Taking a Moment to Recognize Obama’s Impact on Higher Education

Philadelphia, PA, USA - September 13, 2016: President Barack Obama campaigns for Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at a public rally at the foot of the Art Museum Steps in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Taking office in 2008, President Obama set out to make college more affordable for low-income and working class families and has invested more resources and financial aid to this effort than any president in history. Obama’s administration has nearly doubled the annual funding for the Pell Grant, raising the maximum awarded amount by 25 percent. The American Opportunity Tax Credit was created to extend tuition-related tax relief for middle-class families. Legislation that capped student loan payments at 10 percent of annual income was signed and student loans are now forgivable after 20 years.

As a direct result of these reforms, many more Americans are now able to access and afford a higher education. The increased fiscal investments in financial aid extended Pell Grants to an additional 3 million students per year. The American Opportunity Tax Credit was extended to 4 million more low-income families. Generous student loan repayment options are now offered to over 6 million more students than before. 700,000 more minority students are now able to attend college immediately after high school.

President Obama’s administration has emphasized the importance of transparency regarding graduation and job placement.  Because the administration was particularly tough on for-profit schools, many with low graduation and job placement rates were forced to close. This effort has caused the for-profit institutions that remain open to increase their spending on instructional services by 25 percent.

President Obama announced a new initiative intended to progress workforce development. Together the Department of Labor and the Department of Education awarded $500 million to community colleges for distance learning/on-campus support for students pursuing technical degrees. In his second term, President Obama’s administration introduced a plan to match colleges with for-profit institutions to offer professional credential courses to low-income students.

During the past eight years, President Obama has combined resources and reform to achieve real improvement in our higher education system. Through his unique set of priorities, President Obama has set a precedent for even more positive reform and the increase to quality and accountability will leave a lasting effect for years to come. 

Source: HigherEdJobs