Victory! Congress Acts To Protect Student Aid

by Carol Scott · 2011-01-03 13:14:00 UTC
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Here's something to cheer about: Congress has voted to extend a $2,500 tax credit for families who are paying for college until 2012. Not only that - federal Pell Grants escaped the budget ax as well... For now.

In November and December, we covered the campaign by education activists to save this vital tax credit and Pell Grant program from crippling cuts. Our victory came about during last-minute wrangling in Congress at the end of the year. As lawmakers fought during lame-duck session over a tax cut package, they settled on a hodge-podge of relief that included tax cuts for millionaires and more funds for folks without jobs. Nestled inside the controversial bill was what education advocates had been fighting for -- a two-year extension of the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC), a tax credit that puts $2,500 back into the pockets of taxpayers footing the bill for college. Woohoo!

Pell Grants, also on the chopping block, hung on by the skin of their teeth - for now. The federal aid program for low-income students will be fully funded until March 4, thanks to a temporary reprieve from Congress. Students, activists and advocates had been fighting against proposed cuts that would have cut the maximum award by $845 a year.

Education advocates and Change.org members can take a bow - especially the national nonprofit The Institute for College Access & Success. Along with action alerts and valuable research, TICAS created a petition on Change.org to Congress championing these two important program. That petition spawned more than 600 emails sent to Change.org members' lawmakers. Without pressure from voters and advocacy groups, this money for education could have gone down the drain.

March 4 is right around the corner. So after taking that bow, let's get back to work to make higher education affordable to all who want it. Right now, though, it's time to celebrate!

Photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography via Flickr

Carol Scott is the Education Editor for Change.org.
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