Legislation provides grants to higher education institutions serving low-income and underserved Asian American and Pacific Islander student populations
Washington, DC - Today Congressman David Wu introduced the Asian American and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions bill that would provide grants to institutions of higher education for their efforts to improve and expand services targeting Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students. Specifically, Congressman Wu's legislation will help institutions identify and assist low-income and underserved AAPI students. Similar programs currently only serve other minority populations.
"The Asian American and Pacific Islander community has and will always be an integral and vibrant part of American society," stated Congressman Wu. "I am pleased to introduce legislation that will help foster further contributions by those members of the AAPI population that our educational system has neglected."
Current law allows the U.S. Department of Education to provide similar financial assistance to institutions which serve African American, Hispanic, Native American, Alaskan Native and Hawaiian Native students. Higher education institutions serving large numbers of AAPI students have not had access to this financial aid in part because of socioeconomic assumptions that categorize a complex youth population of over three million as a homogenous, academically successful unit that is not in need of academic support systems.
Thus, the current educational support system fails to address the needs of specific ethnic groups within the AAPI population. A Southeast Asia Resource Action Center study of the 2000 Census found great differences of education attainment among the different ethic groups of the AAPI population. For example, only 26% of Laotian and 28% of Cambodian Americans have had some college as compared to 63.6% of Chinese and 51.8% of the national average. The study also found that 26.2% of Cambodian and 45% of Hmong Americans indicated that they have no formal schooling, as compared to 1.4% nationally.
"The grants acquired through the AAPI Serving Institutions bill would increase higher education opportunities for low-income and underserved AAPI students by funding culturally and linguistically appropriate services," said Congressman Mike Honda (CA-15), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. "This bill is an acknowledgement that educational disparities do in fact exist within the AAPI community. It would enable America to pursue her noble goal of equal educational opportunities for all students, particularly for those who fall behind due to socio-economic and cultural barriers."
Congressman Wu's legislation is currently supported by 5 original cosponsors: Representatives Mike Honda, Neil Abercrombie, Jim McDermott, Betty McCollum and Zoe Lofgren. |
