The Future of Student Financial Aid

President Obama has committed the nation to the goal of having the world’s highest rate of college graduates by 2020. The funding and delivery of student financial aid will be critical to the chances of reaching that goal. To that end, the president has announced plans for an overhaul of the federal college loan system.

On May 26, the Brown Center on Education Policy at Brookings hosted an event to explore ways of improving the effectiveness of student financial aid. Brown Center Director and Senior Fellow Grover (Russ) Whitehurst moderated the panel discussion. Participants included Deputy Undersecretary of Education Robert Shireman; Michael McPherson of the Spencer Foundation; Sandy Baum from the College Board; Philip Day from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, and Celia Sims, legislative assistant to Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC).