The Federal Department of Education is quickly falling apart, with over 2,000 workers laid off just this year. The executive branch is aiming to remove the national regulation of education entirely, claiming that it is federal "overreach". 

The Federal Department of Education controls the financial aid system, which means that many college affordability programs are at risk. Pell grants and federal student loans have already been shifted to the Treasure Department, making it easier for student aid requests to be rejected. Whether it be you, a family member or a friend- anyone who is currently in or planning on attending college, is not guaranteed to receive financial aid. 

In order to secure college financial aid given this unpredictability of the federal government, we need to create stronger state-level financial aid programs. This way students will have a safety net in the event of federal financial cuts or policy changes. The Illinois state government needs to step up in taking control of their educational systems, and making sure college students receive the tuition help that they need.   

Additionally, once the college financial aid system is secured at the state level, it needs to be improved to provide more support for the middle class. Most middle class families, like mine, have incomes above the cut off to receive a large amount of financial support, but not nearly high enough to comfortably pay the full college tuition. 

State colleges are meant to be cheaper options, yet even University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign has a total attendance cost of $32,134 per year. This is a lot compared to the income range of a middle class family in Illinois, which is between $54,468 and $163,404.  

Although the system is great at providing financial aid for those under the poverty line- who of course are deserving of the help- the middle class seems to be forgotten about in the process. Even if the middle class does receive aid, the percentage received is disproportionate to their income compared to the lower class. For example, according to Stanford’s financial aid website, the average student attending Stanford University from a family with a total income of less than $75,000 has an attendance cost of $4,380, while students with a family income of $125,001 to $150,000 have to pay $19,979. This means that a family earning $74,999 only has to pay 5.84% of their income for their student to attend Stanford, while a family earning between $125,001 and $150,000 has to pay 13.32% to 15.98%. Middle class families are required to contribute more to college costs, even though they cannot afford it. 

As the cost of college increases rapidly year by year, middle class families are left to decide whether their child’s future education is worth the financial struggle. According to Pew Research, students from middle income families in moderately selective colleges have declined from 49% 1996 to 42% 2016. Are these students really less deserving to attend college than others? 

I don't think so, which is why I have made this petition to secure financial aid at the state level, and to provide greater support to the middle class. My goal is to reach 1,000 signatures to reach out to local Congress Representatives. It only takes 5 seconds to sign, and every signature make a difference.

Thank you all for your time and effort. Please share the petition with your family and friends so we can change society for the better.