Perkins Act May Cover More American Indians
More American Indians may be counted for Perkins Vocational and Technical Education programs. The Senate approved legislation that would require a count of American Indian college students in both spring and fall semesters. Current law only requires a fall count. The bill would also change the count system from a full-time equivalent to a credit hour-based formula, including credits earned at a tribally controlled vocational and technical school.
The Perkins Act would then follow the same rules as the Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Act. The bill is with the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Staffers at the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs said they couldn’t discuss the bill without permission from Andrea Jones, press secretary to Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz. Jones did not respond to phone and e-mail messages.
College Preparation Bill Introduced in Senate
Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., introduced the Roads to Success Act of 2005, designed to get students interested early in attending college. The bill would create a program to provide information to students in grades seven through 12 about higher education and career development.
The bill would also create a nonprofit Roads to Success organization to help students prepare for college and careers. Five state education departments would get funding to use the program in areas with low rates of college attendance. The program could get $10 million a year for six years. The bill was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
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