The house has passed its education funding bill for 2020, which includes some awesome funding boosts for higher ed programs. Increased funding for higher ed = reduced financial burden for students and increased access to colleges and universities. 💯👏

⏰ The bill passed the House, so now’s the time to contact your Senators and ask for their support! 

What’s in the bill:

• Student Financial Assistance – The bill provides $24.9 billion for Federal student aid programs, $492 million above the 2019 enacted level and $1.9 billion above the POTUS budget request. Of this amount, funding highlights include:
  • $6,345 for the maximum Pell Grant
  • $1 billion for the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant program. (POTUS budget request proposes to eliminate this program!)
  • $1.4 billion for Federal Work Study

• Support for Institutions – The bill provides $2.7 billion for higher ed programs, an increase of $431 million above the 2019 enacted level and $1.2 billion above the POTUS budget request. Within this amount, the bill provides:
  • $917 million to assist primarily Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) in the Aid for Institutional Development account, including:
    • $375 million for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
    • $150 million for Hispanic Serving Institutions. (POTUS budget proposes to consolidate this and other MSI programs into a single MSI grant program, which the bill rejects.)
    • $51 million for Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities
  • $1.1 billion for Federal TRIO programs
  • $395 million for GEAR UP (POTUS budget proposes to consolidate this program into the TRIO programs)
  • $53 million for Teacher Quality Partnerships (POTUS budget request proposes to eliminate this program)
  • $60 million for the Child Care Access Means Parents in School
  • $10 million to restart the Centers of Excellence for Veterans Student Success Program. 

TL;DR?

Tell your reps to support the FY20 LHHS-Ed funding bill, which includes many necessary funding boosts for federal student aid and higher ed programs!