CONGRESSMAN JOE MORELLE REDOUBLES COMMITMENT TO AFFORDABLE HIGHER EDUCATION FOR ALL

(Washington, D.C.)—Today, Congressman Joe Morelle introduced legislation he authored to make higher education more accessible to students with disabilities. The Pell Grant Flexibility Act would provide increased Pell Grant flexibility to ensure students receive critical financial support while taking the recommended number of credits.

“Nearly 1 in 5 undergraduate students lives with a disability—and too many are forced to leave school because of financial roadblocks,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “At a time when the Trump Administration is trying to dismantle our education system—I’m committed to finding bipartisan solutions that give every student the opportunity to thrive.”

Stephan J. Smith, Chief Executive Officer of the Association on Higher Education and Disability, said: "As the leading professional membership association for individuals committed to equity for disabled people in higher education, AHEAD has always been a champion of the Pell Grant program as a tool to help students achieve their educational goals. However, for some students with disabilities, course load requirements and semester limits with the Pell Grant program result in challenges to completing college. AHEAD applauds the reintroduction of the Pell Grant Flexibility Act by Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA). Adding the bill’s commonsense flexibility to the Pell Grant program would allow students with disabilities to attend college at a pace that offers them the greatest chance for success without a reduction, or even loss, of Pell Grant funding. This small change will improve the efficacy of the Pell Grant program and bring life-changing opportunities to disabled college students.”

Pell Grants are the largest pool of financial resources available to college students. To be eligible to receive a full Pell Grant award, a college student must take a full course load; however, many students take fewer credits in order to reasonably accommodate for their disability. And in some cases, students need longer than the traditional four years to complete their required course work for graduation.

Students who take under a full course load or who take longer than four years to complete their required courses currently receive reduced Pell Grant awards in line with their reduced course load. Their actual college expenses, however, are not proportionately reduced. As a result, a staggering 25% of students with disabilities left after one year of college compared to an attrition rate of 14% among students without a disability. Allowing students to reduce their workload to manage their disability, while still being able to secure full financial aid, is an important step to tearing down the systemic barriers preventing them from educational success.

Rep. Morelle’s Pell Grant Flexibility Act will lower the amount of credit hours required for Pell Grants for students with disabilities and allow for adjustments to award calculations and waivers for semester limits for those students, giving them the support necessary to earn their degree at the pace that works for them.

To learn more about the Pell Grant Flexibility Act, read the full text of the bill here.

###