Congress is currently debating budget and tax legislation that will have significant, negative impacts on the future of higher education. Versions of the budget bill unique to the House of Representatives and Senate include proposals that will reduce student aid availability, particularly at the graduate level. 

Both versions of the bill call for eliminating Grad PLUS loans for social work graduate students. Grad PLUS loans are unsubsidized federal student loans that provide students with the flexibility needed to borrow enough money to cover the full cost of attendance at their school, giving them access to a broader range of program options. These loans have fixed interest rates and borrower protections, benefits often missing from other loan programs. And Grad PLUS loans can be eligible for programs like Public Service Loan Forgiveness, which incentivizes students to give back to their communities. 

The Senate bill also includes “accountability frameworks” that could limit federal student loan availability for programs based solely on graduates’ earnings. This means that students may not be able to achieve the career they choose simply because Congress thinks it’s not lucrative enough. 

If this legislation passes, many students will lose their freedom to choose the future they desire, and fewer students will be able to pursue social work as a career at a time when we desperately need more social workers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that more than 67,000 new social work jobs will be added yearly through 2033. The last thing our country needs is new barriers to social work education. 

We, the undersigned, call upon both houses of Congress to eliminate provisions in the budget that will make college less affordable for millions of low-income students and make it harder for Americans to choose the education and career opportunities they want. Grad PLUS loans should be restored. Accountability frameworks should be structured to account for issues that impact social work programs, such as requirements around state licensure and public sector earnings potential. And we urge the members of our respective organizations to make their voices heard and deliver this message personally to their congressional representatives. You can also use action networks from the National Association of Social Workers and the American Council on Education. 

Signatories:
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare (AASWSW)
The Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors (BPD)
The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
The Board of Directors of the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work (GADE)
The National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW)