Education Secretary Pitches College Tuition Opportunities

 HARWICH – There is an historic level of financial aid available in Massachusetts to help every student seek a higher education, Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler told members of the Junior Class at Monomoy Regional High School on Monday.
 The high school was one of eight stops planned throughout the state on Tutwiler’s Higher Education Aid Road Show set up to expand student awareness of federal and state funding available for post-secondary educational opportunities. Monday’s Monomoy High event was the only one scheduled on the Cape.
“My highest role here is creating the conditions for people to realize their dream,” Tutwiler told students. “My responsibility is to make sure every student is prepared for the next step.”  
 Finances can be a major deterrent for students seeking to attend college, but the message from Tutwiler and Deputy Commissioner of Education Michael Dannenberg was that funding is available and state officials are working to make it easier to access.
 Tutwiler said his department has been working on simplifying access to state and federal student aid. He encouraged students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and apply for the nearly $400 million available in state financial aid. 
 Over the past two years, the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the state legislature have more than doubled state financial aid, said Tutwiler, launching one of the most comprehensive free community college programs in the country and making public universities tuition– and fee-free for Pell Grant-eligible students. 
 The state funding includes $80 million for MASSGRANT Plus, for eligible community college students; $118 million for free community college; and $28.67 million for Student Success funding for students at community colleges and universities.
 When asked about the prognosis for continued federal education funding, Tutwiler said he probably is not the right person to answer that question, adding that he has listened to Linda McMahon’s confirmation testimony for federal secretary of education and she supports Pell Grants.  
 “We’ll see what happens,” Tutwiler said.
 Tutwiler’s road trip is about increasing awareness of the availability of grant programs. Only 51 percent of Massachusetts high school graduates access funding through the FAFSA; the national average is even less at 46 percent, he said. Many more students should be accessing the money, he added.
 Dannenberg said each of the state’s nine public universities are free for families earning less than $85,000. Tutwiler said 25 percent of Monomoy Regional High School graduates last year went on to community colleges. 
Monomoy Regional High School guidance counselor Sean Burke said his daughter attends Cape Cod Community College. One of the problems there is that classes are filling up so fast that it can be difficult to get into courses. 
“It’s a good problem,” Tutwiler said. “We’re celebrating 10,000 new students because financial barriers aren’t there.”    
 He added, “Higher education is about opportunity and socio-economic upward mobility, breaking intergenerational cycles of poverty. Post-secondary education not only leads students to fulfilling and rewarding careers, but it also helps build a talented  workforce and improve the overall economy.” 
 Dannenberg said a person with a college degree can earn $1.2 million more over a lifetime than someone without a degree. 
  Tutwiler wanted to know how to better educate students and parents about the availability of the funds. He asked students about ways to further disseminate information on the availability of these grants.
MRHS Junior Natalie Sims said there should be guidance meetings focusing on the information.   
 Junior Isabelle Long said better communication is needed. Students said they get much of their information from social media, and there are no postings about the information, or it is unorganized and hard to find, Long said. She recommended using QR codes. 
 “Social media is a huge thing in this world,” another student said.
  “We need to be better on social media,” agreed Tutwiler.
Rea Christakis said there needs to be better communication with parents on the availability of financial aid. 
 “You as students also have to serve as ambassadors to your classmates,” Tutwiler said of disseminating grant opportunities.
Tutwiler said that 92 percent of the students who complete the FAFSA student aid application go on to college. He urged students to also visit Mass.gov/Student Aid to learn more about free and affordable college opportunities.