The governor was joined at Bowie State yesterday by U.S. Sens. Barbara A. Mikulski and Benjamin L. Cardin. The senators, both Democrats, highlighted portions of the stimulus and federal budget for fiscal year 2010 that help families pay for education. The maximum Pell Grant, which goes to low-income students, was increased about $500, to $5,350. About 60,000 Maryland students receive Pell Grants.
The college tuition tax credit was increased to $2,500 per student from $1,800, and the income cutoff was increased to $180,000 for families. Federal work-study funding is also increasing. And the federal government will award $6 billion a year in Perkins loans, up from the current $1 billion.
"This president is making education his highest priority," Cardin told students at Bowie State yesterday. "We want to make it easier for you to go to college and make loans more affordable."
