Another candidate eyeing the Democratic presidential nomination has revealed his vision of a higher education reform plan.
Joe Biden, who served as vice president under the Obama administration, released his education plan on Tuesday calling for revamping overall post-secondary structure in the country to ensure graduates irrespective of their background joins or maintains “their place in the middle class.”
The plan proposes to make an investment in community colleges and training to increase student success. It includes creating a new grant program, investing in community college facilities and technology and addressing barriers that prevent students from completing their degrees.
Biden has promised to make a $50 billion investment in workforce training, including community-college business partnerships and apprenticeships.
.@JoeBiden released his higher ed plan. It’s awesome:
-Cut undergrad loans by half; loan forgiveness for public service
-debt-free community college (including for DREAMers)
-Double Pell grants (DREAMers too!)
-$10B to HBCUs & MSIs
Plus much morehttps://t.co/D8MxWcV3Vz— Cristóbal Alex (@CristobalJAlex) October 8, 2019
It also calls on doubling the maximum value of Pell grants to extend maximum financial support to low-income and middle-class individuals. To help students at under-resourced four-year schools complete their degrees, the plan would create a “Title I for postsecondary education.”
The plan promised relief for student loan borrowers by waiving off undergraduate federal student loans of individuals who make $25,000 or less per year.
A new Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program will offer $10,000 of undergraduate or graduate student debt relief for every year of national or community service, up to five years.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges And Universities (TCUs), Minority-serving Institutions (MSIs) will see increased support, if Biden is elected as the president. His plan promises to invest $10 billion to create at least 200 new centers of excellence, $20 billion in infrastructure another $10 billion in programs that increase enrollment, retention, completion, and employment rates.
Many democratic presidential candidates have earlier released their vision documents presenting the blueprint of improving the higher education system in the country.
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