Washington, DC – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today re-introduced the Non-Traditional Student Success Act, a bill that helps make college more affordable and accessible to students who work or raise a family while attending college.

"College tuition has gone up every year for the last twenty five years making it more difficult for students and their families to afford college. This bill would enable non-traditional students to create a better future for themselves and provide tax credits to offset the high costs of not just tuition, but such things as books, supplies and even childcare and living expenses," said Senator Clinton.

Specifically, the legislation would increase the maximum Pell grant from $4,050 to $12,600 over the next five years and would allow students to receive these grants year-round. By doing so, this bill would provide more than 200,000 New York students who currently receive Pell grants additional financial help to seek higher education. The Non-Traditional Student Success Act would also increase the percentage of education expenses eligible for the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit from 20 percent to 50 percent. This credit would be refundable for low-income, non-traditional students and be provided in advance of the school year when tuition is due.

Other programs reformed in the legislation include, creating a pilot program to provide more financial aid to less-than-half-time students enrolled in a degree program, increasing the income protection allowance to benefit working students and allowing students to exclude certain tax credits from financial aid determinations. Additionally, the legislation would authorize $50 million to improve the quality and quantity of remedial education classes and allow for an increase in on-campus child care funding to $75 million for fiscal year 2008.

Senator Clinton first introduced the legislation in 2004. The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 included portions of the legislation such as expanding the use of Pell grants for less-than half-time students and a provision to reduce the work penalty for independent students. Other measures of the legislation were approved by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in 2005 but did not reach the full Senate for a vote. This proposal has been endorsed by the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, The Center for Law and Social Policy, Career Colleges Association, and the American Association of Community Colleges. Senator Clinton is working on a number of fronts to help make college more affordable including introducing legislation to enact a Student Borrowers Bill of Rights.

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