How Congress Can Ensure Public Benefit Programs Support Postsecondary Education

Basic needs resources should be modernized to better support today’s students. Nearly 20 percent of undergraduate students are parents who face higher non-tuition costs than their peers and roughly 23 percent of students experience food insecurity. Changes made in the OBBBA will make it more difficult for people to access critical food assistance and consequently may increase student food insecurity.

Today, 35 percent of all enrolled students are considering stopping out, more than half of whom report they cannot afford to pay their bills. Improving student access to public benefits programs and institutional support can help students cover non-tuition costs and stay in school.

Our fact sheet outlines concrete policy changes Congress can make to invest in basic needs support for low income, rural, and parenting students to ensure they can access and complete college.