Revising student aid formula, house votes to expand federal loans, By Tamar Lewin, September 17, 2009, New York Times: “The House of Representatives passed legislation Thursday that expands federal aid to college students while ending federal subsidies to private lenders. By shifting to direct federal lending, the Obama administration said it will save more than $80 billion over 10 years, which will go into higher Pell Grants for low-income students, new investments in community colleges, early-childhood programs and other education efforts. The vote was 253 to 171. The measure, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, now goes to the Senate, where Democratic leaders expect it to pass…”
Day: September 17, 2009
Application Process for Food Stamp Program – Texas
- Flood of food stamp requests drains agency, By Gary Scharrer, September 6, 2009, Houston Chronicle: “State employees can’t keep up with applications for food assistance, and the inadequate staffing to handle the casework is making them frustrated and stressed out, some say. Morale is lousy at the agency that manages the program. Many work long hours, but the cases keep stacking up. The conditions are blamed for high absentee rates and employee turnover. Some welcome a recent class-action lawsuit that accuses the state of violating federal rules requiring food stamp applications to be certified within 30 days. Many applicants must wait months before they get food assistance…”
- Employee turnover high at Texas agency that processes food-stamp applications, Associated Press, September 7, 2009, Dallas Morning News: “Employee turnover is running at 16 percent this year at the overwhelmed Texas public benefits agency responsible for processing food-stamp applications. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has seen a huge increase in food-stamp applications this year…”
Homeless Survey – Denver, CO
Homeless in Colorado metro area up to 11,061, By Mike McPhee, September 17, 2009, Denver Post: “There are 11,061 homeless people in the seven-county metro region, and about half of them say they are homeless for the first time, according to the results of a 24-hour survey conducted Jan. 27 by the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative. While the total number is 4 percent higher than in 2007, when the last point-in-time survey was taken, homeless advocates say the much-delayed results are already out of date. The survey results were expected in June. John Parvensky, director of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, said homelessness dipped slightly in 2008 but came roaring back this year. He estimates homelessness is now up about 20 percent from 2007. The methodology for the point-in- time survey was changed somewhat this year, making year-to-year comparisons difficult. Still, the survey represents the best count available, Parvensky said…”