To: Honorable Arne Duncan, Secretary, US Department of Education and President Donald Trump
Education Secretary Arne Duncan: Fix the Parent Plus Loan Crisis
Education Secretary Arne Duncan can fix the current Parent Plus Loan Crisis by going back to the pre-2011 definition of “creditworthiness.” A college education must be affordable for all Americans who want one.
Why is this important?
As a result of the 2011 Department of Education change in the definition of “creditworthiness” for the Parent Plus Loan Program, a program crucial to the affordability of a post-secondary education for many, many Americans, millions of dollars were denied in Parent Plus Loans, thousands of students were forced to drop out of college, and universities grappled with crippling reductions in staff and programs. African American students and historically black colleges and universities have been disproportionately affected.
US Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan can stop the hemorrhaging of students and the erosion of university staff and programs by issuing a “Guidance Document” that will change the current policy interpretation of creditworthiness back to the way it was until the concerns of both the higher education community and the Department of Education are thoughtfully addressed.