Education Amendments of 1979

Education Amendments of 1979 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to extend authorizations of appropriations to fiscal year 1980 for: (1) community services and continuing education programs; (2) special programs for the elderly; (3) college library programs, including research libraries; (4) developing institutions; (5) basic educational opportunity grants; (6) supplemental educational opportunity grants; (7) grants to States for student incentives; (8) special programs for students from low-income families; (9) Educational Information Centers; (10) veterans' cost-of-instruction payments to institutions of higher education; (11) direct student loans; (12) financial aid for administrators training; (13) teacher corps and teacher training programs; (14) acquisition of television and other equipment for improving classroom instruction; (15) grants and loans for construction and renovation of undergraduate academic facilities, and grants for graduate facilities; (16) annual interest subsidy grants for such construction and renovation; (17) graduate programs and fellowships; (18) community colleges; (19) law school clinical programs; and (20) State postsecondary education commissions.

Amends the General Education Provisions Act to extend authorizations of appropriations to fiscal year 1980 for: (1) the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education; and (2) the National Institute of Education.

Amends the National Defense Education Act of 1958 to extend authorizations of appropriations to fiscal year 1980 for foreign studies and language programs.

Amends the Middle Income Student Assistance Act to make such Act effective with respect to student enrollment on or after July 1, 1979 (presently August 1, 1979).

Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide that Federal allotments to States for strengthening local educational agencies shall be equal to those granted in fiscal year 1973. Stipulates that excess funds shall be awarded to States on a discretionary basis by the Commissioner of Education.

Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to: (1) provide that any excess basic educational opportunity grant funds for the academic year 1978-1979 shall remain available for such purpose through September 30, 1981, rather than used for other educational purposes; (2) provide that all eligible lenders shall be considered approved for purposes of Federal interest subsidies unless the Commissioner promulgates required regulations by September 30, 1979; (3) remove limitations on special allowance payments; (4) authorize the Commissioner to collect defaulting direct student loans; and (5) include vocational schools within the definition of "institution of higher education."