This letter from a large coalition of organizations that support college access and affordability for students from low-income families urges Congress to shore up funding for the Pell Grant program and protect students from the harmful effects of a funding shortfall. In January, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released new supplemental projections for the Pell Grant program showing that absent Congressional action, the Pell program will face a $2.7 billion funding shortfall this year.
If additional funding is not added to the Pell Grant program soon, students could face eligibility or award cuts for the first time in more than a decade. Students cannot afford such cuts during a time of rising living costs, and our economy cannot afford to have students lose access to the education and training they need to succeed in the labor market. The maximum Pell Grant already covers the lowest share of college costs in the program’s history, contributing to a persistent “affordability gap” that forces low- and middle-income students to either take out loans or forgo higher education and training entirely.
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