Higher Ed Policy Roundup: Vol. 5 - Issue 14

On Wednesday, the Biden Administration released the “American Families Plan,” which would provide $109 billion in funding for two years of free community college, increase the maximum Pell Grant award by $1,400, and subsidize tuition for low-income students enrolled in Historically Black Colleges and Universities and minority-serving institutions.

White House says review of whether the president has the authority to cancel student debt is ‘ongoing.’

Congress allocated  $35 billion for emergency grants for college students – here’s how it’s going.

Changes to Pell Grants could mean more eligible students, more money, more programs.

The following bills have been recently introduced for consideration by the 117th Congress (2021-2022):

S. 1396 – America’s College Promise Act [Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)] would create federal-state partnerships that provide two years of tuition-free access to community or technical college and establishes a new grant program to provide financial aid for two years at certain Historically Black Colleges and Universities or minority-serving institutions. A companion bill, H.R. 2861, was introduced in the House by Rep. Andy Levin (D-MI-9).

S. 1440 – [Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH)] would make technical corrections to the FAFSA Simplification Act.

H.R. 2874 – [Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-5)] would direct the Secretary of Education to develop a plain language disclosure form for borrowers of Federal student loans.