News & Commentary
On Student Loan Debt Relief Decision
The Supreme Court of the United States ruled to block the student loan debt forgiveness program created by the Biden-Harris administration.
This decision comes to us in an especially heightened moment. Students across the nation are overwhelmed by the total cost of attending college amid rising costs of living and speaking honestly about its growing impact on their mental health and wellness, while many workers and job-seekers with student debt are struggling to make payments.
We know that paying for the full cost of attending college — including housing, food, course materials, and connectivity — is the biggest barrier to success for most California students, particularly students of color, first-generation students, and those facing outsized financial barriers. In response to this reality, our work at College Futures Foundation has centered on supporting grantees and working with partners to maximize access to state and federal aid for students who need it most, as well as exploring innovative budgeting and financing practices to improve equitable outcomes for diverse students.
While the weight of this SCOTUS decision will largely impact those learners we strive to serve, we are clear that debt forgiveness alone is not a long-term solution for closing equity and opportunity gaps, nor for financing our system of higher education. The work to reimagine a truly equitable, sustainable, and learner-serving postsecondary education system that enables upward mobility continues.
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