Maryland reports 87.6% high school graduation rate in 2024, highest since 2017
The 2024 graduation rate was 1.8 percentage points higher than in the 2022-23 school year. Hispanic students and multilingual learners saw the largest increase among student groups.
Anne Arundel County graduation rate
In Anne Arundel County, the 2024 graduation rate rose by almost one percentage point, compared to 2023, according to data from MSDE.
For students with disabilities, the graduation rate rose by 6.79 percentage points, the largest increase of any student group in the county.
Graduation rates for multilingual learners increased by 4.94 percentage points, and by 2.52 percentage points for African American students. Among Hispanic students, an increase of 2.41 percentage points was reported.
District officials said the increases for African American and Hispanic students narrowed the gaps between the two groups.
In 2024, the district's overall high school graduation rate was 88.54%, almost one percentage point above the state's average.
Anne Arundel County Superintendent Dr. Mark Bedell cited the district's Project Graduation and other efforts to help students as part of the reason for the increase.
"This data is evidence that the work we have put into efforts like Project Graduation and our intense focus on helping every single student get what they need to Belong, Grow, and Succeed are paying off," Dr. Bedell said.
The district launched Project Graduation in 2022 to provide credit recovery options for students, allowing more opportunities for second-chance learning.
The initiative is available for students in grades 9 through 12 and enlists counselors, teachers and leadership teams to assess and provide support as students progress toward graduation.
Frederick and Harford County graduation rates
Frederick County's 2024 graduation rate increased by more than one percentage point, reaching 94.3%.
The district's graduation rate was almost seven percentage points above the state's overall graduation rate. The district was ranked first among other districts with more than 300,000 students.
Graduation rates in Frederick County high schools also increased among several student groups, including Hispanic students, multilingual learners and those with disabilities.
The high school dropout rate also declined by more than one percentage point to 2.2% in 2024, one of the lowest in the state.
Harford County high schools recorded a 2024 graduation rate of 91.6%, the highest the district has recorded since 2011, officials said. In 2023, the graduation rate was 90.8%
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USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Trump is seeking to reshape higher education. Meet the man he wants leading the charge.
Trump's pick as under secretary at the Department of Education has deep ties to an industry often in the agency's crosshairs: for-profit colleges. As President Donald Trump works to reshape America's colleges and universities, the man he wants overseeing higher education has deep ties to an industry often in the Department of Education's crosshairs: for-profit colleges. That person, Nicholas Kent, worked with the preeminent lobbying group for for-profit colleges and was a high-level executive for another that reached a $13 million settlement over claims it had defrauded the federal government's student aid program. As under secretary, Kent would oversee the office in charge of billions in federal student aid and that ensures America's colleges provide a quality education. Kent's nomination comes as the administration has sought to shut down much of the Department of Education while using it and other federal education policies to dramatically upend the higher education system. The administration has specifically investigated and frozen billions in funding to multiple Ivy League institutions like Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania. The administration and Columbia University just agreed to a $200 million fine to settle accusations that the New York institution had discriminated against its Jewish community following months of pressure and hundreds of millions in halted federal funding. The settlement is supposed to restore that money. But the shakeup of higher education extends beyond the Ivy League schools as the Trump administration has frozen billions in research funding, throttled the flow of international students, and launched dozens of investigations into private and public colleges. For-profits schools, though, have largely been spared and Trump has suggested redirecting billions from Ivy League universities to trade schools. The Department of Education declined to make Kent available for an interview, but Education Secretary Linda McMahon praised him as a 'natural leader' whose experience and concern for students 'make him the ideal selection for under secretary of education.' 'Nicholas' technical expertise and vast experience in higher education, especially his work on accreditation and accountability reforms, will be a great benefit to current and aspiring postsecondary students, faculty, and staff,' she said in a statement to USA TODAY. While awaiting Senate approval, Kent is working on other policies for the Department of Education, including the administration's school choice initiatives at the K-12 level. Backers of the administration's pick say Kent would bring a deep knowledge of higher education policy and fairness to the role. And while higher education advocacy groups have pushed back on the department's attacks on colleges, they have embraced Kent. The American Council on Education, the largest trade group of colleges, endorsed him in a March letter to the Senate's education committee. Other supporters include trade groups for community colleges, private universities and veteran organizations. But critics want to know more about his ties to Education Affiliates, the for-profit college company that paid millions to settle claims of fraud without a determination of liability. They also question his time at Career Education Colleges and Universities, the for-profit trade group that pushed rolling back federal regulations directed at proprietary universities, as for-profit schools are often called. Others questioned what he accomplished while working in Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin's administration as deputy secretary of education in Virginia. Those worried about his nomination say Kent could have addressed their concerns, but the Senate committee advanced his nomination and six others without a hearing in a 12-11 vote. The previous under secretary, James Kvaal, received a committee hearing before the Senate confirmed him, though none of the nine preceding under secretaries did. "With decades of experience in higher education, Mr. Kent will bring proven expertise and leadership to the Department of Education," said Stephen Lewerenz, the education committee's Republican spokesperson. "We look forward to his nomination moving through the full Senate." U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, the ranking member of the committee voted against Kent's nomination saying, "we should not be confirming a former lobbyist who represented for-profit colleges to oversee higher education." The final vote on Kent is not yet scheduled, and Republicans hold a majority, making his confirmation likely. Company paid $13 million to settle 'numerous allegations of predatory conduct' Kent earned his undergraduate degree in 2005 at West Virginia Wesleyan College, a private school with ties to the United Methodist Church. He launched his higher education career early by taking college courses while in high school, according to details shared about his high school and college life by Education Department spokesperson Madison Biedermann. He also was a first-generation student who received a Pell Grant, an award geared toward low-income students. After graduating, he spent two years working for the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, according to his LinkedIn page listing his work history. It's a smaller player in the accreditation space that approves many for-profit schools that offer bachelor's degrees and shorter programs for jobs like a licensed practical nurse, massage therapist or dental hygienist. In 2008, he joined Education Affiliates, and in 2009 he started a master's program at George Washington University with a concentration in higher education administration. By this time, Dorothy Thomas had been at Education Affiliates for years and was on the road to blowing the whistle on the gaming of student aid she would see. Thomas, who is speaking for the first time about her experience to USA TODAY, was one of the company's original hires in 2005. Back then, the Maryland-based company owned 10 for-profit trade schools. The company didn't stay small long. Thomas was on the road often, zig-zagging from Florida, Maryland, Alabama, Pennsylvania and other states trying to ensure the schools complied with the government's complicated guidelines to receive student aid. As the company grew, she said she noticed college staff overstated how long students stayed in their classes, even beyond their graduation, and instead pocketed the federal funding. In 2013, she filed a lawsuit against the company in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee against Education Affiliates and its parent company. By then, it had 53 campuses and more than 60,000 students. The suit alleged, among other things, that the company had deliberately gamed the federal student aid system. Her whistleblower suit mentioned a case involving a campus in Essington, Pennsylvania where Thomas found 30 cases in an audit of 266 students that would require the for-profit company to return federal funds to the government. Of those 30, 11 had already graduated and 16 had dropped out, but the company still marked them as active students and received federal aid. (The remaining three were ineligible for different reasons.) She learned that staff were directing students to acquire fraudulent high school diplomas from the internet to fake their eligibility to take college classes and receive financial aid. Thomas brought these concerns and others to her superiors, including the then-CEO, but she was met with 'near universal hostility,' according to her lawsuit. The suit went on to say executives 'attempted at all costs to minimize the results thereof by blatantly changing the results, doctoring actual documents in student files, or simply refusing to return and refund funding to the Department of Education.' Thomas said she was fired in 2012 after the company had learned she had brought her complaints to the Education Department. But it wasn't just Thomas who raised concerns. Her whistleblower suit would join four others against the company covering a span from 2005 to 2013. The resulting investigation included five different state attorneys general offices across the U.S., the Education Department and the FBI. The plaintiffs were mostly former employees, but some included students who said they were fraudulently enrolled. Though the specifics of the complaints varied, most painted the company as focused on growth rather than student success. Several of the suits specifically alleged the company's leadership knew that staff directed students to obtain phony diplomas or enrolled people who were academically ineligible. Thomas' suit, for example, referenced a PowerPoint from leadership that directed campuses to shred student attendance records. At the same time, Kent was rising in the ranks at Education Affiliates. He started as an accreditation specialist but over seven years had risen to vice president of legislative and regulatory affairs, a position he held for roughly three years. Thomas did not work with Kent directly. Still, she was flabbergasted to see the administration considering someone from Education Affiliates' leadership for a high-ranking government position given he worked for the company during a time it was accused of directing students to fake diplomas and gaming financial aid. 'Am I happy to see him as the under secretary nominee? No, no,' she said. In 2015, Rod J. Rosenstein, then-U.S Attorney for Maryland who would go on to be deputy attorney general for the first Trump administration, announced the $13 million settlement. Ted Mitchell, then under secretary of the Education Department, said at the time the settled cases included 'numerous allegations of predatory conduct that victimized students and bilked taxpayers.' Years later, Mitchell as president of the American Council on Education signed a letter endorsing Kent. He declined to answer questions about the 2015 statement. But another senior leader of the group, Jon Fansmith said, 'The ACE letter of support is a sincere recommendation based on Ted's and ACE's experience over a number of years of working with Mr. Kent in a variety of professional roles.' Kent's time with the for-profit group is listed on his LinkedIn page, but it was not included in the Education Department's announcement about his nomination. Ben DeGweck, general counsel for Education Affiliates, confirmed that Kent had been a vice president with the company and that he was 'never involved in any part of the allegations, nor the internal or external discussions related to the settlement, which is now more than a decade old matter.' 'His focus while at Education Affiliates was on external regulatory and legislative matters related to higher education,' DeGweck said in a statement to USA TODAY. The company also supports his nomination, saying it is 'confident he will bring an ethical and fair approach to all institutions of higher education, regardless of sector.' The Education Department declined to answer USA TODAY's questions about Kent's time at Education Affiliates. Instead, in a statement shared by Bindermann the agency said Kent's 20-plus years of experience in the higher education space gave him a 'well-rounded and pragmatic understanding of the education landscape.' Thomas was skeptical of the company's statement based on her experience working at the company and given Kent was part of the corporate team. And Christopher Madaio, a former chief of an investigative unit within Education Department, said in his experience investigating for-profit colleges, pressure to grow profits often comes from those in leadership. Madaio is now a senior adviser for the Institute of College Access and Success, a group which sent a letter to the Senate education committee alongside teachers' unions and others pushing for a public hearing on Kent's nomination. He said the company's response is appreciated, but he said he believes "there is value to putting people who seek this type of important position under oath and asking them questions about their experience, prior employers, and principles.' A defender of for-profit colleges Kent spent less than a year working at Washington, D.C.'s public school system before starting consulting work through the Dulles Advisory Group. In a public filing, Kent wrote that he was the 'sole managing director' and it was 'used only as a pass-through entity for funds received for consulting income.' He added the company had been dormant since 2017. That was when Kent started working for Career Education Colleges and Universities. The group's CEO, Jason Altmire, said he understood Kent wasn't involved in the Education Affiliates settlement and that the company had admitted no wrongdoing. He added that Kent's 'impeccable character' meant he was not worried about his past employment. At that for-profit trade group, Kent earned a reputation as an avid critic of regulation of for-profit schools, especially toward Biden administration policies. He often spoke against the 90/10 rule, a regulation that requires for-profit colleges receive at least 10% of their income from sources other than the federal government. Previously, funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs, which includes the G.I. Bill, had counted toward the 10% side. Veteran advocacy groups argued that loophole gave for-profit colleges an incentive to aggressively recruit students paying with the G.I. Bill as a counterbalance to students paying only with federal financial aid. In 2021, Congress voted to include all forms of federal funding on the 90% side of the rule, not just money from the Education Department as part of a pandemic relief package. CECU, and sometimes Kent directly, had initially argued against that effort, saying the move would limit veterans' access to higher education. Still, representatives for the for-profit sector participated in the federal rulemaking process and CECU abstained from filing a challenge against the final rule. Altmire praised the Trump administration's recent tweak to the rule allowing universities to count some unaccredited programs toward the non-federal funding side. He said the rule does a poor job of measuring quality, but that the group appreciated 'the Department's efforts to at least apply it in a more evenhanded way for as long as it remains in statute.' He told USA TODAY Kent was what the Education Department needed during a transitional time in higher education. He added that Kent had deep policy knowledge and 'is not driven by partisanship and brings a fair and unbiased perspective to the role.' Unlike McMahon, who is newer to the often byzantine world of higher education policy, Kent knows his way around. That is the assessment of Kevin Kinser, a Pennsylvania State University professor, who has long studied the for-profit sector and college accreditation. He said Kent likely understands the 'ways that the higher education universe is dependent on the federal government for its viability,' and how the administration could use that reliance to bend universities to its will. As for what Kent might do? Kinser said he might expect a drive for policies that would have colleges prioritize preparing students for the workforce. That stance would be in contrast to a traditional view of higher education that holds a degree is about helping people be engaged members of society in addition to getting a job. Kinser also said Kent's time working with an accreditor is likely to be useful as Trump on the campaign trail had declared college accreditation his 'secret weapon' to take back universities from the 'radical left.' The administration has already pressured Columbia's and Harvard's accreditors to take action against the universities in response to its findings that they violated the rights of Jewish students. Trump also has signed an executive order that aims to make it easier for universities to switch accreditors and would ramp up efforts to recognize new ones. Kent has also won the support of some veterans groups focused on higher education and some trade groups, including the American Association of Community Colleges, which praised his knowledge of the department's policy making process. Others, such as Ohio University emeritus professor Richard Vedder, are unconcerned about Kent's ties to the for-profit industry. Vedder has studied for-profits and is the author of 'Let Colleges Fail: The Power of Creative Destruction in Higher Education.' Though he would not call himself an advocate for proprietary schools, he said the federal government and some Democratic members of Congress have long been unfairly critical of the for-profit industry. But Vedder said that every sector of higher education has 'bad apples.' And he added that all types of higher ed are subject to some Education Department regulations. Why should working at a for-profit disqualify someone from a top government post, he asked. It was important, he said, to have people who are familiar with higher education in that role. Vedder thought someone like Kent might push to reconfigure the 90/10 rule. He also questioned if he would push for more limits on federal student lending or even advocate to get the government out of that market altogether. Holding higher ed accountable or MAGA agenda to disrupt? In September 2023, Kent hung up his policy hat and moved into the public sector as a member of Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin's administration. A Republican, Youngkin on his first day in office signed an executive order to end the use of "inherently divisive concepts, including critical race theory," in K-12 public schools. In 2024, his administration reviewed the curriculum for courses about race and diversity at George Mason University and Virginia Commonwealth University. The universities subsequently dropped the courses. Youngkin's administration also made headlines that year for signing a Democratic-sponsored bill ending the use of legacy admissions at Virginia's public schools. That cause is often associated with higher education access advocates who say the practice favors wealthy students. Kent's departing message to the Commonwealth focused on other accomplishments. The two paragraph email, which was obtained by USA TODAY, touted 'reducing costs' while advocating for free speech and accountability at Virginia's colleges. He added he was 'especially proud' of providing 'data to make more informed decisions.' That appears to be a reference to the 'Virginia higher education planning guide and college outcomes,' a tool with data like college graduation rates and student demographics. Much of that data was already available via the state organization that oversees higher education institutions in the state. It's unclear what Kent's legacy in Virginia will be long term. Of the lawmakers who responded to USA TODAY's media inquiries, a Republican and two Democrats told USA TODAY they didn't have much or any experience working with Kent directly in his roughly year and a half within the governor's office. But the chair of the Virginia Senate's education committee, Democrat Ghazala Hashmi, said Kent's nomination raised 'significant concerns.' Hashmi, who is also the Democratic nominee for Virginia's lieutenant governor, pointed to his work with CECU to limit regulations for for-profit colleges and said in Virginia he had 'hoped to destabilize accreditation policies for colleges and universities,' but she did 'not allow his efforts to go far.' 'Kent's stance aligns with a broader MAGA agenda to dismantle consumer protections and accountability measures and to undermine the quality of higher education,' Hashmi said. In contrast, a trade group of private universities in Virginia said he was vital to 'expanding and strengthening student aid programs.' Youngkin praised Kent's work, saying in a statement shared by the Education Department that he 'strengthened the management of our higher education institutions, increasing transparency to hold them accountable to parents and students.' The governor's office did not respond to USA TODAY's request for comment about Kent's accomplishments in the state. Regardless of his future, Kent is already notable for signing up for a top job at an agency the president doesn't want to exist. Chris Quintana is an investigative reporter at USA TODAY. He can be reached at cquintana@ or via Signal at 202-308-9021. He is on X at @CQuintanaDC
Newsweek
a day ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump To Release Billions In Frozen Funds: What To Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. More than $5 billion in frozen education grant funding to the states will be released in the coming weeks, according to the Department of Education. The money, which was used to found a range of initiatives including teacher training and English language programs, was suspended by the Trump administration on June 30 pending a review by the federal Office of Management and Budget. Newsweek contacted the Department of Education for comment on Saturday via email outside of regular office hours. The Context The announcement follows weeks of lobbying from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers concerned about the impact the funding suspension would have on their districts. Lawsuits aiming to get the money unfrozen had been submitted by 24 states and the District of Columbia along with a separate group of teaching unions, school districts and parents. What To Know On Friday, the Department of Education spokesperson Madi Biedermann said the funding had been unfrozen and would begin being paid out next week. The money was part of a larger sum of nearly $7 billion that had been approved by Congress for education spending and was due to be released on July 1, but that the Trump administration announced it had placed a block the previous day. On June 30, the Education Department announced the spending was under review with the Office of Management and Budget saying it would investigate whether it had previously been spent supporting a "radical left-wing agenda." President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he arrives at Glasgow Prestwick Airport on July 25, 2025 in Prestwick, Scotland, UK. President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he arrives at Glasgow Prestwick Airport on July 25, 2025 in Prestwick, Scotland, UK. Andrew Harnik/GETTY The money had been earmarked for a number of services including migrant education, English language programs and adult education with $2.2 billion committed to teachers' professional development. On Friday the administration said there would be "guardrails" in place to ensure the released money wasn't spent "in violation of executive orders or administration policy." Earlier this month the Supreme Court ruled the Department of Education can go ahead with its plan to lay off nearly 1,400 workers. The Trump administration reportedly considered abolishing the Department of Education in its entirety earlier this year. What People Are Saying In a post on X, Nebraska House Republican Don Bacon wrote: "Exciting news to announce! All frozen education funding for the upcoming school year have been released." Referring to the payments on Friday at the National Governors Association's summer meeting Education Secretary Linda McMahon said: "I would think now that we've reviewed them … a year from now, we wouldn't find ourselves in the same situation." Addressing The Washington Post Democratic Senator Patty Murray said: "This administration deserves no credit for just barely averting a crisis they themselves set in motion. "You don't thank a burglar for returning your cash after you've spent a month figuring out if you'd have to sell your house to make up the difference." Speaking to Axios Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito said: "The programs are ones that enjoy long-standing, bipartisan support like after-school and summer programs that provide learning and enrichment opportunities for school aged children, which also enables their parents to work and contribute to local economies, and programs to support adult learners working to gain employment skills, earn workforce certifications, or transition into postsecondary education." Skye Perryman, president of the Democracy Forward campaign group, said: "While this development shows that legal and public pressure can make a difference, school districts, parents, and educators should not have to take the administration to court to secure funds for their students." What Happens Next Payments from the frozen funding should start going out next week according to the Department of Education.
CNET
a day ago
- CNET
SAVE Student Loan Borrowers, You Have Only a Few Days Left Before Interest Restarts. Should You Move to IBR?
Interest will restart for SAVE borrowers whose loans remain in a general forbearance on Aug. 1. Viva Tung/CNET If you're a student loan borrower enrolled in SAVE, you have about a week left to switch repayment plans before interest will begin accruing on your loans. But although interest payments will kick in, the change doesn't mean you have to switch repayment plans yet. Earlier this month, the Department of Education announced that on Aug. 1 interest would resume for the nearly 8 million borrowers on the Saving on a Valuable Education plan. Monthly payments, however, still remain on hold in a general forbearance. That gives you about a week to decide if you want to move onto another income-driven repayment plan or continue to stay on SAVE until the forbearance period ends. "It's crucial for borrowers to act based on their own personal situation," said Elaine Rubin, a student loan policy expert and director of corporate communications at Edvisors. "A borrower who chooses to stay in the forbearance or who is waiting for their payment plan application to be processed will have their loan remain in good standing." The SAVE repayment plan was shot down by the courts earlier this year, but borrowers' payments are expected to remain on hold until mid-2026 unless an upcoming court decision speeds up the timeline. If you're not sure about the best move for your loans, here's what experts suggest, and the one thing you should do if you leave your loans in SAVE. Do PSLF borrowers in SAVE need to do anything before Aug. 1? If you're working toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness and are enrolled in SAVE, you can either stay in forbearance or switch to another repayment plan. "For borrowers pursuing PSLF, this won't mean very much," said Betsy Mayotte, president and founder of the Institute of Student Loan Advisors. "They can still either ride out the forbearance and plan on using what's called buy-back to get the months to count for PSLF purposes or switch plans now to another qualifying plan." If you decide to stay in forbearance, you'll be able to claim the months your loans were on hold using a process called PSLF buy-back. This allows you to pay for the months when your loans were in an administrative forbearance, to help you reach 120 on-time payments to receive forgiveness. If you decide to move your loans to another repayment plan, your payments will restart after your application is processed. Application processing is experiencing delays, and experts say not to expect your first payment under the new plan for a month or two, at the soonest. Although your payment may be higher on another income-driven repayment like IBR, this monthly amount would be the same amount you'd be charged when you went to "buy back" those months. Either way, you'll pay roughly the same amount. What should you do if you're pursuing income-driven repayment forgiveness? Although you're not required to switch repayment plans by August, you should review your options to see what the best fit is for your financial situation. "For those pursuing income-driven plan forgiveness, they should strongly consider switching to another income-driven plan," said Mayotte. She noted that there's no buy-back option for IDR forgiveness, and the months that your loans are sitting in forgiveness won't count toward your total number of payments. Waiting would drag out your forgiveness timeline. You can look at your other income-driven repayment plan options using the Federal Student Aid loan simulator. When you're ready to switch to a new plan, you can apply to change your IDR on the FSA website. You can also continue to stay in SAVE until the forbearance period ends and you're placed on another repayment plan. You can pay the monthly interest that accrues, but those payments won't count towards forgiveness, Mayonette said. Should you switch repayment plans if you don't qualify for forgiveness? If you don't qualify for student loan forgiveness options, you can switch to another IDR or continue to wait out the forbearance. Either way, you should count on making payments again soon -- whether that's a new monthly payment or paying off the interest that accrues each month during the forbearance period. Since there are a few weeks left before interest charges start again, Mayonette suggests making larger lump sum payments while your interest is frozen, if you can. Do all SAVE borrowers qualify for Income-Based Repayment? SAVE borrowers should qualify for another income-driven repayment plan. However, it's possible you may not right now. "The Big Beautiful Bill has eliminated the requirement of a partial financial hardship for IBR," said Rubin. "However, the forms and the Loan Simulator have yet to be updated. It may take the department and the servicers some time to update their systems and information." In the meantime, look for the most affordable repayment option available, or you can choose to keep your loans in forbearance. Will my payments increase if I move my loans from SAVE? Yes, most borrowers should expect higher payments when moving their loans from SAVE. Although income-driven repayment plans are generally more affordable than the standard repayment plan, SAVE was the most affordable student loan repayment plan to date. Many low-income borrowers had $0 or near $0 payments each month. CNET estimated that a single borrower earning $60,000 a year with $30,000 in student loan debt would have paid approximately $217 on SAVE. Switching to another income-driven repayment plan like IBR could increase their monthly payment by nearly $100. You can use the Federal Student Aid Loan Simulator to estimate what your new monthly payment will look like. If I switch payment plans, when will I receive my first bill? If you switch to IBR or another repayment plan, that doesn't mean your first monthly payment will hit in August. "The US Department of Education still has a backlog in processing the forms to request a change of repayment plan, so they might not have to make payments for a few months until their request to switch repayment plans is processed," said Mark Kantrowitz, a financial aid and student loan expert. Still, it's smart to prepare for repayment right away, just in case. My new student loan payment is too high. What can I do? Many borrowers will see higher payments on another payment plan, even an income-driven repayment plan like IBR. If you need more time to prepare for repayment, you can also wait to switch repayment plans until the forbearance period ends. "Borrowers will have the option to stay in the general forbearance, for now," said Rubin. "However, borrowers who decide to stay in the forbearance need to stay informed. The Department has indicated that borrowers will remain in the forbearance until the legal challenges are resolved, or until the student loan servicer can send them a bill for the proper repayment amount." If you need more time to prepare for repayment, leaving your loans on hold can give you extra months to plan. During this time, you should consider making interest-payments, if possible, to prevent your account balance from rising. "There are no prepayment penalties on federal and private student loans, so nothing stops you from making interest-only payments," said Kantrowitz. "You can manually calculate the interest on your loans and make a prepayment in that amount each month." While the forbearance period won't last forever, it is currently expected to last until mid-2026. However, an upcoming court case could change that and end forbearance sooner. If you're facing financial distress, you might consider economic hardship deferment, unemployment deferment or general forbearance, said Kantrowitz. But he warned that interest may continue to accrue, which could dig you into a deeper hole. You can reach out to your servicer or review financial hardship options on the FSA website.
