The Spellings Commission Report has prompted many individuals and organizations to issue responses. The AAC&U released a statement that praised the Commission’s call for expanding access to higher education, but criticized its limited definition of higher education and omission of already successful initiatives and programs. In an Inside Higher Ed article, David Paris (Hamilton College) cited initiatives that have identified innovations with positive learning outcomes and suggested that the public might be better served by government support of best practices rather than a national student database. In response to some of the Commission's challenges, a letter to members from the American Council of Education and five other organizations outlines a plan of action that includes increasing aid to low-income students.
On this page, we have collected links to these and other responses. We encourage you to read the report, Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings' speech responding to the Commission's recommendations, and some of the many reactions from individuals and from national organizations in education.
Responses from Individuals
"Higher Education at Risk?" by David C. Paris, Inside Higher Ed, October 24, 2006.
"The Elephant in the Student Aid Office," by Donald E. Heller, Inside Higher Ed, September 25, 2006.
"What Spellings Got Right and Wrong," by Edward M. Kennedy, Inside Higher Ed, October 3, 2006
Responses from National Organizations
American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
President's Briefing, "Leading the Way in Accountability and Access," in Briefs, October 9, 2006
American Association of State Colleges and Universities
Policy Alert – "AASCU's Policy Direction and Action Steps Addressing the Commission Report and Action Plan"
American Association of University Presidents
American Federation of Teachers
AFT News – "Spellings Commission Report Gets an 'Incomplete' from AFT"
The Association of American Colleges and Universities
Statement from Board of Directors
Association of American Universities
Statement by Robert M. Berdahl, President
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
"A Response to the Final Report of the Commission on the Future of Higher Education"
The Council of Independent Colleges
President's Desk – "How does Change in Higher Education Actually Occur," by Richard Ekman
Letter to Members from ACE, AASCU, AACC, AAU, NAICU, NASULGC
"Addressing the Challenges Facing American Undergraduate Education, A Letter to Our Members: Next Steps"
National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
News Room – "Statement by NAICU President David L. Warren on U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings' Speech on the Recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Higher Education"
National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education
National CrossTalk, "Reactions to the Spellings Commission Report"
National Education Association
News Release – "NEA Calls for Sweeping Financial Aid Reforms to Achieve Goals of Education Department Report"
State Higher Education Executive Officers
Response and Action Plan
General Resource
Inside Higher Ed – list of all news articles, commentary, etc. published in Inside Higher Ed on the Spellings Commission and related information.