WASHINGTON — Higher Learning Advocates congratulates Dr. Miguel Cardona on his confirmation as Secretary of Education. Executive Director Julie Peller made the following statement regarding his confirmation: “Higher Learning Advocates congratulates Secretary Cardona and looks forward to working with the Secretary and Department of Education ove...

WASHINGTON — Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released approved rules related to the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program, which Congress created in December 2020. The EBB provides a $50 per month benefit for eligible households, including students receiving Pell Grants, to pay for broadband services. Today, Executive Direc...

WASHINGTON — Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) held an Open Commission Meeting to discuss the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program, which Congress created in December 2020. The EBB provides a $50 per month benefit for students receiving Pell Grants to pay for broadband services. Today, Executive Director Julie Peller made th...

WASHINGTON — Higher Learning Advocates applauds President-elect Biden’s American Rescue Plan and its focus on the needs of today’s students. Julie Peller, executive director of Higher Learning Advocates, made the following statement: “Higher Learning Advocates is glad to see that President-elect Biden’s proposed relief package includes me...

“Julie Peller, executive director of Higher Learning Advocates, a bipartisan group that advocates for policies to improve student success, said that reconciliation is a possibility for some policy and spending changes, but the rules around that legislation also have strict limits. No new programs can be created, so that would probably rule ou...

WASHINGTON — Higher Learning Advocates congratulates Miguel Cardona, President-elect Biden’s nominee for Secretary of Education in the incoming administration. Executive Director Julie Peller made the following statement regarding the announcement of his nomination: “Higher Learning Advocates looks forward to working with Miguel Cardona on be...

WASHINGTON — Today, Congress introduced an omnibus funding package combined with additional coronavirus relief. The following statement can be attributed to Julie Peller, executive director of Higher Learning Advocates. “We thank Congressional leaders for recognizing the importance of assisting students who are having difficulty accessing affor...

Dear Friend, 2020 has been quite a year. Today’s students were faced with challenges like never before when campus closed due to the pandemic in March, and for many, things haven’t gotten easier. Here at Higher Learning Advocates, we quickly shifted focus to help ensure students’ immediate needs were met during this crisis, while still&hellip...

2020 has been quite a year. Today’s students were faced with challenges like never before when campus closed due to the pandemic in March, and for many, things haven’t gotten easier. At Higher Learning Advocates, we quickly shifted focus to help ensure students’ immediate needs were met during this crisis, while still keeping long-term chang...

A recent study focused on three Minnesota community colleges by Higher Learning Advocates found that 29 percent of students in 2019 did not maintain SAP requirements. Similarly, approximately 40 percent of first-year Pell Grant recipients are at risk of losing aid due to their inability to meet SAP criteria’s course credit component. Read the ...

Social distancing guidelines highlight a new role for outdoor connectivity on higher education campuses. “Students without internet or with poor connections may be unable to complete assignments or join synchronous discussions,” says Emily Bouck West, deputy executive director at the nonprofit Higher Learning Advocates. Enhanced Wi-Fi accessibi...

Higher Learning Advocates and 128 members and partners have asked Congressional leadership to include the bipartisan, bicameral College Transparency Act (S.800/H.R. 1766) in any year-end agreement, including appropriations legislation. Read the full piece here.