Lauren Asher, president of the Institute and the Project on Student Debt, issued the following statement:
“We appreciate conferees' recognition of the importance of college access for a sustained economic recovery. Increasing the value of the Pell Grant will help build the skilled, educated workforce our nation needs for a prosperous future, while injecting cash quickly into the economy. Pell Grants go directly to students who need them to pay for books, supplies and other costs of college and job training. Work-Study funds will create jobs and give students valuable experience while helping them meet college costs and limit borrowing. Making the Hope Tax Credit partially refundable will also help more low- and middle-income families cover tuition and textbook costs. Together, these investments are good news for students and families struggling to afford college, and for our economy.”
The Project on Student Debt is supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the BayTree Fund, and individual donors. The Project on Student Debt is an initiative of the Institute for College Access & Success, an independent, nonprofit organization working to make higher education more available and affordable for people of all backgrounds. For more information see www.projectonstudentdebt.org and www.ticas.org.
Pew is no longer active in this line of work, but for more information, visit the Project on Student Debt Web site or visit the The Project on Student Debt on PewHealth.org.