A new analysis from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget has found the Pell Grant program is projected to be $5 billion in the red at the end of 2026. If congressional action is not taken to fix the program's structural shortfall, the Pell program faces a projected $104 billion to $157 billion cumulative deficit over the next decade.
The authors of the report conclude that the Pell Grant program needs to be greatly expanded to meet the financial needs of non-traditional students. Also, institutions must create a "culture of completion."
Under the GOP plan, the maximum Pell Grant award would be frozen for the next decade at $5,730. And it would eliminate Pell grant eligibility for some part-time college students.
The new rules eliminate Pell Grants for college students who do not have a high school diploma and for those who have been in college for more than six years.
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