What People Are Saying: Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, House and Senate education leaders reintroduced the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act of 2024, bicameral legislation that would nearly double the Pell Grant maximum award, index the maximum award for inflation, and make other changes to expand the award for working students and families. The Pell Grant program is the cornerstone of federal financial aid for postsecondary education, serving over 6 million undergraduate students.
Here is what advocates and experts are saying about the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act of 2024:
American Federation of Teachers: “Staggering tuition costs, state disinvestment and the diminished purchasing power of the Pell Grant have made higher education increasingly unattainable—stifling the dreams of a generation and stymieing economic growth. The Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act is a bold solution that will double the Pell Grant, make sure the award keeps up with inflation, restore additional semesters of eligibility, and relieve the annual budgetary pressures with mandatory funding. This act is a critical investment in the future of our country, and it is not one that can wait. I urge Congress to quickly adopt these important improvements to the Pell Grant program.”
American Association of University Professors: “We’re proud to endorse the PGPEA, an important step forward in the fight to ensure equitable and affordable access to higher education for all students. Progress has been made in the past fifty years in overcoming discriminatory barriers and opening doors to students, but the rapidly increasing cost of college and high levels of student debt are curtailing access for many students. While the Pell grant remains an important aid for low-income students, inflation has eroded its value. The enhancements proposed in this bill will help guarantee that all students can access higher education--invaluable for building prosperity; advancing social, racial, and economic justice; strengthening democracy and civil society; and fostering knowledge and innovation.”
APIA Scholars: “APIA Scholars supports the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act of 2024 as a crucial step toward ensuring educational accessibility and equity for all students, particularly those from underserved communities. The cost of higher education remains a top barrier preventing students from enrolling in college and a significant factor in why currently enrolled students drop out. APIA Scholars’ data disaggregation work has further shown that many Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) students rely heavily on the Pell Grant to pursue higher education.”
“Preservation and expansion of the Pell Grant strengthens a lifeline for many underserved AANHPI students and reaffirms our commitment to breaking down financial barriers and empowering AANHPI students who are in need across the nation. Especially now, we believe that an expansion of the Pell Grant program is critical given stagnant completion rates across the country due to the lingering impact of the pandemic. We believe in the transformative power of education and bolstering the Pell Grant program represents a pivotal move toward making higher education accessible and achievable for all.”
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities: “APLU applauds Senators Hirono, Reed, and Whitehouse, Ranking Member Scott, and Representative Pocan for their leadership on Double Pell. This legislation to substantially boost Pell, index it to inflation, and expand eligibility would help millions more students. Pell Grants are critical to helping students afford and complete a life-changing college education while strengthening the nation’s workforce to compete globally.”
Center for Law and Social Policy: “CLASP firmly believes in the transformative power of education as a pathway to economic mobility and social equity. The Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act is a critical step toward ensuring that all students, regardless of their financial background, can access and complete higher education. By doubling the maximum Pell Grant award, shifting the Pell Grant program to fully mandatory funding, and allowing Dreamers to access federal financial aid, this legislation addresses the urgent needs of individuals with low incomes and communities of color. We wholeheartedly support this Act and urge lawmakers to prioritize its passage, as it represents a significant investment in our nation's future.”
EdTrust: “Ed Trust is proud to support the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act, a transformative proposal to enhance the accessibility and affordability of higher education for millions of low-income students and students of color across the United States. By increasing the maximum Pell award, ensuring the grants keep pace with inflation, and expanding eligibility to undocumented students, this act addresses the growing financial barriers that impede educational attainment. Supporting this act is essential for fostering educational equity and ultimately ensuring that higher education remains a viable pathway to upward mobility for all Americans.”
SHEEO: “SHEEO is proud to endorse the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act. Pell Grants remain the cornerstone federal program for college affordability, and this legislation will revitalize and expand Pell to make college more affordable for students in the years ahead. We urge Congress to take up and pass this important bill without delay.”
The Hope Center at Temple University: “The Pell Grant is the cornerstone of federal financial aid, but the only way we can ensure its long-term survival is to treat it just like other permanent, or ‘mandatory’ programs that aren’t subject to the whims of a tumultuous annual appropriations process.”
“The Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act would do just that—ensuring this vital grant covers more students with financial need, grows with college costs, and will be around for generations to come. It is a vision for a better and more inclusive future.”
Third Way: “The Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act takes critical and long overdue steps to strengthen and stabilize the Pell Grant, restore its purchasing power to better meet student need today and into the future, and ensure that Pell can truly deliver on its promise of making college dreams accessible and affordable.”
“Third Way applauds Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Representatives Mark Pocan (D-WI) and House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) for championing this important legislation to invest in student success for generations to come.”
TICAS: “The Pell Grant program is our nation’s foundational investment in college affordability, but the award has not kept pace with rising costs, and the program’s funding structure leaves it vulnerable to annual cuts.”
“We strongly support the PGPEA, which not only doubles the maximum Pell award to make college far more affordable for millions of low- and moderate-income students but expands, protects, and strengthens the program for years to come.”
Young Invincibles: “Pell Grants are life-changing, opening doors for students to pursue their academic and career goals without the burden of excessive debt. Higher education associations, organizations, and advocacy groups have long advocated for doubling the maximum Federal Pell Grant award; this is an essential step in ensuring students from low- and moderate-income communities can access a more affordable college education. Furthermore, expanding Pell Grant eligibility to DACA recipients is a critical investment in the future of young adults and their well-being. Young Invincibles is proud to endorse the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act and continue to advocate for a debt-free path to higher education.”
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