Bridging State and Federal Aid Policies to Make College More Affordable

TG, a Texas-based nonprofit corporation, in collaboration with Congressman Joaquin Castro and the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), invite you to a policy briefing to discuss how federal and state policy alignment (or lack of alignment) can affect college affordability. This briefing is presented in preparation for Congressional discussions to inform the next Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965.  

States are becoming increasingly dependent on federal student aid to help their students finance a college education. This is particularly true in Texas, where 85% of all direct aid awarded annually to students in the Lone Star State comes from the federal government, 60% of which is student loans; this is contrasted respectively with 73% and 50% nationally. In Federal Direct Loans alone, Texans borrowed more than $5 billion in academic year 2013-2014. Also, Texas has the second highest number of Pell Grant recipients, with Pell funding in Texas totaling $2.2 billion. 

Panel of Experts:

Sarah Pingel, Education Commission of the States (ECS)

Jeff Webster, Assistant Vice President, Research and Analytical Services, TG

Justin Draeger, President, National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

Moderated by: Mamie Voight, Director of Policy Research, IHEP

Experts will present data depicting the state of financial aid policies in Texas and nationally. Key findings from the reports State of Student Aid and Higher Education in Texas and Redesigning State Financial Aid: Principles to guide state aid policymaking will be presented.

Following their brief presentations, panel experts will respond to the data and findings, provide additional insights, and engage in a robust conversation on how federal and state policies can be aligned.

RSVP: Seating is limited for this event, so please register soon by sending an email message to erica.cuevas@tgslc.org