As our economy evolves, students of all ages are increasingly turning to higher education to acquire new skills and advance their careers. But looming cuts to financial aid and the safety net would mire pathways to education and economic mobility for too many. As higher education leaders call on Congress to protect programs that support students this week, safety net programs should be at the top of their list.
As part of ongoing budget negotiations, Congress is considering deep cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (known as SNAP), Medicaid, and other programs that students and workers rely on. They are also considering making public food and healthcare benefits contingent on strict work requirements that make it more difficult for people to build skills and earn credentials. Public benefits like SNAP and Medicaid aren’t extra perks— they’re essential infrastructure for workers and students pursuing training to build their careers.
An increasing number of people are seeking credentials of value to transition into new fields, secure a higher-paying job, and build a better life for themselves and their families. Undergraduate certificate program enrollment is up 4.8% this spring compared to last year and is now 20% above 2020 levels.
While students in these programs bring motivation and a clear sense of purpose to their education, they also often have a lot on their plate. Certificate students at community colleges tend to be older, raising children, and working full-time while attending school, frequently in jobs that pay lower wages.
Thanks to programs like SNAP and Medicaid, working students with lower incomes can afford groceries and health care while they pursue training and credentials. Without these programs, however, credential completion rates would likely decline as students are forced to pause or abandon their education. A recent survey of students who temporarily stopped out of school found that one in three students did so because they did not have enough money for living expenses.
That’s why basic needs are educational needs. As skills training advocates who regularly talk with today’s community college students, we know this to be true.
Just over a year ago, National Skills Coalition launched its Student Advisory Council comprised of current or former students who pursued career-focused credentials at community colleges. The Council emphasized that students need reliable support to meet basic needs like food, housing, healthcare, and childcare so they can balance multiple demands on their finances while pursuing their education. As one member of the Council put it – people cannot worry about getting their higher education if their basic needs are not met. Instead, they’re worrying about putting food on their table and paying their rent.
It doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, one of us (Lynne) created a new life trajectory by accessing SNAP food benefits and a related training and education program at a local community college. Oregon’s SNAP Training and Education Program (also known as STEP) supports student who are pursuing an education and/or training for a high-demand, living-wage job, or seeking to complete a GED by helping cover the costs of textbooks, transportation, childcare, and concurrent enrollment in college-level and GED classes, all while providing college and career coaching. Community colleges throughout the country have been establishing similar programs to expand pathways to credentials of value, good jobs, and economic mobility. For lots of students, these types of programs aren’t just about a job. They’re about access, dignity, and opportunity.
The budget bill that Congress is debating threatens many students’ career aspirations and disproportionately harms those with the greatest financial need. Proposed cuts to student aid and the safety net would jeopardize higher education’s role as an engine of economic mobility, even as federal policymakers and the public call on colleges to create more affordable career pathways. As higher education leaders and advocates fight back on behalf of students, let’s be sure to champion the safety net programs that help make college work for working people.
