higher Education Extension Acts. 109-171 ). In the 110 th Congress, the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA; P.L. Additionally, in Spring 2008, emergency changes to the federal student loan programs were made under the Ensuring Continuing Access to Student Loans Act of 2008 (ECASLA; P.L. 110-227 ). In the first session of 110 th Congress, the Senate passed S. 1642 , the Higher Education Amendments of 2007 ( S.Rept. 110-231 ), to amend and extend the HEA. In the second session of the 110 th Congress, the House passed an HEA reauthorization bill, H.R. 4137 , the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2008 ( H.Rept. 110-500 ). Many of the provisions contained in either or both the Senate and House bills were agreed to by House and Senate conferees in approving the conference report to H.R. 4137 ( H.Rept. 110-803 ). Both the House and the Senate passed H.R. 4137 , renamed as the Higher Education Opportunity Act, on July 31, 2008; and it was signed into law by the President on August 14, 2008 ( P.L. 110-315 ). Title XI: Studies and Reports

In addition to performance reporting requirements and formal evaluations mandated for the various programs of the HEA, The HEOA authorizes 24 studies and reports to be conducted by the following designated entities:

			Government Accountability Office

Study on Foreign Graduate Medical Schools Employment of Postsecondary Education Graduates Study on IPEDS Report on Proprietary IHEs Endowment Report Study on Regional Sensitivity in the Needs Analysis Formula Study on the Financial and Compliance Audits of the Federal Student Loan Program Study and Report on Nonindividual Information Feasibility Study for Student Loan Clearinghouse Study on Department of Education Oversight of Incentive Compensation Ban

			National Academy of Sciences

Analysis of Federal Regulations on IHEs Independent Evaluation of Distance Education Programs Review of Costs and Benefits of Environmental, Health, and Safety Standards Study on Bias in Standardized Tests Study on Teaching Students with Reading Disabilities Nursing School Capacity

			Secretary of Education

Report and Study on Articulation Agreements Study of Minority Male Academic Achievement Study of Correctional Postsecondary Education, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor and the Attorney General Study of Aid to Less-than-Half-Time Students Study of the Impact of Student Loan Debt on Public Service, in consultation with the Office of Management and Budget and coordination with the National Academy of Public Administrators or the American Society for Public Administration Report on Income Contingent Repayment Through the Income Tax Withholding System, with the Secretary of the Treasury Developing Additional Measures of Degree Completion Summit on Sustainability, in consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

				Appendix.
The Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA; P.L. 89-329), as amended, authorizes a broad array of federal student aid programs that assist students and their families with paying for or financing the costs of obtaining a postsecondary education. The HEA also authorizes a series of programs that provide federal aid and support to institutions of higher education. HEA programs are administered by the U.S. Department of Education (ED).
In the 110th Congress, the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA; P.L. 110-315) was enacted to amend, extend, and establish new programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA). In most cases, funding authorization for programs extended or newly established under the HEOA is provided through FY2014. The HEOA also makes amendments to a number of other laws. Prior to the enactment of the HEOA, the last comprehensive reauthorization of the HEA occurred in 1998, under the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 (P.L. 105-244), which authorized funding for most HEA programs through FY2003.
Reauthorization of the HEA was considered during the 108th, 109th, and 110th Congresses. While reauthorization of the HEA was being considered, funding authorization for HEA programs had been extended under the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) and a series of Higher Education Extension Acts. Separate from bills to reauthorize the HEA, significant changes to several HEA programs were made under the Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 (HERA; P.L. 109-171), the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA; P.L. 110-84), and the Ensuring Continuing Access to Student Loans Act of 2008 (ECASLA; P.L. 110-227).
In the first session of 110th Congress, the Senate passed S. 1642, the Higher Education Amendments of 2007 (S.Rept. 110-231), to reauthorize the HEA. In the second session, the House passed H.R. 4137, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2008 (H.Rept. 110-500). Many of the provisions contained in either or both the Senate- and House-passed bills were agreed to by House and Senate conferees in the conference report to H.R. 4137 (H.Rept. 110-803). The House and the Senate passed H.R. 4137, the Higher Education Opportunity Act, on July 31, 2008. The President signed it into law as P.L. 110-315, on August 14, 2008.
This report begins with a brief overview of the HEA, its organization into various titles, and the major programs and program requirements specified under each title. It then identifies and describes selected amendments made to the HEA and other laws by the HEOA. This report will be updated as warranted.