UA Educator Presents Study to U.S. Department of Education

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Dr. Stephen Katsinas, director of the Education Policy Center at The University of Alabama, recently spoke at the U.S. Department of Education’s Rural Community College Alliance meeting in Washington, D.C. hosted by Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi.

Katsinas presented the Education Policy Center’s three-state study on the impact of the new Pell Grant eligibility restrictions on community colleges. It was written in partnership with scholars from Mississippi State and Iowa State Universities. The study focused on colleges in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi, and the study was one of the first conducted on the issue nationally.

The new Pell Grant eligibility restrictions were passed by Congress in June 2012 and were effective in the fall semester of 2012. The restrictions caused a decrease in enrollment in 47 of 62 community colleges in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi—a decrease of 76 percent, the research showed. More than 5,000 students lost their Pell eligibility in Fall 2012, and nearly 17,000 students will lose it in one or two semesters, research indicates.

“Pell Grants are critical to the future of the Deep South’s economy,” Katsinas said.

According to the Education Policy Center’s report, additional proposals to reevaluate the Pell Grant program and implement further restrictions would significantly lower student’s access to education not only in the three states that were studied but in other states as well.

This would, in turn, hinder students’ ability to gain the necessary educational skills and job training for their future career goals, according to the report. Lower enrollment also means less tuition revenue for these community colleges, limiting their ability to retain workers. The results of the Education Policy Center’s study indicated that 88% of community college financial aid officers prefer a lower maximum Pell Grant with fewer restrictions.

Sen. Cochran, regarding his support for the program, said, “I will continue to support Pell Grants as an effective means of promoting access to post-secondary education for low-income students. It is our challenge to make sure that it and other programs receive fair and thoughtful consideration as Congress and the president work through difficult budget decisions.”