Another candidate eyeing the Democratic presidential nomination has joined two of his contenders, Pete Buttigieg and Julián Castro, in unveiling a higher education reform plan.
Joe Biden, who served as vice president under the Obama administration, released his education plan on Tuesday for “Educators, Students, and our Future.”
The plan promises to fix and simplify the existing Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program to help teachers and educators to pay off their student debts.
It also calls for forging partnerships between high schools, community colleges, and employers, allowing students to earn industry credentials upon high school graduation to prepare them for high-paying careers.
Another hallmark of the proposal promotes investing in and allowing Pell grants to be used for dual enrollment programs, permitting high school students to take classes at community colleges and to earn college credits or credentials before they graduate from high school.
Biden’s plan also includes working with historically black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions to recruit and prepare more teachers of color.
Finally, the plan promises to reinstate an Obama-era guidance on pursuing desegregation strategies and recognized institutions of higher education’s interests in creating diverse student bodies.
Earlier this month, Buttigieg and Castro, two candidates who are also seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, released their respective campaign platforms.
Buttigieg proposed creating a federal partnership that will make public tuition affordable for all and completely free for those with lower household incomes. He also called for increasing Pell Grants which help students with basic living expenses and keep up with inflation.
Castro proposed eliminating tuition at public colleges, universities, community colleges, and technical and vocational schools, as well as investing $3 billion per year to provide financial support for low-income students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions