04/15/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 04/15/2024 10:56
The SAA sent its recommendations in a letter to the committees on April 11, noting that "continued bipartisan support for federal student aid ensures students have the opportunity to access and succeed in postsecondary education." The letter acknowledges current budgetary caps that led to level funding for student aid programs for FY 2024, but also notes that simply maintaining the status quo diminishes the actual value to students due to inflation.
SAA is a coalition of more than 50 higher education organizations that are united in support for federal student aid, co-led by ACE, the American Association of Community Colleges , the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, the Association of American Universities, the Council for Opportunity in Education, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.
Among the SAA-requested funding levels for FY 2025, which begins Oct. 1, are:
Meanwhile, a House Appropriations Committee subcommittee held a hearing April 11 to consider the Department of Education's FY 2025 budget request, with testimony from Secretary Miguel Cardona. The secretary's opening statement detailed the increases in aid the administration is seeking, including an increase for the maximum Pell Grant award (for 2025-26, $750 for students at nonprofit institutions and $100 for students at proprietary institutions) and two years of free community college for certain students.
The conversation then shifted to non-budgetary concerns, with committee members pressing the secretary on the FAFSA rollout, the potential impact of Title IX changes on women athletes, and antisemitism on campuses.
You can watch the appropriations hearing here.