Preserving the Federal Pell Grant Program
This issue brief discusses the importance of the Federal Pell Grant Program. It is a critical source of grant aid for many low-and moderate-income college students. Over the past decade, the federal government has expanded the program to serve more students, increasing the maximum level of each award to $5,550 and better ensuring college access and success. However, the House 2012 budget proposal calls for drastic cuts to the program, reducing the maximum grant by as much as 45 percent to $3,040. These cuts are substantially disproportionate to other cuts in the federal budget, unduly affecting the most vulnerable students in the college pipeline.
