Education
As a mother, grandmother, and former professor at LaSalle University, Rep. Dean supports high-quality, affordable education for all.
Debt and Student Loans
Since 2006, student debt in America has nearly tripled; almost 45 million borrowers owe $1.6 trillion, and the average borrower owes close to $33,000 and pays nearly $400 per month in debt service. Rep. Dean knows first-hand how these costs constrain opportunities for young people and their families.
Rep. Dean also recognizes that tackling student debt means addressing fundamental questions about how much an education should cost, who gets to go attend college, and how students will pay their debts over time.
To begin to address access and cost, Rep. Dean has co-sponsored H.R. 2679, the 529 Opening New Paths to Invest in Our Nation’s Students (529 OPTIONS) Act. This bill would allow students to use 529 savings plans to pay for apprenticeship programs.
Rep. Dean has also tackled repayment challenges by introducing the Private Loan Disability Discharge Act. This legislation developed in response to outreach from a constituent. A woman in Pennsylvania’s Fourth District was struggling; her daughter had become totally disabled and was therefore discharged from her debt obligations, but the mother – as cosigner of the loan – was held responsible. Through the Private Loan Disability Discharge Act, cosigners will see their debt obligations discharged if a borrower becomes totally disabled.
Free Community College Through the America’s College Promise Act
Rep. Dean understands the powerful role of community colleges in expanding opportunity and preparing students for fulfilling careers. Alongside Rep. Andy Levin (MI-09), Vice-Chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, she has reintroduced H.R. 4212, the America’s College Promise Act of 2019. This bill will create new partnerships with state governments and provide two years of tuition-free access to community college programs that lead to a degree or industry-recognized credential. The legislation will also expand pathways to minority-serving institutions.
Curriculum
Rep. Dean understands that curricula reflect our educational priorities. For this reason, she has cosponsored a series of bills to expand and deepen students’ exposure to important areas of study.
H.R. 943, the Never Again Education Act, gives schools and teachers the resources and training they need to teach our children the important lessons of the Holocaust and the consequences of intolerance and hate.
H.R. 1094, the World Language Advancement and Readiness Act, authorizes competitive grants to support school districts that want to establish, expand, or improve innovative programs in world language learning for elementary and secondary school students.
More on Education
Blue Bell, PA – Last night, Rep. Madeleine Dean (PA-04) hosted her very first drive-in town hall at the Montgomery County Community College’s Blue Bell Campus. The drive-in town hall was an opportunity for constituents to safely connect with Congresswoman Dean. Topics included the COVID-19 relief and vaccine, the opioid crisis, climate change, the economy, and more.
WASHINGTON — Last week, Reps. Dean, Adams, Waters and Senators Warren and Brown expressed support for student loan relief provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021 and the William M. Mac Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021.
WASHINGTON — Last week, the House passed a package of the fiscal year 2021 appropriations bills, including Rep. Dean’s proposed funding for people with disabilities, pregnant and postpartum women dealing with substance abuse, the national PFAS health study, student loan borrowers, and gun violence prevention.
WASHINGTON — Today, the House adopted Rep. Dean's amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act which would provide immediate relief to millions of private student loan borrowers including thousands of service members and veterans. The amendment would provide much needed assistance to roughly 4.5 million private student loan borrowers by providing up to $10,000 in immediate assistance to pay down the student loan.
WASHINGTON D.C. — Representatives Dean, Pressley, Thompson, Velázquez, Jesús G. “Chuy” García, Maloney, Hayes, Lynch, and Carson, urged CEO, John F. Remondi, of the Navient Corporation to reconsider current stock buybacks plans. This follows a disturbing pattern of behavior since Navient spun off from Sallie Mae back in 2014 – spending $3.2 billion in stock buybacks and $1.2 billion in dividend payments.
WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, House Democrats introduced the Heroes Act, a comprehensive $3.3 trillion relief bill to address the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. For the duration of this economic crisis, Rep. Dean has advocated for relief for everyday workers, the smallest businesses, and student borrowers — the Heroes Act reflects these priorities.
Reps. Madeleine Dean (PA-04) and Jennifer Wexton (VA-10) – Financial Services’ Committee members – led a series of letters to student loan companies requesting to know how they are taking steps to assist private loan borrowers during the COVID-19 outbreak.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Madeleine Dean introduced the Emergency Assistance for Student Borrowers Act of 2020 to give relief to millions of borrowers who will struggle with payments during this pandemic.
NORRISTOWN — Norristown Area School District and Pottstown School District spent the day providing 10 meals to all of their students — helping to alleviate the strain of school closures.
LOWER MERION, PA – On Monday, February 3, Rep. Dean hosted the first Town Hall of the new year at the Cynwyd Club in Lower Merion Township. Joined by over 160 constituents, Rep. Dean discussed gun violence prevention, the student debt crisis, climate change and impeachment – and the issues Democrats would be focused on in 2020 like infrastructure, healthcare, and climate change.