{"id":48029,"date":"2021-06-16T04:00:19","date_gmt":"2021-06-16T11:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"\/us\/en\/blog\/?p=48029"},"modified":"2021-07-11T23:21:02","modified_gmt":"2021-07-12T06:21:02","slug":"american-rescue-plan-of-2021-for-education-what-it-means-for-higher-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/us\/en\/blog\/american-rescue-plan-of-2021-for-education-what-it-means-for-higher-education\/","title":{"rendered":"American Rescue Plan of 2021 for education: What it means for higher education"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the wake of the global health crisis of 2020, the American government has approved several stimulus packages. The stimulus package of March 2021, dubbed \u201cThe American Rescue Plan of 2021,\u201d will pump billions of dollars into the American economy. A significant portion of that money will go into the country\u2019s education system, with funds earmarked for institutions of higher education.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read on to learn what the American Rescue Plan holds in store for universities and colleges, and how they can use those funds to improve higher education in the US.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\"The\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
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\nThe American Rescue Plan Act of 2021: A guide for higher education<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tView now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

The state of higher education in the US<\/b><\/h3>\n

As a result of the devastating economic impact of the public health crisis of 2020, 22 states have cut a combined\u00a0<\/span>$1.9 billion<\/span><\/a> for higher education for the fiscal year ending in June 2021. To mitigate those funding losses, public colleges and universities have laid off over 300,000 workers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Due to lockdowns and other health restrictions, institutions of higher education have lost revenue from athletics programs, parking, and housing. The costs of testing and protective measures to prevent the spread of illness have also taken their toll.<\/span><\/p>\n

Students feel the financial strain, too. Many of them lost jobs, or their family members lost jobs, leaving them unable to pay tuition. Undergraduate enrollment overall has dropped 4%, with community colleges seeing the largest decrease at 10%.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The American Rescue Plan and higher education<\/b><\/h3>\n

In March 2021, President Biden signed the\u00a0<\/span>$1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan of 2021<\/span><\/a> stimulus package. Out of that money,\u00a0 nearly $40 billion was earmarked for higher education. That money will go to private and public institutions.<\/span><\/p>\n

The $40 billion will go into the\u00a0<\/span>Higher Education Relief Fund<\/span><\/a> (HEERF), which was established in March 2020 under the CARES Act.<\/span><\/p>\n

Under HEERF, there are<\/span> several programs for colleges and universities<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n