Illustration: LA Johnson/NPR

After months of speculation, President Joe Biden will officially forgive up to $20,000 of federal student loan debt for Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 for other borrowers making under $125,000 a year. The announcement is expected to impact more than 90 percent of the 43 million federal student loan borrowers. 

Biden also extended the federal student loan payment pause through the end of 2022. In this interview, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona answers questions about the Biden administration's plan.

President Biden's student loan forgiveness announcement, while welcome, barely scratches the surface of what’s needed to address higher education affordability and access. 

The country needs more college-educated adults to prepare for the future. To help the nation get there, colleges must offer affordable pathways that deliver tangible benefits for individuals and society. Without dramatic action, new student debt will start to accrue immediately.

Photo: Getty Images/Joe Daniel Price

Like other community colleges nationwide, Dallas College has faced a tough struggle to keep students engaged and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Where Dallas College stands out is what it has chosen to do in response. It is implementing two key strategies: free structured pathways for high schoolers to earn a credential and a comprehensive support network for food, housing, mental health, and other basic needs.