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Pell Grants: Valuable program for students
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Higher education is the key to our nation’s future, and I believe the opportunity to obtain a higher education should be available to all Idahoans, not just students who come from affluent families. Pell Grants represent one federal program that can help make higher education a reality for many students who otherwise would be unable to afford college.
In the United States Congress, I will fight to ensure that Pell Grants are expanded, and that tax credits for education are provided, so no one will be turned away from a higher education simply because it is not affordable.
Unfortunately, this Congress capped the maximum Pell Grant award at $4,000, despite the steep increases in college tuitions and the recent squeezes on state budgets. While many in Congress pushed to increase the maximum Pell Grant award by at least $500 to $4,500 per student annually, they were rebuffed by other lawmakers. At a time when students attending colleges and universities in Idaho are experiencing fee increases, I will fight to increase – not decrease – support for our students attending universities and colleges.
At Boise State University alone, nearly 4,800 students – almost one-third of the student body – rely on the federal grant program to help finance their studies. Students who come from lower income families deserve the same opportunity to succeed as those who come from more affluent backgrounds. It would be wrong to pull the rug out from under them by freezing the Pell Grant program.
We know that 90 percent of students who receive Pell Grants also graduate with student loan debt. I have been increasingly alarmed by the amount of debt recent graduates have to confront just as they begin their careers. We need to do everything possible to make sure students at BSU and elsewhere are able to attain a college education and not be overburdened with debt far into the future.
Other alternatives should also be explored. One such alternative is the “College Opportunity Tax Credit.” This initiative would help families by allowing them to deduct up to $10,000 in college tuition and fees from federal income taxes.
As a member of Congress, I will fight to ensure that all Idahoans have the opportunity to build a brighter future by seeking a higher education. We cannot allow the American dream to become elusive. Everyone should have the opportunity to succeed. We must find ways to make college affordable to all.
Betty Richardson is a former U.S. Attorney for Idaho running to represent Idaho’s first congressional district. She is a graduate of the University of Idaho, and attended Boise State University for a semester while working at the Idaho State Legislature.
Richardson taught American government and family law at BSU. Her husband, Peter Richardson, is a member of the BSU Alumni Association board and vice president of the BSU Foundation board.
Betty Richardson
