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The Committee on Business & Economic Development and the Committee on the Judiciary & Public Safety Hearing on: B24-0170 - New Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights Amendment Act of 2021 Joshua Hodge Policy and Communications Manager Democrats for Education Reform DC My name is Joshua Hodge, and I am a Ward 6 resident and current graduate student at Howard University. I am submitting written testimony on behalf of Democrats for Education Reform DC (DFER DC). DFER DC works to ensure all students, particularly students of color and students from low-income families, graduate from high school and receive a high-quality, affordable college education or work-based experience and credentials necessary to immediately earn a livable wage. I am pleased to share testimony in support of B24-0170 – "New Student Loan Borrower Bill Of Rights Amendment Act Of 2021." Student loan debt is a tremendous barrier for many when it comes to attending higher education institutions, affecting their futures and beyond. This impacts Black and Brown communities disproportionately. For Black and Brown students and those from low-income backgrounds, debt aversion is real. It is leading to more students, especially students of color, to forgo attending a post secondary institution even though higher education is one of their only means to upward economic mobility. For those that overcome the barrier like myself, the risk is steep. D.C. has the highest average student loan balance of any state, and it's not even close.^[1] The average student loan balance among Washington, DC residents is $55,077 per borrower.^[2] For Black students, this number is a lot higher. Immediate action needs to be taken to ensure all students receive an equal opportunity to attend school. Therefore, I commend the DC Council for considering B24-0170, the New Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights Amendment Act of 2021. This bill is critical in ensuring students, borrowers no longer in school, and their families are not preyed on by lenders and have a fair shot at repaying their loans. I would also encourage the Committee to examine three additional ways to lessen,  on the front end, student loan debt by supporting expansion of dual enrollment and early graduation opportunities for DC public and public charter students, ending legacy admissions in DC, and urging Congress to increase targeted funding of the DC TAG program for low-income and hard-pressed middle class families. Support the Expansion of Dual Enrollment Opportunities for DC Public and Public Charter Students One of the easiest ways to increase college affordability is to speed time to degree by helping high school students take college level courses in high school or encouraging them to graduate from high school early if they're academically ready to do so. As a formally low-income student in high school, the price of college was something that was always on my mind. Something that I feared would be a barrier for me to attending college. When I was 16 and still a junior in high school, I began attending Minneapolis Community and Technical College through the Postsecondary Enrollment Options program, which allows 10th, 11th and 12th grade students to earn college credit while still in high school -- effectively enabling them to attend college for free.^[3] This was an outstanding opportunity for me, because without it I would not be able to afford college. I was able to graduate with my associates degree at the age of 18 completely debt free. I went on to attend and graduated from the University of Minnesota with my bachelors degree at the age of 20 with only about $8,000 in student loans. My lack of student debt has been a blessing for me and my family. It has helped me be in a position where I can be enrolled in Howard University without fear of crippling undergraduate and graduate school debt. Washington, DC should study its current dual enrollment opportunities^[4] to determine how to expand the program offerings to more students, and I would go further and suggest incentivizing early high school graduation. Give a portion of what we would spend on students in 12th grade to their families in the form of a scholarship that can be used at any public college. The District would save money and so would families. End Legacy Preference Admissions in DC Higher Education Institutions I will also ask the DC Council to support the end of legacy preferences in college admissions and increase socioeconomic diversity at selective institutions of higher education. Generally, the legacy preference admissions is essentially white affirmative action: it is an alumni preference bonus in admissions that allows more white students to be admitted to top ten universities than the total number of Black and Latinx students admitted under affirmative action policies.^[5] Currently, American University, Georgetown University, and George Washington University all utilize a legacy preference.^[6] We urge you to ask them to cancel this policy and open affordable seats at their institutions to low-income students of color from DC public and public charter schools. Lower the DC Tag and Increase Grants for Low-Income Students of Color Second, we would recommend the Council urge Congress to better target and increase the DC Tuition Assistance Program (DC TAG) program. The DC TAG program was created in 1999 by Congress to expand higher education choices for college-bound residents of the District of Columbia.^[7] Currently, the eligible family income threshold is set to a maximum of $515,108.^[8] This is too high given the fact that the 2019 median family income among households with children in the District of Columbia is $106,700, and that about half of our students are considered "at-risk." Wealthy families do not need help affording college. Better would be to provide increased grant aid that currently is going to the already very comfortable instead to low-income families confronting major student loan debt. Therefore, we propose a two-pronged approach to advance socioeconomic opportunities and racial equity through higher education: urge Congress to lower the student's family taxable annual income threshold for the DC TAG eligibility and re-route the cost savings to provide a larger grant for those still eligible if not provide additional financial aid for students attending UDC. Financial aid should go to those who truly need it. Thank you for allowing me to testify in support of B24-0170 and recommend  additional ways for the DC Council to prevent, on the frontend, DC public and public charter school students from being saddled with overly burdensome student loan debt. ------------------------------------- ^[1] "States With the Highest Student Loan Debt." AdvisorSmiith. Source: https://advisorsmith.com/data/states-with-the-highest-student-loan-debt/ ^[2] Ibid ^[3] Minnesota Department of Education. Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO). Source: https://education.mn.gov/MDE/fam/dual/pseo/ ^[4] "OSSE Dual Enrollment Opportunities." Office of the State Superintendent of Education. Source: https://osse.dc.gov/page/osse-dual-enrollment-opportunities ^[5] April 2019. Interested Parties memo from Education Reform Now Michael Dannenberg. Source: https://edreformnow.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Admissions-Background-Memo_update_4.3.19.pdf ^[6] #LeaveYourLegacy campaign Source: https://edmobilizer.org/leave-your-legacy-pledge-a13 ^[7] Office of the State Superintendent of Education. DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG). Source: https://osse.dc.gov/dctag ^[8] Office of the State Superintendent of Education. Information on DCTAG Maximum Income. Source: https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/service_content/attachments/DCTAG%20Maximum%20Income%2011.13.20.pdf" ["post_title"]=> string(79) "DFER DC Testimony on the New Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights Amendment Act" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(79) "dfer-dc-testimony-on-the-new-student-loan-borrower-bill-of-rights-amendment-act" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2025-07-07 15:08:01" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2025-07-07 15:08:01" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(26) "https://dfer.local/?p=4701" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [1]=> object(WP_Post)#3889 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(4702) ["post_author"]=> string(2) "35" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2021-10-28 00:00:00" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2021-10-28 00:00:00" ["post_content"]=> string(4062) " The Committee of the Whole public hearing on: Bill 24-423, Coronavirus Immunization of School  Students and Early Childhood Workers Amendment Act of 2021 Nikki D'Angelo Community Organizer Democrats for Education Reform DC Good morning Chairman Mendelson and DC Council Committee of the Whole: My name is Nikki D'Angelo, and I am a Ward 5 resident, DCPS parent, former DC charter school teacher, and former DCPS central office employee. I am testifying on behalf of Democrats for Education Reform DC (DFER D.C.). I am pleased to testify in support of Bill 24-423, Coronavirus Immunization of School Students, and Early Childhood Workers Amendment Act 2021. I hope that this testimony offers a unique and helpful perspective. Vaccinated people are less likely to be hospitalized, become seriously ill, and die due to COVID-19. Ensuring our children and those who work with our children and young people get vaccinated is essential to putting  communities and students' health needs first. Many school districts across the country are making similar decisions, including Fairfax County schools, multiple New York Public Schools and the entire state of Hawaii, which  require all eligible student-athletes to be vaccinated. Additionally, outbreaks of the new Delta variant have caused nearly 700 schools nationwide to return to hybrid or fully online learning.  As a single, working mother of a Kindergartener, my child and I cannot afford to go backward, especially returning to online learning. His brain development and my ability to provide for him are at stake.  We must do all we can to keep our students safe and in school. While I fully support this bill that will help keep students learning inside school buildings, I have a few concerns about how this bill would be implemented if passed.

• I am concerned about the eligible students who do not get vaccinated, even with the mandate, and what will happen to them.We do not want to exacerbate inequities for our public school students by closing school doors to students who are not vaccinated, particularly when they do not have much of a say when it comes to their health. As such, this bill, if passed, should be paired with an effort to ensure eligible students and child care staff have access to the COVID-19 vaccine and information about the vaccine.
• Relatedly, I am concerned about the rollout of vaccines for children ages 5-11. This age group could become eligible as early as November. What has the DC government learned since its last comprehensive rollout, and how will this one be better? I would recommend a phased rollout of the mandate, with students 12 years old and up being mandated first, and then students under 11 years old and below being mandated afterwards, earliest in January.
• The D.C. Council must consider who the responsibility of providing vaccinations falls on - schools, pediatricians, and/or the Department of Health - and whether they have the requisite resources.

Thank you for allowing me to testify in support of Bill 24-423.  If the bill advances in the legislative process, I hope my concerns will be addressed." ["post_title"]=> string(111) "DFER DC Testimony on the Coronavirus Immunization of School Students and Early Childhood Workers Amendment Act" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(110) "dfer-dc-testimony-on-the-coronavirus-immunization-of-school-students-and-early-childhood-workers-amendment-act" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2025-07-07 15:14:41" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2025-07-07 15:14:41" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(26) "https://dfer.local/?p=4702" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [2]=> object(WP_Post)#3895 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(4492) ["post_author"]=> string(2) "35" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2021-10-27 00:00:00" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2021-10-27 00:00:00" ["post_content"]=> string(4587) " Nikki D'Angelo Community Organizer Democrats for Education Reform DC Good morning Chairman Mendelson and DC Council Committee of the Whole: My name is Nikki D'Angelo, and I am a Ward 5 resident, DCPS parent, former DC charter school teacher, and former DCPS central office employee. I am testifying on behalf of Democrats for Education Reform DC (DFER DC), and I am testifying in opposition to Bill 24-80, the DC State Education Agency Independence Amendment Act of 2021, and Bill 24-101, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education Amendment Act of 2021. I hope that this testimony offers a unique and helpful perspective. Considering that our schools are focused on finally educating students in person, the DC Council should not contemplate these bills during the COVID Pandemic. Since March 2020, our education community in DC has been stunned and traumatized by the impact of COVID-19.  As a single, working parent, I can't begin to explain the pressure that was relieved once our students were able to go back to in-person learning.  However, as the DC Council has heard from DC residents at length, our school communities continue to battle with the impact of COVID-19. Each school community has a unique set of challenges ahead of them. Still, there are a few issues I've seen come up District-wide: the vast need for facilities improvement, the need for accelerated learning, mental health supports for many students just returning to school, COVID testing at schools, and general logistical issues like school lunch. Considering the challenges schools face right now, OSSE should be entirely focused on supporting schools during these unprecedented times, not adjusting to a new structure.  Additionally, DC has experienced much-needed progress in education, as recently reported by Mathematica.  In this report, findings concluded that since education reform efforts began in the 1990s until 2017, DC schools are improving outcomes for students - NAEP scores for math and reading in grades 4 and 8 have seen steady rises during the last few decades of dedicated school reform efforts.  We should be building on that progress by driving educational equity and expanding access, targeting resources, and providing enhanced support to students "at-risk" and students with special needs.  We have a massive opportunity to continue progress and right structural wrongs by investing in systemic change that directly improves outcomes for students who have been historically ignored - this should be our focus. Concerning Bill 24-80 especially: the operations and work at OSSE is very important and works best with a narrow, direct connection to the Office of the Mayor. An additional layer to OSSE's role does not benefit children and will pull the Superintendent and her staff in many different directions. Further, significant oversight of OSSE as an agency already occurs via the elected members of the DC Council. An OSSE under the State Board would subject the agency to the management of both elected bodies, which is burdensome and distracting. Concerning Bill 24-101, independent agencies are designated as such because they have responsibilities that should specifically remain separate or oversight requirements that are inherently separate from the executive. By definition of the broad array of duties and responsibilities at OSSE, it is not independent but interconnected by nature.    Like many educators believe, every day is an opportunity to make a change - let's focus our efforts on making improvements for our children so we can continue equitable progress for decades to come. Thank you for allowing me to testify in opposition to these two bills." ["post_title"]=> string(145) "DFER DC Testimony on the DC State Education Agency Independence Amendment Act & the Office of the State Superintendent of Education Amendment Act" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(143) "dfer-dc-testimony-on-the-dc-state-education-agency-independence-amendment-act-the-office-of-the-state-superintendent-of-education-amendment-act" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2025-07-07 15:14:27" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2025-07-07 15:14:27" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(26) "https://dfer.local/?p=4492" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [3]=> object(WP_Post)#3886 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(1506) ["post_author"]=> string(2) "98" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2021-10-22 00:00:00" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2021-10-22 00:00:00" ["post_content"]=> string(4555) " Kyle Myers Community Organizer Democrats for Education Reform DC Good evening. My name is Kyle Myers. I am a Ward 5 resident, and a fifth generation Washingtonian. I am writing this testimony on behalf of Democrats for Education Reform DC. I am pleased to offer testimony on the importance of ensuring the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) statewide annual assessment gets administered to students next spring, and increasing equity within our DC School Report Card Star Rating System. I believe that both are essential to helping ensure our students are successful. OSSE must administer the PARCC Assessment in Spring 2022 The PARCC statewide annual assessment has not been administered to our students in two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is absolutely necessary that it returns in the Spring 2022. The PARCC exam provides a citywide view of where all of our students are academically to drive change, direct resources to schools that need them most, and provide critical information on the DC School Report card. However, the PARCC exam should not be tied to accountability in spring 2022. There are many ways to improve the PARCC exam, including the following: shorten the length of the exam; shorten the time it takes to get results back; and ensure students and families have the PARCC exam scores, understand why the exam is important, and know how to get appropriate accommodations if necessary. The exam should be shortened because over time a student may lose focus on the test because of how long they are just sitting there in between sections, and how many questions they have to answer. In my previous experience talking to students who have taken the test, some have admitted to giving up two thirds of the way through the test because it was just too long. Further, the importance of the exam should be communicated to students and families. In order for us to measure where a student really is, they have to put forth their best effort. Some students know that the test does not count against them grading wise, and I have witnessed them not even trying because of that fact. I understand explaining the means of the test, but the importance of its outcome should be stressed way more. Results need to come back faster than they have in the past. The faster we know where the students are, the more help can be provided to students and schools. It is crucial that the results are shared with parents so that they are also aware of their child's academic level. Additionally, schools should be sharing with families opportunities to get testing accommodations when needed based on issues they may have taking the exam. Ensure the DC School Report Card is Equitable I would also like to share my support for the DC School Report Card and Star Framework and the need to increase equity within it. An equitable public education system provides equitable access, inclusion, and resources. It ensures opportunities and prevents performance gaps between student groups. All of these things require objective student data about student outcomes. In furtherance of this, we should assign higher star ratings to schools that are effectively educating certain student subgroups (e.g., students with disabilities, English learners, at-risk students). Additionally, specialized support for students with disabilities should be included on the DC School Report Card. These supports can include the following: information on sensory rooms for students with disabilities, specialized service offerings (i.e., for deaf and hard of hearing), the percentage of successful completion of Individual Education Plans, and the percentage of transition plans that are provided to students with disabilities who are 14 years old. These are the sort of improvements that we should be incentivizing with the DC School Report Card and Star Framework. In closing, I hope the DC State Board of Education will help ensure the PARCC exam is administered in spring 2022 and recommend changes to the DC School Report Card and Star Framework that include objective measures of equity. Thank you for allowing me to testify on these important topics. ##" ["post_title"]=> string(64) "DFER DC Testimony: Spring 2022 PARCC Assessment & DC Report Card" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(62) "dfer-dc-testimony-spring-2022-parcc-assessments-dc-report-card" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2025-07-07 15:08:43" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2025-07-07 15:08:43" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(113) "https://dfer.local/uncategorized/education-reform-now-endorses-dc-statehood-bill-justice-in-policing-act-of-2020/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [4]=> object(WP_Post)#3956 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(1670) ["post_author"]=> string(2) "98" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2021-10-15 00:00:00" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2021-10-15 00:00:00" ["post_content"]=> string(3753) " The Committee of the Whole and the Committee on Transportation & the Environment Public Hearing: Kyle Myers Community Organizer Democrats for Education Reform DC Good morning Chairman Mendelson, Councilmember Cheh, Committee of the Whole, and Committee on Transportation and the Environment: My name is Kyle Myers, and I am a Ward 5 resident and 5th generation Washingtonian. I am testifying on behalf of Democrats for Education Reform DC (DFER DC). I am pleased to testify in support of Bill 24-66, the Safe Passage to School Expansion Act of 2021. Our children's safety has to be a number one priority. I commend you on the efforts already put forth and the different resources that have been provided. As we know, our students are vulnerable to many different hazards on their commute to and from school, especially if traveling alone. Some fall victim to harassment, violence, traffic danger, and all sorts of other obstacles. This can result in physical, mental, and emotional trauma that can hinder a child in a learning setting. Causing them to feel unsafe, anxious, and possibly affect their behavior. It is our responsibility to ensure the exact opposite. More immediate action needs to take place for these things not to happen. I asked two of my nieces and nephews about their experiences on their way to school using. metro public transportation.  While some days are normal, they expressed that they do face some uncomfortable situations on buses and at metro stations, specifically at Anacostia metro station. My niece mentioned her commute home from school is always more troubling than her commute in the morning. She has faced verbal harassment from people who like to post up at or around the station for long periods. Sometimes they have enough gall to approach or even follow her. This ultimately puts my nephew, her brother, in a very compromising position on her behalf. Also, they both mentioned that there have been times when they have had issues with other students while using the metro. With the proper supervision, a lot of these situations can be prevented.  Providing shuttle buses from metro stations to school does provide some relief to harmful outside. exposure. It also gives the student a sense of security. We need to have more personnel posted in. neighborhoods, school districts, and metro stations during school hours, people that are designated for our students' guidance and safety. These resources also provide security for the parents. Knowing that their child has a safe commute to and from school can save on stress and anxiety. It may also lighten the load for parents who feel obligated to personally take their. children to school, due to the risk factors along the way. Our students' safety is always the highest priority and the first step in providing a healthy education. We must ensure all aspects of their learning environments are covered because it all plays a huge factor in how they grow and the path they follow. I recognize and again commend you on all the resources provided for our families, and I look forward to seeing. continued improvement. Thank you for allowing me to testify in support of Bill 24-66, the Safe Passage to School Expansion Act of 2021. ##" ["post_title"]=> string(61) "DFER DC Testimony on the Safe Passage to School Expansion Act" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(61) "dfer-dc-testimony-on-the-safe-passage-to-school-expansion-act" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2025-07-07 15:09:08" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2025-07-07 15:09:08" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(95) "https://dfer.local/uncategorized/dfer-dc-testimony-on-the-safe-passage-to-school-expansion-act/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } } ["post_count"]=> int(5) ["current_post"]=> int(-1) ["before_loop"]=> bool(false) ["in_the_loop"]=> bool(false) ["post"]=> object(WP_Post)#3885 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(4701) ["post_author"]=> string(2) "35" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2021-10-29 00:00:00" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2021-10-29 00:00:00" ["post_content"]=> string(9467) "

The Committee on Business & Economic Development and the Committee on the Judiciary & Public Safety Hearing on: B24-0170 - New Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights Amendment Act of 2021 Joshua Hodge Policy and Communications Manager Democrats for Education Reform DC My name is Joshua Hodge, and I am a Ward 6 resident and current graduate student at Howard University. I am submitting written testimony on behalf of Democrats for Education Reform DC (DFER DC). DFER DC works to ensure all students, particularly students of color and students from low-income families, graduate from high school and receive a high-quality, affordable college education or work-based experience and credentials necessary to immediately earn a livable wage. I am pleased to share testimony in support of B24-0170 – "New Student Loan Borrower Bill Of Rights Amendment Act Of 2021." Student loan debt is a tremendous barrier for many when it comes to attending higher education institutions, affecting their futures and beyond. This impacts Black and Brown communities disproportionately. For Black and Brown students and those from low-income backgrounds, debt aversion is real. It is leading to more students, especially students of color, to forgo attending a post secondary institution even though higher education is one of their only means to upward economic mobility. For those that overcome the barrier like myself, the risk is steep. D.C. has the highest average student loan balance of any state, and it's not even close.^[1] The average student loan balance among Washington, DC residents is $55,077 per borrower.^[2] For Black students, this number is a lot higher. Immediate action needs to be taken to ensure all students receive an equal opportunity to attend school. Therefore, I commend the DC Council for considering B24-0170, the New Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights Amendment Act of 2021. This bill is critical in ensuring students, borrowers no longer in school, and their families are not preyed on by lenders and have a fair shot at repaying their loans. I would also encourage the Committee to examine three additional ways to lessen,  on the front end, student loan debt by supporting expansion of dual enrollment and early graduation opportunities for DC public and public charter students, ending legacy admissions in DC, and urging Congress to increase targeted funding of the DC TAG program for low-income and hard-pressed middle class families. Support the Expansion of Dual Enrollment Opportunities for DC Public and Public Charter Students One of the easiest ways to increase college affordability is to speed time to degree by helping high school students take college level courses in high school or encouraging them to graduate from high school early if they're academically ready to do so. As a formally low-income student in high school, the price of college was something that was always on my mind. Something that I feared would be a barrier for me to attending college. When I was 16 and still a junior in high school, I began attending Minneapolis Community and Technical College through the Postsecondary Enrollment Options program, which allows 10th, 11th and 12th grade students to earn college credit while still in high school -- effectively enabling them to attend college for free.^[3] This was an outstanding opportunity for me, because without it I would not be able to afford college. I was able to graduate with my associates degree at the age of 18 completely debt free. I went on to attend and graduated from the University of Minnesota with my bachelors degree at the age of 20 with only about $8,000 in student loans. My lack of student debt has been a blessing for me and my family. It has helped me be in a position where I can be enrolled in Howard University without fear of crippling undergraduate and graduate school debt. Washington, DC should study its current dual enrollment opportunities^[4] to determine how to expand the program offerings to more students, and I would go further and suggest incentivizing early high school graduation. Give a portion of what we would spend on students in 12th grade to their families in the form of a scholarship that can be used at any public college. The District would save money and so would families. End Legacy Preference Admissions in DC Higher Education Institutions I will also ask the DC Council to support the end of legacy preferences in college admissions and increase socioeconomic diversity at selective institutions of higher education. Generally, the legacy preference admissions is essentially white affirmative action: it is an alumni preference bonus in admissions that allows more white students to be admitted to top ten universities than the total number of Black and Latinx students admitted under affirmative action policies.^[5] Currently, American University, Georgetown University, and George Washington University all utilize a legacy preference.^[6] We urge you to ask them to cancel this policy and open affordable seats at their institutions to low-income students of color from DC public and public charter schools. Lower the DC Tag and Increase Grants for Low-Income Students of Color Second, we would recommend the Council urge Congress to better target and increase the DC Tuition Assistance Program (DC TAG) program. The DC TAG program was created in 1999 by Congress to expand higher education choices for college-bound residents of the District of Columbia.^[7] Currently, the eligible family income threshold is set to a maximum of $515,108.^[8] This is too high given the fact that the 2019 median family income among households with children in the District of Columbia is $106,700, and that about half of our students are considered "at-risk." Wealthy families do not need help affording college. Better would be to provide increased grant aid that currently is going to the already very comfortable instead to low-income families confronting major student loan debt. Therefore, we propose a two-pronged approach to advance socioeconomic opportunities and racial equity through higher education: urge Congress to lower the student's family taxable annual income threshold for the DC TAG eligibility and re-route the cost savings to provide a larger grant for those still eligible if not provide additional financial aid for students attending UDC. Financial aid should go to those who truly need it. Thank you for allowing me to testify in support of B24-0170 and recommend  additional ways for the DC Council to prevent, on the frontend, DC public and public charter school students from being saddled with overly burdensome student loan debt. ------------------------------------- ^[1] "States With the Highest Student Loan Debt." AdvisorSmiith. Source: https://advisorsmith.com/data/states-with-the-highest-student-loan-debt/ ^[2] Ibid ^[3] Minnesota Department of Education. Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO). Source: https://education.mn.gov/MDE/fam/dual/pseo/ ^[4] "OSSE Dual Enrollment Opportunities." Office of the State Superintendent of Education. Source: https://osse.dc.gov/page/osse-dual-enrollment-opportunities ^[5] April 2019. Interested Parties memo from Education Reform Now Michael Dannenberg. Source: https://edreformnow.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Admissions-Background-Memo_update_4.3.19.pdf ^[6] #LeaveYourLegacy campaign Source: https://edmobilizer.org/leave-your-legacy-pledge-a13 ^[7] Office of the State Superintendent of Education. DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG). Source: https://osse.dc.gov/dctag ^[8] Office of the State Superintendent of Education. Information on DCTAG Maximum Income. 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