Portman aims to help make college more affordable for low-income students

Low-income high school students would be able to earn college credits funded through the Pell Grant program before graduation to make college more affordable under bipartisan legislation U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) recently introduced.

The Go to High School, Go to College Act would allow eligible high school students to use Pell Grant funds to cover the cost of transferable college credits offered through an early education program at an accredited higher education institution.

“While wages have been largely flat over the past 10 years, the average cost of college tuition and fees at national universities has more than doubled,” Portman said. “A lot of families are feeling squeezed, and for kids from low-income households, college can feel out of reach. Our legislation would let them get a head start on college, make it more affordable for them, and help them get on track to live out their dreams.”

To help ensure accountability, colleges would be reimbursed for tuition costs and fees retroactively based on college credits completed up to the level of an associate’s degree under the bill.

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), a cosponsor of the bill with Portman, noted that students who get a head start on college tend to perform much better than their peers.

Higher college completion rates and reduced time to earn a degree would make the Pell Grant program a better use of taxpayer dollars, lawmakers said.

Leon Botstein, the president of Bard College, said early college cuts out wasted time in high school and offers a challenging curriculum for college credits during high school years.

“The data proves that students from diverse backgrounds are ready to start college at an earlier age; doing so dramatically increases their likelihood of their completing associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. To date, there has been no funding stream to sustain early college even though they create dramatic efficiencies and savings in the provision of higher education. This bill provides a path forward,” Botstein said.