As of Saturday, former Vice President Joe Biden is now the president-elect. His running mate Sen. Kamala Harris is Vice President-elect and the first woman of color to fill that role. President-elect Biden announced that his transition team would immediately
begin planning for his taking office on Jan. 20, 2021. The Biden platform proposes many policies that would benefit the students NCAN and our members serve.
On his first day, President-elect Biden will likely issue a number of executive orders. Key on that
list for NCAN members is to reinstate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that allows individuals brought to the United States without paperwork to legally reside and work in the country. This program began under President Barack
Obama. President Trump attempted to end it, but did so incorrectly, which kept the program open for those already enrolled.
NCAN will continue to follow this issue closely. We hope that the executive order will also update the age range for young people who are eligible because students now graduating high school no longer qualify under the original eligibility window.
On higher education more specifically, President-elect Biden has a comprehensive policy vision to increase postsecondary attainment and make it more affordable. If the U.S. Senate remains under Republican control,
however, achieving this vision may be a significant challenge. The Biden platform includes several policies of interest to NCAN members.
College Affordability and Double Pell
The Biden platform includes a portion of a bill proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), the College for All Act of 2017,
that would allow students from families earning less than $125,000 to attend public colleges and universities tuition-free. This would be a first-dollar program so that students eligible for the Pell Grant could use those funds towards the full cost
of attendance (living expenses, transportation, child care, etc.). The proposal also calls for doubling the Pell Grant. As part of the proposal, the platform calls to allow for the naturally occurring expansion of Pell eligibility that would allow
moderate- and middle- income families to qualify for partial Pell Grants.
President-elect Biden calls for making DREAMers eligible for federal student aid.
NCAN: NCAN supports financial aid access for DREAMers and advocated for the passage of the DREAM Act of 2017, which would protect DREAMers from deportation and provide an opportunity to obtain legal status if they meet certain requirements.
Community College
President-elect Biden proposes creating a program that would provide community college students with two free years of tuition to pursue a degree or high-quality training program. The program would be first-dollar, meaning that students eligible for the
Pell Grant would be able to use those funds towards cost of attendance beyond tuition.
Additionally, he proposes a grant program to states to improve student success as two-year institutions. This funding would include incentives to states to encourage collaboration between community colleges and community-based organizations to provide
wraparound supports as well as a federal emergency grant aid program.
NCAN: NCAN’s proposal on equitable free college emphasizes that these programs should be first dollar.
Student Loans and Repayment
The Biden plan for student loans includes simplifying the income-based repayment program and making it more generous. Individuals earning less than $25,000 year would not owe a loan payment, and those earning more would pay only 5% of their discretionary
income. Balances remaining after 20 years of payments would be forgiven, and the amount forgiven would not be treated as taxable income. Borrowers with existing loans would also be able to enroll in this program.
NCAN: The NCAN policy agenda supports simplifying income-based repayment plan enrollment, which should be accomplished through the FUTURE Act of 2019, passed into law last December. Further, NCAN supports improving loan counseling and establishing student loan debt guidelines.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
The higher education proposal also includes an entirely new approach to public service loan forgiveness (PSLF). The Biden plan would allow for $10,000 of student debt forgiveness, undergraduate or graduate, for each year of public service, for up to five
years. Five years of prior service would also qualify. He also calls for fixing, not eliminating, the current PSLF program based on the What You Can Do For Your Country Act of 2019.
NCAN: NCAN supports a PSLF process that better serves the many student loan borrowers working the college access and success field.
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