For workers employed in the public and nonprofit sectors, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program offers the potential for full forgiveness of federal student loans for those with 10 years of full-time work experience. A year-long waiver issued by the Department of Education in 2021 to address administrative problems in program access…

The Biden administration is implementing a new income-driven repayment (IDR) plan for federal student loans called Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE). The SAVE plan adds to existing IDR plans and reduces borrowers' monthly payments and shortens the time certain borrowers must repay before their debts are forgiven compared with current options.…

Service-contingent student loan forgiveness and loan repayment programs enable borrowers to have all or part of their student loan debt forgiven or repaid in exchange for work or service in specific fields or professions. In both loan forgiveness and loan repayment programs, borrowers typically qualify for benefits by working or serving in certain…

Over the past decade the concept of taking a gap year has become mainstream in the US. This idea of delaying enrollment, or taking a break from college, before beginning a bachelor's degree, has gained popularity, especially as the cost of attendance in higher education has soared and the burden of paying for it has been placed on the student as…

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program was established in 2007 and forgives borrowers' remaining federal student loan balances after they have made at least 10 years of qualifying loan payments while working in public service. Starting in September 2017, the first borrowers potentially became eligible for the PSLF program and began…

Starting in September 2017, the first borrowers became eligible and began applying to have their loans forgiven through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to review the PSLF program. This report examines the (1) number of borrowers pursuing PSLF and the extent to which the…

Becoming a teacher takes years of higher education and hard work. The financial and personal costs can be great. The good news is that there are more chances than ever for teachers-in-training and new teachers to reduce their financial burden. There are two main ways students can get financial aid: with loans and with grants. Many students take on…

Within this document are testimony and prepared statements delivered at a congressional subcommittee hearing in a Connecticut high school on a bill that would encourage volunteering by 15- to 26-year-olds by creating a National Youth Service Program. The bill is summarized within the document. The following individuals' presentations about how to…

This hearing was held to obtain testimony on H.R. 3859, a bill to authorize assistance to the Washington Center for Internship and Academic Seminars. The Center operates a partnership program that enables colleges and universities to extend their campuses to Washington, D.C. The Center provides an academic program that combines seminars and course…

The Department of Labor estimated that 300,000 people would lose their jobs because of the termination of the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act's (CETA's) public service employment programs. The General Accounting Office (GAO) reviewed the Department of Labor's efforts to find permanent unsubsidized jobs or new training opportunities for…

Takes a fresh look at the humanities Ph.D. glut and suggests a unique approach that would put Ph.D.s to work while enriching society as a whole: something reminiscent of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). (EV)

This document is a transcript of oral and written testimony given by persons testifying about the Older American Volunteer Programs as reauthorization legislation is being considered. Oral or written testimony was presented by: the director of the voluntary agency, ACTION; the president of the National Association of Foster Grandparents; the…

After five years, the AmeriCorps program, a federal program designed to encourage youth to perform public service by providing substantial scholarships after completion, has been both praised as effective in getting things done and criticized as cost-ineffective. Some feel the money could have been better spent for federal grants or work-study…

This document records the oral and written testimony at three hearings on proposed legislation that would amend the National Community Service Act of 1990 to establish a corporation for national service, enhance opportunities for such service, and provide awards for participants in the program. Witnesses included the following: U.S. senators;…

Public service employment is a cost-effective fiscal remedy in terms of jobs created within the first 12 months. Its effectiveness is enhanced if participants come from welfare or unemployment compensation programs. Other positive attributes are low inflationary impact and ability to be targeted to areas or groups. (SK)