Protect the Pell Grant
Established in the early 1970s, the Pell Grant is the foundation of America's college financial aid system, but funding shortfalls continue to put it at risk. The grant opened the doors for low- to moderate-income students to access higher education. Congress must act to ensure low-income students can continue striving for a better future.
Forty years ago, the maximum Pell Grant covered about 80% of the costs of attending college—now it's less than a third. The Congressional appropriations cycle does not align with the academic calendar, creating discrepancies between the amount of money the program has against the number of students who need aid. In combination with the grant’s declining purchasing power, higher education is becoming increasingly inaccessible for many Americans.
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The Pell Grant is at risk
The Pell Grant is funded through the Congressional appropriations process, which sometimes means that not enough money is allocated for a school year. This, in addition to recent expansions of the grant program, has increased the risk of a shortfall in the coming years. Without appropriate funding from Congress, students may have to make difficult decisions about paying for higher education or drop out of school altogether.
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