WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and all members of the Iowa delegation – including Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Reps. Cindy Axne (IA-03), Randy Feenstra (IA-04), Ashley Hinson (IA-01) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02) – sent a letter to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, urging his department to address shortcomings in a funding review process that left a critical college readiness program underfunded.
The Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Iowa program is responsible for helping thousands of low-income students across Iowa prepare for future success in their studies. However, as the members state in their letter, seemingly random and indiscriminate funding decisions made by the Department of Education have left GEAR UP Iowa – and the students it is designed to help – high and dry.
“Unfortunately, this year’s round of funding showed a number of problems with the application process and left GEAR UP Iowa high and dry. It is imperative that we do not waste tax dollars with an ineffective application review process, and that funding actually goes to the most deserving programs,” the members wrote.
Schools that utilize the GEAR UP Iowa program have seen ACT completion rates shoot up from below average to almost 20% above average. Additionally, FAFSA completion rates have increased in the schools that take advantage of this program, and the post-secondary enrollment gap was nearly cut in half.
“And yet, despite these proven results, federal funding has been cut off,” the members continued. “Specifically, many of our concerns with the most recent funding cycle stem from the issues it has revealed with the review system itself. We have heard reports that 52 out of the 100 + partnership applicants received a perfect score from reviewers. However, the resulting reduction in state awards to account for these review results still left nearly half of those applications unfunded. This defeats the entire purpose of such a score.”
The Department of Education has failed to provide a reasonable justification for these review “standards,” resulting in Iowa students being left behind without explanation. Therefore, members of the Iowa delegation are demanding answers from the Department of Education to several questions, including:
Is the Department of Education considering any changes to the review process, such as increased training for reviewers or definitive guidelines?
Even after decisions have been made, we have received reports that things do not appear to be any clearer. How are appeals to GEAR UP funding decisions handled?
How should the GEAR UP appeals process work under current Department of Education guidelines? Specifically, are applicants required to be notified of how the appeals process works before – rather than after – an application is denied?
Dr. Mark Wiederspan, Executive Director of Iowa College Aid, thanked the Iowa delegation for bringing attention to this issue.
“We're grateful for the advocacy of Iowa's congressional delegation on behalf of the thousands of Iowans directly impacted by the Department of Education's decision to deny funding to GEAR UP Iowa. GEAR UP Iowa has a proven record of increasing postsecondary attainment for Iowa's most at-need students at a time when postsecondary enrollment is decreasing nationally. We hope that Iowa's concerns are taken seriously by the Department of Education to ensure fair competition for these critical funds that provide invaluable service and support to GEAR UP Iowa students,” Dr. Wiederspan said.
Read the full letter by clicking HERE.
-30-
