On March 11, President Donald Trump requested to take $1.9 billion from the Pell Grant Program in a proposed budget amendment to Congress to send NASA’s astronauts to the moon by 2024.
Although giving funds to NASA may help to build new technology, the priorities of the President should focus more on the access to education for low income students.
No immediate impact will happen to students because the money withdrawn is from the Pell Grant program’s surplus.
But digging into the surplus creates a problem.
A surplus creates a safety net if disaster struck the economy. If a dramatic increase in unemployment rates happened, the distribution of the Pell Grant funds will skyrocket as a result. The size of the grants will most likely decrease as money is taken out of the surplus. Over 7 million students will be affected.
The Federal Pell Grant Program 2016-2017 End of Year Report says that more than 7 million students received the Pell Grant during the 2016-2017 school year.
Rescissions like these are meant to withdraw from programs that are insignificant or a waste of money. Lower tuition for families in financial need is a way to thrive for financial success.
The Pell Grant is a valuable way for low-income families to pay for college. In 2018, it granted up to $6,000 in grants to families whose income was under $50,000. The Pell Grant makes college affordable to those in financial need.
This shows the priorities of Trump and his lack of consideration for both education and access to education.
The insignificance seen by President Trump towards the Pell Grant may also be seen in other forms of financial aid.
Actions like this can set a dangerous precedent when future budget amendments are presented to Congress. Continued support of the already underfunded education system in the U.S. needs to be protected.
Thankfully the California College Promise Grant, which grants fees for enrollment and tuition, aided over 11,000 students at Citrus College out of a total of 13,346 in the 2017 fall semester as stated by the Spring 2019 Factbook.
With the Promise Grant being state funded, the money allocated is outside of Trump’s reach.
Azusa carries more Citrus students than any other city. Azusa having a median household income of $57,728, which is stated in the Spring 2019 Factbook, shows the importance of grants and loans to a community.
More than half of the students at Citrus College are aided by grants and loans. The continuation to fund the Pell Grant drives students towards financial success.
Is NASA’s trip to the moon really more important than students’ education and teachers’ jobs?
Undeniably, tuition is a financial weight that can be placed on a scholar for many years. Financial aid increases the drive to stay in, and finish school. All grants serve the same purpose — to make a college education affordable.
