Senators Coons, Isakson Introduce Legislation to Increase College Access and Graduation Rates

Press Release

U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) today introduced legislation to incentivize colleges to expand access for low-income students and increase graduation rates for all students.

The Access Success and Persistence In Reshaping Education Act, or ASPIRE Act for short, will spur some of the nation's more selective institutions to improve access for low-income students and will devote resources to help boost completion rates at institutions that serve disproportionately high numbers of low-income students.

Specifically, the ASPIRE Act gives more selective colleges with lower numbers of low-income students four years to boost low-income student enrollment or pay a fee to participate in the federal college loan program. High-access, low-performing colleges would have the option to get up to $8 million over five years to improve student outcomes. These resources -- which are generated through the fees collected from schools that do not improve low-income student enrollment and will not come from new taxpayers dollars -- are to be accompanied with new bare minimum completion standards, applicable to all four-year institutions choosing to participate in federal financial aid programs.

"In today's economy, access to higher education is one of the surest ways to provide students from all backgrounds a ladder to success," said Senator Coons. "That's why the federal government invests significant resources into helping low-income and first-generation college students succeed in college. Yet despite this investment, our higher education system is failing to deliver results for the students who need it most. Our graduation rates are abysmally low and too many resource-rich colleges have failed to expand access to students who come from low-income backgrounds. Our bill will address both of these issues by holding selective colleges accountable on improving low-income student access, and by providing resources to increase graduation rates at colleges struggling to support their high numbers of low-income students. We can and must do more to address resource disparities and ensure colleges help all students access and complete a high-quality education."

"Accessing quality, affordable higher education should be part of the American dream for those who choose to pursue it," said Senator Isakson, a member of the Senate education committee. "We're working to even the playing field to make sure that's a reality for students of all economic backgrounds at every college and university in the country. We're modeling this new initiative after schools such as Georgia State University, which has opened its doors to more students while offering innovative ways to make tuition more affordable and creating a path to success for its students."

Currently, the U.S. government spends roughly $180 billion each year in federal student aid and tax benefits to help low- and middle-income students -- money that flows to universities with little to no strings attached. For example, the federal government doesn't require colleges to meet basic benchmarks, such as making sure they actually graduate students or ensuring that their institutions are really accessible to all qualified students. In addition to basic benchmarks, the federal government does a poor job targeting resources to where they are needed most. Despite the significant federal investment in the higher education system, U.S. college graduation rates are currently among the lowest in the developed world.

The bill also rewards institutions that are already on the right track when it comes to access and completion by making additional competitive funding available for completion efforts, with priority for minority-serving institutions and HBCUs. Finally, it enables high-performing institutions on access and completion to apply for non-financial rewards, such as bonus points in federal competitive grants or a reduced regulatory burden.

The bill is completely self-financing, requiring no new appropriations.
The bottom 5 percent of institutions based on percentages of enrolled first-time, full-time Pell Grant recipients are given at least four years to improve access, or risk paying a penalty. Penalties collected are then used to fund completion efforts.
The bottom 5 percent of institutions based on six-year graduation rates that choose to opt-in to the bill's completion standards would receive significant funding and at least five years to develop and implement plans to improve completion, or risk paying a penalty and eventual loss of Title IV eligibility for new students for three years.
Under the bill, up to $200 million a year would be devoted to graduation efforts.
The bill would not prescribe improvement strategies--institutions must create their own plans.

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