It is important to stay up to date on the Higher Education proposals from the candidates of the 2020 election. As full plans are available, we will share highlights as well as a link to the full plans of each candidate. NASFAA has also compiled a website dedicated to following the positions of the presidential candidates, available at www.nasfaa.org/2020.
Presidential hopeful Sen. Amy Klobuchar released her higher education proposal, called “Many Paths to Success.” Her plan expands eligibility for the Pell Grant program, overhauls the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, and proposes to implement free tuition policies at community colleges and technical degree programs. Klobuchar’s higher education platform would cost $500 billion over 10 years and be paid for by taxes on the wealthy.
There are many aspects of the “Many Paths to Success” proposal. To view the full plan, visit Klobuchar’s blog site. Highlights of her plan include:
- Provide Tuition Free One- and Two-Year Community College Degrees and Technical Certifications, Promote Apprenticeships, and Respect the Dignity of Work:
- Provide tuition-free community college and technical certifications. As President, Senator Klobuchar will create a new federal-state partnership to provide tuition-free community college one- and two-year degrees, technical certifications and industry-recognized credentials. This proposal is based on Senator Baldwin’s America’s College Promise Act and an Obama Administration proposal.
- Adapt high school curricula to improve workforce readiness and post-secondary success and expand opportunities for dual enrollment. As part of her previously announced Progress Partnerships for K-12 education, Senator Klobuchar will create incentives for state education departments to evaluate and improve student career readiness, including coursework, curriculum and other policies that prepare students for the jobs available in today’s workforce.
- Lower the Cost of College and Reduce the Burden of Student Loans:
- Double the maximum Pell Grant and expand eligibility to families making up to $100,000 per year. She will also double the maximum Pell Grant to $12,000 per year.
- Provide financial support beyond tuition. Senator Klobuchar will work with states to establish microgrant programs to help students with necessary expenses if they face unexpected financial hardship.
- Simplify the financial aid process. Senator Klobuchar will work to improve coordination between the IRS and Department of Education to streamline income verification.
- Fix the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and expand it to cover In-Demand occupations. Senator Klobuchar will completely overhaul the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to require lenders to provide better information to borrowers about their eligibility and progress toward forgiveness, allow borrowers more flexibility to meet the program requirements, and streamline reporting and verification requirements. She will also expand the loan forgiveness program to borrowers who work in In-Demand occupations.
- Support Multiple Paths to Success and Invest in Retraining:
- Invest in adult basic education. Senator Klobuchar will reverse President Trump’s proposal to cut basic education programs for adults, and launch an initiative focused on increasing opportunities for adults to master literacy and basic math skills.
- Give students returning to school later in life a fair shot. Senator Klobuchar will allow students who are returning to post-secondary education to requalify for Pell Grants by resetting their Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and to receive additional Pell Grants even if they have reached the Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU). She will also restore Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated students.
- Provide All Students Opportunities for Success:
- Ensure veterans have access to the educational opportunities they have earned. Senator Klobuchar will push to reduce the burden of student debt on servicemembers by lowering or eliminating the accrual of interest on student loans during their service. She will launch and implement a grant program to invest in college veteran education centers.
- Strengthen and increase affordability for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). Participating HBCUs and MSIs will receive federal funding to waive or significantly reduce the first two years of tuition for low-income students at four-year schools.