February 3, 2017
While the Senate continues to advance Betsy DeVos’ nomination to head the Department of Education, concerned parents, students, educators, community members, and a growing number of senators staunchly oppose her confirmation. DeVos may be President Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of Education, but she is nothing more than another out-of-touch… Read More»
Tags: Betsy DeVos, Charter Schools, Donald Trump, money in politics, public education, Secretary of Education, student debt, students
December 11, 2015
According to new data obtained by Jobs With Justice Education Fund, only 1 percent of potentially eligible borrowers are currently enrolled in the U.S. Department of Education’s Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. More than 33 million Americans, including teachers, emergency personnel, social workers, and those employed at nonprofit organizations stand… Read More»
Tags: Department of Education, loan servicers, Public Sector, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Repayment Plans, student debt
May 29, 2015
Paying off your student debt can be hard, and not just because of how much it costs. I’ve heard many stories about how student loan servicers (the company that sends you bills each month) can make the process of paying off your loans even more difficult. I hear from people… Read More»
Tags: consumer financial protection bureau, loan servicers, student debt, student loans, webinar
May 12, 2015
It’s the time of the year when many similar stories surface announcing that this year’s class of graduating students will hold the most debt on record. Almost identical articles were written last year, and they will likely be written again next year. Yes, the class of 2015 holds the unfortunate… Read More»
Tags: Arne Duncan, Corinthian Colleges, Department of Education, higher education, loan forgiveness, Navient, student debt, student loans
April 10, 2015
For the more than 40 million student debtors who, on average, owe $30,000, keeping up with bills every month is next to impossible. In fact, new data released by the Department of Education shows that nearly a third of all student debtors with federal student debt are behind on their… Read More»
Tags: Criminalization of debt, Debt-Free Future, Department of Education, Drivers License, Governor Steve Bullock, Montana, Montana Legislature, student debt
March 16, 2015
Fifteen former students have launched the first-ever student loan debt strike in U.S. history. The strikers, dubbed the “Corinthian 15” after the now-bankrupt network of for-profit schools they attended, announced the strike with a simple message directed at the Department of Education: “We owe you nothing.” Last year, Corinthian Colleges,… Read More»
Tags: CFPB, consumer financial protection bureau, Corinthian 15, Corinthian Colleges, debt, Department of Education, Natasha Hornes, strike debt, student debt, student loans
March 4, 2015
Last Friday, the Department of Education made a huge announcement that it’s cutting contracts with five private companies it had hired as debt collectors on defaulted student loans. For years, Jobs With Justice has worked closely with our allies, including the Student Labor Action Project, US Student Association, and the… Read More»
Tags: American Federation of Teachers, debtors, Department of Education, Navient, Pioneer Credit Recovery, Sallie Mae, Secretary Arne Duncan, student debt, Student Labor Action Project, student loan, Treasury Department, U.S. Treasury Department, Undersecretary Ted Mitchell, US Student Association
February 9, 2015
UPDATE 5: Since 2019, three additional bills have passed, including in Georgia (HB 42), Louisiana (HB 423), and Texas (SB 37). UPDATE 4: During the 2019 state legislative cycle, Kentucky (HB 118) passed a law to end the practice of revoking someone’s professional license if they defaulted on their student… Read More»
Tags: Department of Education, professional licenses, student debt
January 29, 2015
For the millions of Americans drowning in debt, non-payment is not an option, and student debt is the worst kind of debt to have. As Senator Elizabeth Warren once remarked, the powers of student-loan debt collectors “would make a mobster envious.” If you’re a company that holds student debt, on the… Read More»
Tags: default, Department of Education, Navient, Sallie Mae, student debt, student loan defaults
January 21, 2015
Tonight, during his State of the State address in New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo will highlight his “Get on Your Feet Loan Forgiveness” proposal, a program that would mandate that the state of New York cover certain borrowers’ student loan payments the first two years out of college. Any New… Read More»
Tags: financial aid, governor cuomo, new york, Plastic Safety Net, State of the State, student debt