Sacramento – Assemblymember Anthony Portantino (D - La Cañada), who was recently named Chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, urged California’s Democratic Congressional leaders today to make changes in federal student financial aid a top priority in the 110th Congress and to approve much needed reforms within the first “100 hours” of the session.

“With the recent change in congressional leadership, I believe we can increase access to Higher Education for deserving California students,” said Assemblymember Anthony Portantino.  “The California Congressional Delegation is well-positioned in the new Congress to ensure more than 260,000 California students are not left behind.”

Because California Community College fees are scheduled to be reduced from $26 to $20 per unit this spring, students who have previously been awarded the maximum Pell Grant Award will no longer be eligible. 

In a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congressman George Miller, the new Chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, Portantino urged congressional leaders to consider important reforms to financial aid statutes that will ensure student access to higher education. 

Assemblymember Portantino’s letter addressed three financial aid issues:

• The letter cited an immediate change essential to ensure continued eligibility for students who are depending on the Pell Grant Award to continue their education.  Without a change in federal law, more than 260,000 California community college students will be affected in 2007-08 by the reduction of their Pell grant award payments – approximately a $17 million loss to the students enrolled in California Community Colleges.
• Federal law governing federal need analysis of financial aid is not equitable and predictable. The costs of attendance for California students who live in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco are considerably higher than the costs incurred by students who live in rural areas.  Federal policy should be more sensitive to these cost differences in awarding need-based financial aid.
• Pell Grants should be available to students who want to attend college full-time for 12 months rather than the traditional 9 month per year period.  This approach helps students move through college more rapidly by taking advantage of summer school opportunities.

In the letter, Portantino stated “these policy changes will have significant positive impact in helping our low income students enroll in and graduate from our colleges and universities.”