WASHINGTON
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While providing few spending specifics, Duncan pointed to the expansion of the Pell Grant program, which will boost grant awards for HBCU students as well as increase the number of grant recipients attending HBCUs.
“Going forward, we project that HBCU students and their institutions will receive an additional $80 million in Pell Grants and 13,000 more students will become Pell Grant recipients, bringing the number of Pell Grant recipients at HBCUs to almost 200,000 students,” he said.
Speaking broadly about stimulus funds and the 2010 fiscal year budget proposals, Duncan said HBCUs are getting serious attention from federal officials as the U.S. Education Department leads efforts to reinvigorate American higher education with increased investment.
“Our budget and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, enacted earlier this year, provide the largest commitment to higher education funding since the GI Bill sent World War II veterans to college and built the American middle class. HBCUs, in particular, need more money to be successful,” Duncan said. “I fully anticipate that HBCUs will, in fact, receive unprecedented federal support next year.”
