Protect Pell Grants for Mississippi Students

The proposed federal legislation to slash the maximum Pell Grant by $1,685 beginning in the 2026–27 academic year poses a serious threat to college access and affordability for Mississippi students. In the 2023–24 academic year alone, more than 62,500 Mississippi students relied on Pell Grants to pursue higher education, many of whom are first-generation collegegoers, students from low-income families, and students of color. 

Reducing the maximum Pell award would erode one of the most effective tools we have to help students break the cycle of poverty and contribute to the state’s economic future. Mississippi already faces some of the nation’s highest barriers to college completion and workforce readiness. This cut would deepen those challenges by forcing students to take on more debt, reduce their course loads, or abandon their education altogether. 

Pell Grants are not just financial aid—they are investments in Mississippi’s future. Weakening this investment risks undermining our state’s progress in building a skilled workforce, strengthening families, and fostering equitable opportunity for all. 

We urge our elected officials in the U.S. Senate to protect and strengthen the Pell Grant program, not dismantle it. Mississippi’s students—and our future—depend on it. 

📣 Act now using this quick tool: https://www.congressweb.com/collegeaccessms/