Issue Date: 2/26/07
Increase in Pell Grant may not help Palomar
By Jason Dunn
- Page 1 of 1
The federal government's proposed budget increases the amounts students receive from Pell Grants, but California's community college students may not get any extra money.
The Bush administration has proposed raising the maximum Pell Grant award by almost 14 percent, or $550, next year, the largest increase in more than 30 years. It also calls for a 33 percent raise during the next five years, reaching a maximum of $5,400. The current maximum grant is $4,050.
A large part of calculating how much students get from the Pell Grant is the tuition they have to pay.
Because California's community college students pay relatively low tuition, there is a disparity between what they receive and what students in other states receive, said governing board Trustee Nancy Chadwick.
"Right now, the California students get substantially penalized," she said.
According to information from the Financial Aid Department, about 1,400 Palomar students have Pell Grants and in Fall 2006, 329 students received the maximum amount.
The Pell Grant is the federal government's main financial aid program for low-income students. Aside from financial need, factors such as the cost of the school, status as full- or part-time student and length of time the student is planning to attend the school are taken into consideration when awarding the grant.
Rep. Buck McKeon, R-Calif., has introduced a tuition sensitivity bill that would give students in all states the maximum amount from Pell Grants, Chadwick said. She said Palomar will support the bill.
Chadwick and College President Robert Deegan went to Washington D.C. from Feb. 12 to 14 to attend a legislative summit that Chadwick said was, in part, a reaction to the proposed budget.
Bad weather affected the summit. Chadwick said an ice storm and sleet prevented lobbying efforts from taking place.
"That doesn't mean we won't continue to work on this," she said.
Pell Grants haven't increased since before 2002. In the 2006-07 academic year, the grant covered 33 percent of the average cost of tuition, room and board and fees at a four-year public school. Twenty years ago, the award was enough to cover 60 percent of the cost of schooling.
"It looks like there's a favorable climate now to get that Pell Grant increased," Chadwick said. She added that before the installment of the newly elected Democrat-led Congress, the climate was unfavorable.
The Bush administration has proposed raising the maximum Pell Grant award by almost 14 percent, or $550, next year, the largest increase in more than 30 years. It also calls for a 33 percent raise during the next five years, reaching a maximum of $5,400. The current maximum grant is $4,050.
A large part of calculating how much students get from the Pell Grant is the tuition they have to pay.
Because California's community college students pay relatively low tuition, there is a disparity between what they receive and what students in other states receive, said governing board Trustee Nancy Chadwick.
"Right now, the California students get substantially penalized," she said.
According to information from the Financial Aid Department, about 1,400 Palomar students have Pell Grants and in Fall 2006, 329 students received the maximum amount.
The Pell Grant is the federal government's main financial aid program for low-income students. Aside from financial need, factors such as the cost of the school, status as full- or part-time student and length of time the student is planning to attend the school are taken into consideration when awarding the grant.
Rep. Buck McKeon, R-Calif., has introduced a tuition sensitivity bill that would give students in all states the maximum amount from Pell Grants, Chadwick said. She said Palomar will support the bill.
Chadwick and College President Robert Deegan went to Washington D.C. from Feb. 12 to 14 to attend a legislative summit that Chadwick said was, in part, a reaction to the proposed budget.
Bad weather affected the summit. Chadwick said an ice storm and sleet prevented lobbying efforts from taking place.
"That doesn't mean we won't continue to work on this," she said.
Pell Grants haven't increased since before 2002. In the 2006-07 academic year, the grant covered 33 percent of the average cost of tuition, room and board and fees at a four-year public school. Twenty years ago, the award was enough to cover 60 percent of the cost of schooling.
"It looks like there's a favorable climate now to get that Pell Grant increased," Chadwick said. She added that before the installment of the newly elected Democrat-led Congress, the climate was unfavorable.
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