31 March 2011
Proposed Pell Reduction to Cost Michigan $231 Million in Financial Aid for Students Most in Need
April 1, 2011 – Lansing – The proposed 15 percent decrease to the Pell Grant, a financial award to low-income students, will have significant impact on the more than 346,000 eligible students and families in Michigan who desire access to college. Michigan College Access Network joins the National College Access Network in urging Congress to protect Pell grants at its maximum level of funding at $5,550.
“In Michigan, the proposed reduction will cost our state over $231 million in financial aid for the students most in need,” Brandy Johnson, director of the Michigan College Access Network, said. “It is critical funding for the Pell Grant to remain at its current level to allow all of our students the access to the education they deserve.”
Preserving the maximum level of Pell Grant funding is vitally important to maintaining and raising the number of college graduates in Michigan, but also the health and growth of Michigan’s economy. Without increasing the percentage of Americans who have a college degree or other postsecondary credential, the U.S. will have a labor market shortage of 23 million college-educated adults by 2025.
“Pell Grants have served as the cornerstone of college opportunity for our lowest income students,” Kim Cook, executive director of the National College Access Network, said. “The proposed cut of $845, roughly the amount of a semester of community college tuition, will threaten college attendance and graduation for thousands of students.”
The delay of this decision is further detrimental to students because colleges are unable to make final financial aid offers. Many students may have to decide where to go to college without knowing how much financial aid they will receive.
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About the National College Access Network
Incorporated in 1995, NCAN’s mission is to build, strengthen, and empower communities committed to college access and success so that all students, especially those underrepresented in postsecondary education, can achieve their educational dreams. With its members and partners, NCAN develops and supports programs and policy solutions that help more students aspire to, apply to, enter, and succeed in college or other postsecondary training. NCAN’s hundreds of members span a broad range of the education, nonprofit, government, and civic sectors, including community-based nonprofit organizations, federally funded TRIO and GEAR UP programs, school districts, colleges and universities, foundations, and corporations.
www.collegeaccess.org
About the Michigan College Access Network
Michigan College Access Network works to dramatically increase Michigan’s college participation and completion rates, particularly among low-income and first-generation college students of all ages. The goal of the organization is to increase the proportion of Michigan residents with college degrees and valuable credentials to 60 percent by the year 2025. MCAN supports the work of 33 local college access networks as well as two statewide initiatives include the Michigan College Access Portal and the KnowHow2GOMichigan.org campaign.
www.micollegeaccess.org.
 Michigan_Pell_Grant_Letter | [Letter_to_Elected_Officials] |
| Press_Release_Protect_Pell_Grants | [Press Release sample] |
 Protect Pell Grant - Press Release | [ ] |