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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | June 9, 2014 11:47 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Dan Moul |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Proposed Legislation: Higher Education Scholarship Law |
| In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation to provide postsecondary education grants to all eligible Pennsylvania students, regardless of financial need, in an effort to improve the Commonwealth’s system of funding higher education. In the 2013-2014 fiscal year, the Commonwealth spent approximately $1.6 billion on higher education, between the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), the 14 community colleges, the state-related universities, and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Most of this funding goes to the general support of the state-owned and state-related universities rather than directly to the students attending Pennsylvania’s colleges and universities. My proposed legislation will amend the Higher Education Scholarship Law to provide a mechanism to redirect this funding, in the form of vouchers, directly to Pennsylvania’s students and redeemable at any accredited institution of higher learning in the Commonwealth – including trade and vocational schools and similar institutions. Current law does not cover trade or vocational schools, which I deem to be every bit as important as our four-year degree programs, and will help meet a growing demand for skilled talent in Pennsylvania’s workforce. Under the Higher Education Scholarship Law, PHEAA presently administers the State Grant Program, which provides need-based grants to eligible students who are Pennsylvania residents. Current law requires students to demonstrate financial need in order to be eligible to receive a grant under the program. The proposed bill will eliminate this requirement that students demonstrate financial need as a condition of eligibility for this source of financial aid. PHEAA will continue to determine eligibility based upon residency, academic promise, and other criteria. The bill will also remove the requirement that grant award amounts be based upon a student’s financial need. Instead, under the bill, awards will be determined annually by PHEAA by dividing the total amount of funds available by the projected number of award recipients to ensure that each recipient receives the same award, provided that the award amount does not exceed the recipient’s cost of postsecondary attendance. Students receiving these awards will then be free to attend an institution of their choice that has been approved by PHEAA and is located in Pennsylvania. My legislation demonstrates that the Commonwealth is committed to providing quality postsecondary education, which is affordable and accessible, to all of its promising students. By redirecting state funding for higher education in the form of educational grants to more students, my legislation will ensure that Commonwealth funding is spent efficiently and that Pennsylvania’s colleges and universities are accountable to the students and taxpayers that they serve. I hope that you will join me by co-sponsoring this legislation. Thank you for your consideration. |