The Biden Administration’s new funding proposal revisits a plan for free community college, includes additional funding for Pell Grants, and calls for greater investment in Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority-Serving Institutions.
Policy & Legislation Archive
The end of race-conscious scholarships?
The debate around the scope of last year’s Supreme Court ruling ending race-based affirmative action in college admissions has allowed state policymakers to push for the end of scholarships that consider applicants’ race.
New Mexico to invest nearly $1B in tuition-free program
This month, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law “the largest higher education trust fund in the nation,” which will provide New Mexico residents with free college tuition for decades to come.
‘Tell me I can’t, and I’ll show you 10 ways that I can’
First-gen policy student Tony Parsons (MPM’24) discusses how his time with the National Urban Fellows Program at Georgetown’s McCourt School of Public Policy has advanced his work as a passionate advocate for underrepresented and underserved populations.
Can data science prepare high school students for success?
After shifting guidance from the group that sets admissions criteria for California’s public universities, educators are debating the benefits and drawbacks of allowing students to substitute data science for Algebra II when it comes to engagement and college preparation.
First-of-its-kind report explores impact of the Post-9/11 GI Bill®
A new analysis looks at the use and outcomes of the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, which pays for school or career training for military-connected students and their families.
How state anti-DEI laws are impacting LGBTQ+ students
As Texas’s anti-DEI law takes effect, public universities in the state are closing and rebranding centers that once explicitly supported LGBTQ+ students and others from historically underrepresented backgrounds. Experts say those changes are stripping away resources for students who need them the most.
No FAFSA data until March? Education officials add support amid delays.
After announcing that colleges may not receive students’ Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) data until early March, Education Department officials said they are providing additional resources to help under-resourced schools and students manage the compressed financial aid process.
Pennsylvania’s new blueprint for state colleges focuses on access, affordability
Pennsylvania’s governor has proposed an overhaul of the state’s public higher education system aimed at improving workforce development and increasing college access and affordability for low- and middle-income families.
Delays, glitches in the new FAFSA frustrate families
College applicants have encountered problems during the “soft launch” of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, leaving students and their families worried they will not receive financial aid packages in time to make informed college choices.
Federal and state policies try to curb transcript withholding
As policymakers grow more concerned about transcript holds, federal and state lawmakers are looking for ways to close loopholes and protect students unable to repay federal or private loans.
Applicants write about race in their college essays despite end of race-conscious admissions
Colleges and counselors alike are encouraging applicants to share meaningful stories about their identities; the role of difference, discrimination, and diversity in their lives; and how those experiences could shape their future contributions to campus life.