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Assemblymember Anthony Portantino Calls on House
Leadership to Increase,
Equalize and Expand Financial Aid for California Students
With new Congress, opportunities exist to protect and expand California
Pell Grant recipients
Sacramento – Assemblymember Anthony Portantino (D
- La Cañada), who was recently named Chair of the Assembly Higher
Education Committee, urged California’s Democratic Congressional
leaders today to make changes in federal student financial aid a top
priority in the 110th Congress and to approve much needed reforms within
the first “100 hours” of the session.
“With the recent change in congressional leadership,
I believe we can increase access to Higher Education for deserving California
students,” said Assemblymember Anthony Portantino. “The
California Congressional Delegation is well-positioned in the new Congress
to ensure more than 260,000 California students are not left behind.”
Because California Community College fees are scheduled
to be reduced from $26 to $20 per unit this spring, students who have
previously been awarded the maximum Pell Grant Award will no longer
be eligible.
In a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congressman George
Miller, the new Chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee,
Portantino urged congressional leaders to consider important reforms
to financial aid statutes that will ensure student access to higher
education.
Assemblymember Portantino’s letter addressed three
financial aid issues:
• The letter cited an immediate change essential
to ensure continued eligibility for students who are depending on the
Pell Grant Award to continue their education. Without a change in federal
law, more than 260,000 California community college students will be
affected in 2007-08 by the reduction of their Pell grant award payments
– approximately a $17 million loss to the students enrolled in
California Community Colleges.
• Federal law governing federal need analysis of financial aid
is not equitable and predictable. The costs of attendance for California
students who live in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco are considerably
higher than the costs incurred by students who live in rural areas.
Federal policy should be more sensitive to these cost differences in
awarding need-based financial aid.
• Pell Grants should be available to students who want to attend
college full-time for 12 months rather than the traditional 9 month
per year period. This approach helps students move through college more
rapidly by taking advantage of summer school opportunities.
In the letter, Portantino stated “these policy changes
will have significant positive impact in helping our low income students
enroll in and graduate from our colleges and universities.”
Assemblymember Anthony Portantino was elected to serve
the 44th Assembly District in November of 2006. The district encompasses
Altadena, Duarte, La Canada Flintridge, Pasadena, South Pasadena and
Temple City. It also includes portions of Arcadia, Monrovia, Mayflower
Village and the Northeast Los Angeles neighborhoods of Glassell Park,
Hermon, Highland Park, Mount Washington and Eagle Rock.
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