Sanchez: Restore the Pell Grant’s clout (The Hill)

College campuses look a little different than they did when I was an undergraduate. The “typical” student — one between the ages of 18 and 22, living on campus and attending school full time — is becoming less and less typical. Today’s college student probably works full time, might have a child to care for at home and faces a mountain of debt from student loans after graduation. So while college has never been easy, today’s college student has much more to worry about than passing final exams.

As a nation that values education, we should give every willing student the opportunity to succeed. Since 1972, the need-based federal Pell Grant has done just that. At the beginning of the program, the grant covered the entire cost of college. Unfortunately, as tuition costs soar and state and community college budgets are slashed, the federal government is shirking its responsibility to help students succeed. The Pell Grant now covers just a third of the cost of a public four-year school. That means today’s student is left fighting to make ends meet now while being saddled with debt for the future.

My colleagues and I have continued to put forward bills to restore the strength of the Pell Grant, make college more affordable and reduce student debt. President Obama recently announced an ambitious proposal to make community college free for students in need. But one common-sense fix that Congress can take right now is reinstating the year-round Pell Grant by passing my All-Year ACCESS Act.

Many schools offer accelerated degrees where students can work through summer and winter intersessions in order to finish faster and jump into the job market. That is an increasingly attractive idea and has proven to boost graduation rates by keeping students on track. However, the Pell Grant only covers tuition from the fall to the spring. That means students aiming to graduate in four years or with plans to transfer to a four-year university by accelerating their education through summer or intersession semesters have to take out more loans — or simply skip the semester entirely. Studies show that students who face a “gap semester” are more likely to put a hold on their studies, default on student loans or drop out altogether.

Congress should pass my All-Year ACCESS Act, which would bridge the gap for these students by restoring year-round Pell Grants and allow both part-time and full-time students to receive the grant. Our economy depends on the strength of our workforce — strength built upon access to education for all, all year round.

Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) has served congressional districts in California’s Orange County since 1997.

http://thehill.com/opinion/op-ed/229428-sanchez-restore-the-pell-grants-clout