As a Part of Higher Ed Agenda, Cardona Stresses Importance Affordability and Urgency in Pandemic Recovery – NASFAA
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on Monday outlined his agenda for federal education policy, touting investments in community college, reworking federal student loan programs, and ensuring student equity in recovery from the pandemic.
The wide-ranging discussion was held during a seminar hosted by the Education Writers Association (EWA), where Cardona took questions while visiting the Community College of Baltimore County Catonsville Campus in Maryland.
Cardona used the conversation to tout President Joe Biden’s recently unveiled American Families Plan and stress the importance of giving students a variety of pathways for pursuing their higher education goals.
“That’s why the American Families Plan focuses on community college for everyone for two years,” Cardona said. “There are efforts from the president to provide postsecondary education opportunities. I just hope it moves forward because it’s going to be, no pun intended, a shot in the arm for our country.”
On the student loan front, Cardona said the Department of Education (ED) would look into addressing issues with the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and borrower defense implementation, and that correcting barriers to access remains a top priority.