“I think to the extent that we’re investing in students and we’re able to communicate with them earlier about what’s possible and probable and predictable, we can create hope for our disadvantaged students,” she said.
Education officials have only six more months before a new presidential administration could come in with other ideas and priorities. But Tucker said that it’s enough time to galvanize support for the reform.
“At the very least, we’ve gone on the record” about the issue, she said.
Many of the college presidents and higher education organizations attending the summit supported the reform ideas. Eve Hall of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, which provides scholarships and support to public historically Black colleges and universities, said the complexity of the aid forms and application process tends to discourage students and families.
“Given the urgency for education opportunities for economically disadvantaged and underrepresented students, we need to be more supportive and make sure they can get the help they need,” said Hall, the fund’s vice president of school reform.
Dr. William Kirwan, chancellor of the University of Maryland system, said that the new model proposed seems innovative and more transparent. “This is something we need to get some energy behind,” he said.
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