Higher Ed Policy Roundup: Vol. 8 - Issue 11

The Education Department (ED) announced a temporary pause on the processing of Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) applications as they transition from the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA) platform to their own. While MOHELA currently manages the program, borrowers will now interface with ED directly as part of the transition to the Unified Servicing and Data Solution contract. The pause will be in place from May 1 to July 31, and while borrowers will still be able to submit forms, processing of these forms will be halted. During this time, borrowers will also not have access to their portal which provides information on PSLF progress and payment counts.

ED Secretary Miguel Cardona is set to testify before the House Appropriations Subcommittee detailing President Biden’s $82 billion fiscal year 2025 budget request for ED. On the same day, the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee will also hold a hearing regarding ED’s handling of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which has been plagued with issues stemming from delays due to the implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act. The hearings will take place on Wednesday, April 10. You can watch the Appropriations Subcommittee hearing and the Education and the Workforce Subcommittee hearing.

The Strada Education Foundation published a State Opportunity Index, which indicates how states perform in five priority areas regarding education and economic mobility: clear outcomes, quality coaching, affordability, work-based learning, and employer alignment.

A brief from the Urban Institute compares the income-driven repayment plan introduced in the College Cost Reduction Act earlier this year to the Biden-Harris Administration's Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan.

There were no relevant student-aid related bills recently introduced for consideration by the 118th Congress (2023-2024).