Laila Kirkpatrick, Staff Writer
Lawmakers and education advocates are worried about changes to student aid programs that have been implemented by the U.S. Department of Education. These changes include altering Public Service Loan Forgiveness and income-based repayment plans. These changes could also hurt students, especially those who require support to fund their education. According to the State Council of Higher Education of Virginia, 42% of undergraduate students in the Commonwealth have borrowed money during the 2023-2024 school year. This is a decrease from 43% in the 2012-2013 school year.
During the 2023-2024 school year, Virginia was awarded $1.4 billion in federal funds. Virginia also has an average of $11,000 going to each of the 131,045 students.
