State ed. officials visit New Bedford High to talk free and more affordable college
NEW BEDFORD – State education officials stopped by New Bedford High School Monday to spread the word about free and affordable college in Massachusetts and 'historic' financial aid opportunities.
It's part of a month-long itinerary of visits to high schools, dubbed the 'Higher Education Financial Aid Road Show.'
But the presentation by Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler and Higher Education Commissioner Noe Ortega to a roomful of mostly juniors and some seniors seemed a bit like an economics class.
Zero, the total money in tuition and fees needed to attend a Massachusetts community college.
$400 million, the amount of financial aid available in Massachusetts, up from $179 million over the last two years.
$1 million, the higher earning potential over a lifetime for a person with a bachelor's degree vs. someone without one.
$2,400, the total available in funds for other needs like books to community college students that includes $1,200 if they qualify for a Pell Grant.
Tutwiler noted that attendance at the state's nine state universities – including Bridgewater State University – and the four UMass schools – including UMass Dartmouth – can also be tuition-and-fee free for eligible students.
Ortega said if the students have Pell Grant eligibility, they can go tuition-and-fee free and qualify for a $1,200 stipend. If they don't qualify, but parents make less than $100,000 per year, the student could get half off tuition and fees and could also qualify for other financial aid programs.
One number they provided Monday was problematic, though: 51%.
That's the number of Massachusetts high school graduates who filled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid last year. It needs to be completed for a student to tap into the financial aid available.
And there was a number that went with that: over 90%.
That's the percentage of students who completed their FAFSAs who then went onto college.
Ortega handed out one homework assignment to the students at the end of the hour-long program: 'Tell one other person about what you heard today.'
Students can learn more about state financial aid by visiting Mass.gov/StudentAid.
Following the presentation, Tutwiler and Ortega said there were concerns with what's happening at the federal level with education while talking with reporters.
Tutwiler said, 'Generally speaking, yes. We remain deeply concerned about all the uncertainty that's been sown with recent decisions, messages, dear colleague letters, executive orders, and so we're absolutely concerned. And we can't quite tell what the future holds. We know in Massachusetts we're doing incredible work to ensure pathways to higher education and we are concerned about the impact if the federal government decides to make a decision that's anti.'
Asked if President Trump's promise to dismantle the federal Dept. of Education could affect financial aid in Massachusetts, Tutwiler said, 'Absolutely. Massachusetts receives about $2 billion from the federal government to support a lot of different education initiatives, many of which are designed to support some of our most vulnerable populations. If the federal Dept. of Education is dismantled, we worry deeply about that, and we also worry – really about the top line for the federal Dept. of Education – which is protecting the rights of our most vulnerable populations, students with disabilities, multi-lingual learners.'
Ortega added what gave them confidence was 'we continue to remain committed to equity and access and affordability and that commitment is shared by a number of folks. That gives us great confidence of renewed investment, at least at the state level, as we wait to hear more from the federal level.'
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: State education officials laud financial aid, but wary of Trump plans
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