The following article by Ben Miller was posted on the Center for American Progress website June 29, 2017:
Education Secretary’s Higher Education Report Card at the 2017 Midpoint
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable discussion in Orlando, FL, on March 3, 2017.
July 1 marks the beginning of a new year for federal financial aid for higher education, bringing changes that will affect the millions of Americans who use these programs. On the positive side, low-income students will be able to access additional Pell Grant aid thanks to Congress bringing back year-round Pell, a program that provides additional funds for students who attempt more coursework—often during a summer session. In less fortunate news, the annual reset of student loan interest rates resulted in a 69-basis point increase to 4.45 percent for undergraduates.
Though neither the funding for year-round Pell Grants nor the increased interest rate were the direct result of actions by the U.S. Department of Education, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and her team have not been sitting on their hands. In just under five months on the job, DeVos and the Trump administration have initiated several actions that could have significant effects on higher education and student debt over the long run. Continue reading “6 Things Betsy DeVos Has Done on Higher Ed”