Now costing $41 billion, Pell Grants must prove their effectiveness or lose funding, financial aid experts say.
Thirty-seven million Americans have some college credits, but no degree. Online courses are helping some to complete a credential.
If aid were tied to graduation rates …
December 21, 2011 by
Linking federal student aid to college graduation rates or other success measures could shake up higher education. Open-access colleges and universities enroll many low-income students who qualify for Pell Grants. Graduation rates are low.
Federal civil rights investigators are expanding their scope, including an investigation of whether low graduation rates at a community college violates students’ rights.
Obama guards Pell spending in debt deal
August 1, 2011 by
President Obama protected Pell Grants from funding cuts in the debt-ceiling deal. As a “crucial investment,” Pell was given “specific protection in the discretionary budget,” a White House press release stresses.
President Obama wants to be the Pell Grant President, writes Mickey Kaus. “The phrase ‘President’s Historic Investment in Pell Grants’ is repeated twice, verbatim, for the proper Great Leap Forward effect.”
Grants will stay at the same level for a few years, but everyone thinks the rapidly growing program — spending has doubled in three years — will need to be redesigned.
Pell Grants may be safe — for 2 years
July 29, 2011 by
Pell Grants may be safe — for two years, but the student-aid program will have to be rethought. Costs have grown by 182 percent in five years.
Pell Grants at risk in debt deal
July 22, 2011 by
Pell Grants for low-income college students are on the chopping block in the debt-ceiling negotiations.
Also on Community College Spotlight: Community college students perform worse in online courses than in traditional classes.
Report: Aid to adult students is essential
June 24, 2011 by
We’re running low on high school graduates, a new report predicts. College aid for “nontraditional” students is essential to build a skilled workforce.
The never-seen, all-online student is rare. Most online students are on-site students too.
Failing students get college aid
April 28, 2011 by
Failing students lose federal college aid — but it takes a year or more. In California’s Central Valley, 25 percent of Pell Grant recipients fail to make “satisfactory academic progress.”
Also on Community College Spotlight: Low community college tuition deters teen drinking, drug abuse and high-risk sex, according to a new study. Why? Teens who see college as affordable don’t want to risk the future, an economist speculates.
Rethinking Pell Grants
March 22, 2011 by
With the cost of Pell Grants soaring to $44 billion, it’s time to rethink the federal aid program for low-income college students. Should students get loans that convert to grants when they meet academic goals? How about bonuses for good performance or probationary grants for high-risk students?
Is Pell spending out of control?
March 18, 2011 by
Spending on Pell Grants for low-income college students has more than doubled in the last three years. Democrats and Republicans are looking for solutions — but not in the same places.
Also on Community College Spotlight: Two bills extending college aid to undocumented students passed a legislative committee in California this week.
Enroll full time. Get more aid.
March 10, 2011 by
“Enroll full time. Get more aid.” That’s the message California community colleges are sending to students. Full-time students, who are more likely to complete a degree, can use extra aid for living expenses.
Also on Community College Spotlight: California won’t provide Cal Grants to students enrolling at colleges and universities with high loan default and dropout rates. The new rule will hit for-profit colleges the hardest but applies to all postsecondary institutions.
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