The U.S. Department of Education (ED) last week announced a new experimental pilot program that will expand eligibility for Pell Grants, a form of financial aid that supports low-income students pursuing postsecondary education, to students enrolled in dual enrollment programs that couple students’ regular high school courses with participation in classes at partnering postsecondary institutions. The pilot program, which will invest up to $20 million to support up to 10,000 eligible students in the 2016-17 school year, is intended to expand access to these programs for disadvantaged students so they can begin their pursuit of a postsecondary degree or credential at an earlier age.
In addition, ED today published a notice in the Federal Register inviting eligible partnerships of postsecondary institutions and public secondary schools or local education agencies to apply for inclusion in the initiative as a participating experimental site. The goal of the pilot program is to measure the effect of expanding this sort of need-based financial aid on student participation and success in dual enrollment programs.
According to ED, research indicates that participation in dual enrollment programs leads to increased student performance in their high school studies as well as increased persistence in college and pursuit of credentials. However, conversations about increasing Pell eligibility to students at an earlier age often raise concerns due to statutory limits on the amount of time a student may receive Pell grants (colloquially referred to as the “Pell Clock”).
ACTE will continue to monitor this issue and others affecting our members, and report further information on the Policy Watch Blog!
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