During Week of Anniversary of American Rescue Plan, Biden-Harris Administration Highlights Investments in Community Colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Other Critical Institutions
Today, the Department of Education announced state-by-state breakdown of funding for colleges and universities provided in the President’s American Rescue Plan – one of the largest one-time infusions of funding ever provided to the nation’s colleges and universities. These funds were provided through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) over the past year.
The American Rescue Plan provided:
- More than $10 billion to over 1,000 community colleges
- More than $2.7 billion to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
- More than $190 million to Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
- Approximately $11 billion to Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs)
- Approximately $5 billion to Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions (AANAPISIs)
- Almost $1 billion to Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs)
The Department of Education expects at least half of these funds will be used to provide direct financial relief to students. In addition to funding provided under previous coronavirus relief legislation, these funds are already being used by colleges and universities across the country to serve students and ensure learning continues during the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds are already having a significant impact on institutions and students:
- A recent survey of college presidents by the American Council on Education found HEERF enabled:
- 93% of colleges to provide direct financial support to students at risk of dropping out
- 81% of colleges to keep student net prices similar to pre-pandemic levels
- 70% of colleges to continue to employ faculty, staff, and other employees otherwise at risk of unemployment
- 63% of colleges to keep students and faculty safe by purchasing COVID-19 tests, health screenings, and health care
- Thousands of colleges and universities all across the country are using HEERF to keep students enrolled and on track to graduate, as well as make college more affordable, by providing emergency grants, discharging outstanding student debt or unpaid balances, and eliminating transcript withholding practices.
Factsheet by State/Territory:
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