Student Aid Policy

With Democrats split, near-unanimous support from Republicans results in surprisingly comfortable passage for bipartisan compromise to tie student loan rates to market.

Washington is gearing up for the next round of fights over for-profit colleges, with student veterans and gainful employment getting top billing.

The annual amount families spent on college leveled off at about $21,000 after several years of decline, according to Sallie Mae survey, which finds families -- particularly high-income ones -- taking steps to limit their expenditures.

Compromise would tie federal student loan interest rates to financial market, cap them, and direct some savings to reducing the deficit. Senate approval is not a sure thing.

A bipartisan group agreed late Wednesday on a change to federal student loan programs, basing interest rates on the market but including a cap.

A program is helping low-income students at seven community colleges discover new avenues of financial support, in hopes of increasing college completion.

Citing declining enrollment and bachelor's degree attainment for low-income minority students, report warns that proposals to reform federal student aid could harm access and outcomes for neediest students.

As the Senate goes home for July 4 without voting on a loan deal, interest rates for subsidized student loans will rise Monday.