By Raymond AlQaisi, Senior Manager of Policy and Advocacy
Reading time: Four minutes
Congress has reached agreement on fiscal year (FY) 2023 appropriations to fund the federal
government through September 2023. The $1.7 trillion budget deal includes great news for the college access and success community. National College Attainment Network (NCAN) members and students can expect a $500 increase to the maximum
Pell Grant for the 2023-24 award year, bringing the maximum award to $7,395. This substantial increase follows last year’s increase of $400, and make the two greatest Pell boosts since the 2009-10 award year.
NCAN celebrates this news as a victory for all our members and partners who have consistently made the case for robust investments
in the Pell Grant program. NCAN extends a special appreciation to our members and students who championed advocacy
this year.
While there is more work to do to restore the Pell Grant’s purchasing power to half the average cost of attendance for a bachelor’s degree at an in-state, public institution, millions of students will benefit from receiving a $7,395 award next year.
"These historic investments are recognition that postsecondary education (inclusive of public institutions) is too often financially out of reach for many Americans who need it to improve
their lifetime career option," said NCAN CEO Kim Cook. "At a time when Congress struggles to find agreement on many critical issues, we can celebrate the shared belief in the value of education beyond high school for those who struggle to afford it,
disproportionately students of color and first-generation Americans. This should be a clear sign to those who have chosen not to continue their education for financial reasons that America wants them to reconsider."
Overall, the fiscal year 2023 funding bill will make major investments in education including: $2.4 billion increase for K-12 Education (a nearly $1 billion increase in Title I funding for high-poverty schools and a nearly $1 billion increase for special education);
and $3.5 billion overall for higher education programs, including a $137 million increase in investments in historically under-resourced institutions of higher education (Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribal
Colleges, and Minority-Serving Institutions). See below for specific funding levels.
What's Missing
The Democratic proposal to expand federal student aid to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients was not included in the funding bill.
The current deal seeks to level-fund the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA), providing no new funding for the sub-agency at a crucial time for its operations. NCAN is especially interested in FSA’s capacity and vision for implementation of FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) simplification.
What Happens Next
The Senate is expected to pass the deal shortly, sending it to the House for consideration, given that the current extension of FY 2022 funding expires this Friday at midnight. Once the House passes the omnibus, President Biden will need to sign the bill
into law.
Key Education Funding Provisions
Funding to increase the maximum Pell Grant to $7,395, a $500 increase above the FY 2022 enacted level. This is the largest increase in the maximum award in more than a decade.
$1.2 billion for Federal Work-Study, an increase of $20 million above the FY 2022 enacted level.
$910 million for the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant program, an increase of $15 million above the FY 2022 enacted level.
$1.2 billion for Federal TRIO programs, an increase of $54 million above the FY 2022 enacted level.
$388 million for GEAR UP, an increase of $10 million above the FY 2022 enacted level.
$75 million for the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS), an increase of $10 million above the FY 2022 enacted level.
$45 million for Postsecondary Student Success Grants, also known as college retention and completion funding, an increase of $40 million above the FY 2022 enacted level.
$1.3 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), an increase of $162 million above the FY 2022 enacted level. Within this amount, the bill includes $557 million for the AmeriCorps program, an increase of $90 million over
the FY 2022 enacted level.
$18.4 billion for Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies, an increase of $850 million above the FY 2022 enacted level, and $15.5 billion for Special Education, an increase of $934 million above the FY 2022 enacted level.
The bill provides $1.02 billion, an increase of $137 million over the FY 2022 enacted level, to assist Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) including:
$396 million for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, an increase of $33 million above the FY 2022 enacted level.
$228 million for Hispanic Serving Institutions, an increase of $45 million above the FY 2022 enacted level.
$52 million for Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, an increase of $8 million above the FY 2022 enacted level.
Email to a Friend