Rise in tuition fees for economically disadvantaged students proposed in Republican legislation
In a move that could significantly impact thousands of students, the GOP House budget bill proposes changes to the Pell Grants, a federal financial aid program designed to help low-income students afford higher education.
The proposed changes could have a harmful impact on low-income college students, according to a report by the Center for American Progress (CAP). These changes could reduce eligibility and restrict access to Pell Grants, despite attempts to stabilize the program.
One of the key changes is raising the full-time enrollment requirement to 15 credits per semester, excluding students enrolled less than half-time. This change disproportionately affects working adults and student-parents, who often take fewer credits due to other responsibilities.
Additional federal aid programs that support low-income students, like Federal Work-Study and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), face significant cuts or elimination, compounding the financial challenges faced by Pell Grant recipients.
The proposed bill includes a new stream of funding for low-income students known as workforce Pell, which allows students to use federal aid for programs that take between eight and 15 weeks to complete and lead to a job in demand in their state. However, this comes with restrictions, limiting awards to accredited institutions only.
Chris Rose, a Pell Grant recipient and marketing major, describes Pell as a "lifeline" for him. He typically takes 15 credits per semester but has taken only 12 at times due to family problems, which would result in a reduction of nearly $1,500 in grant money under the proposed legislation. About 1.3 million students could lose Pell entirely, and another roughly 3 million could see their awards reduced.
Veronica Minaya, a senior research associate, is concerned that the change to Pell could steer students away from more challenging classes that can lead to more lucrative careers. Taking a five-class course load while holding a job or taking care of family may seem too daunting, according to Minaya.
Preston Cooper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, argues that students who are only taking one or two courses per semester might not be setting themselves up for success with federally subsidized aid. Cooper suggests that the federal government needs to think about how to best deploy resources to maximize student success.
Jill Desjean, director of policy analysis at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, believes in rewarding the behavior one wants to see but not punishing those who cannot do it. Desjean suggests that year-round Pell, which allows students to take 12 credits per semester and six in the summer, could be a more effective way to encourage on-time graduation.
The analysis found that the Republican budget proposal could increase the cost of an associate degree by up to $3,700 and a bachelor's degree by $7,400 for students taking 12 credits or fewer per semester. Opponents of the bill argue that these changes could potentially steer students away from pursuing higher education, creating a barrier to success for low-income students.
- The GOP House budget bill proposes changes to Pell Grants, a federal financial aid program, that could reduce eligibility and restrict access to higher education for low-income students, thereby exacerbating educational inequality.
- The proposed changes could lead to a reduction in Pell Grant funding for students enrolled less than half-time, which disproportionately affects working adults and student-parents, escalating the financial challenges they face in their education-and-self-development.
- The bill includes a new stream of funding for low-income students in the form of workforce Pell, but this comes with restrictions, limiting awards to accredited institutions only, potentially affecting innovation and accessibility in higher education.
- The analysis of the Republican budget proposal suggests that it could increase the cost of an associate degree by up to $3,700 and a bachelor's degree by $7,400 for students taking fewer credits, potentially steering students away from pursuing higher education due to financial concerns, and thereby influencing politics and general-news discussions on the matter.
