Pell Grant Program Analysis

My second reasoning for changing the funding and time a person can use it is to make it more beneficial to those who have it. Obviously, the program isn’t for everyone and was meant for only the ones that needed the extra incentive and help for college. By limiting the amount of people using it to lower incomes and increasing the amount given has been shown to not only increase graduation rate but enrollment rates as well. Along with this putting a cap on it after four years is better in many ways. First this allows it to be able to more of an incentive to graduate on time for any given program. Also this allows for more money to be available to more of the students with the grant. However some research has shown this might decrease the amount

In an analysis of 1999-2000 bachelor’s recipients a study showed that many Pell Grant recipients had one of several undergraduate risk characteristics than non-recipients. These risk factors being certain characteristics that led to not completing a bachelor’s degree (Figure 1-1). The data shows that with the Pell Grant and it’s limitations, students, especially lower class students can’t get the full potential of the program and fail even with help from it. In fact it showed that 40% of lower class students don’t even get selected for the grant. Another analysis also shows that the there is the grant is given to those that my not be benefiting from it the way the government wanted it too. In Figure 1.2 it shows the average number of grant recipients who graduate compared to non-recipients. Looking at this figure we see that it is also split among demographic areas. Looking at this we see that although many minorities do succeed better with the Pell Grant, they still fall short compared to the majority white, early 20s with an English speaking background. The issues that cause this are that while the grant does give some money the analysis shows it is not enough. 40% of those with the grant are not fully employed but tend to have large amount of debt already as well as other factors like cost of living and necessities. Most also have usually one or two family members under their

Yet even the best of policies have its flaws and issues. When talking about the Federal Pell Grant, the history and reason for it were filled with good intentions but through political changes and constant reforms, the grant is know limited and restrictive to a multitude of different people. The recent studies above have shown that the grant has not only eliminated almost all registered criminal offenders, but has been seen to actually limit the number of minorities in certain colleges as well as lower and middle class citizens. On top of this we see the funding for the grant be reduce time and time again, even lower than in 2014, which had a maximum amount of $5,645. Also, in most recent times the Senate has still not been able to pass any further legislation on the bill or it’s budget. This is significantly troubling, since most state funding being unable to handle the expenses they have today. With this in mind we must reform the Pell grant to not only receive the proper funding it deserves but to decrease its limitations and access to many schools. With this plan the program would become all encompassing and provide stability or every one at most for 4 years. With this the 1.7 million students who are ineligible will now be able to be college students and receive the education they deserve. As Charles Wade Barkley once said “people cannot rely on the government to