The 2017 budget bill expected to be sent to President Donald J. Trump this week is a mixed bag when it comes to college access and affordability, sparing some programs from cuts and providing boosts to others, but at the same time dipping into the rainy day fund for Pell Grants.
That was the collective take of several advocacy organizations Monday as they analyzed what the 1665-page budget document approved over the weekend means for the world of higher education.
Asher praised the budget for its reinstatement of the long-sought-after, year-round Pell Grants, which she said would help more students afford additional courses, such as those offered over the summer, so they can graduate more quickly.
But she criticized the budget for how it “raids” $1.3 billion from surplus Pell Grant funding “despite the urgent need to contain rising student debt and help more people get the education they need to succeed in today’s economy.”
The Education Trust, a Washington, D.C.-based national nonprofit that advocates for low-income students and students of color, expressed similar concerns.
“This is a step in the wrong direction and one that cannot continue, despite the Trump administration’s proposal to do so in its FY18 budget request,” The Education Trust said in a statement.
