President Joe Biden has recently put out a new spending plan and, to the dismay of many Democrats, tuition-free community college may not be included.
Instead of allocating money for free college, Biden proposed to increase the maximum federal Pell Grant* by $500, making the limit $6,995 and not the initial $6,495. However, Biden previously stated that he would increase the Pell Grant by $1,400 dollars in the early stages of his spending plan when the overall cost was $3.5 trillion and not the current $1.75 trillion.
Another issue with focusing on the Pell Grant and not tuition-free college is that the Pell Grant does not cover as much expenses as it used to. In other words––although any financial-aid increase is something to be grateful for––the benefits of the grant have decreased for low-income families/students when it comes to paying for college. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators is currently advocating for the doubling of the maximum Pell Grant. It is also important to note that the appeal of tuition-free college increases the rate of enrollment in undergraduate students.
Jill Biden––the First Lady of the United States and a community college professor––stated that even if tuition-free college does not make it in this plan, it is still a priority for the Biden administration. Mrs. Biden even went as far as to (jokingly) say that if Biden does not apportion funds for free college, he will be “sleeping alone for a long time.”
In summary, the new spending plan has not been set-in-stone, but it is something to be on the lookout for as the debate for free education continues within our country.
Image taken from the Council for Exceptional Children “Action Alert: Congress Begins Work on Build Back Batter Act”
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