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There’s been a lot of talk recently about budget reconciliation as a tool to pass higher ed legislation. But from my experience working in Congress, there’s a price to pay for easier & faster votes. So which #HigherEd policies will be possible? Here are my predictions: (1/7)
Debt forgiveness: Likely! This could be done with few legislative words, will have entitlement (or mandatory) implications on the budget, & will meet reconciliation’s budget rules. Plus, it’s a hot topic in #HigherEd & a promise from the campaign trail. (2/7)
Free college: Unclear. Though there’s high-level support from the Democratic majority, this may be trickier for policy wonks & Congress to figure out via reconciliation. To make it work, Congress would need to invest in an existing program rather than create a new one. (3/7)
Accountability: Maybe? As long as new or revised measures would change spending (most likely by an assumed number of institutions no longer participating in federal student aid), these provisions could make the cut. (4/7)
Changes to federal student loans and Pell Grants: Sure! Though significant reforms were made at the end of last year, there are still critical policy reforms that could come up, like streamlining student loan repayment programs & modifying some components of Pell. (5/7)
Other HEA programs: Not so much. It’s unlikely that reconciliation will include elements of a full HEA reauthorization—programs & rules with no direct impact on federal spending will likely have to wait for another day. (6/7)
While much is still unclear, higher ed watchers will need to pay close attention to reconciliation. Read more on my predictions & info about reconciliation here: http://bit.ly/39qeaW8 (7/7)
