As living costs continue to rise and the federal student loan system is being fundamentally restructured, millions of borrowers are caught between increasing household expenses and a repayment system that is becoming harder to navigate. Understanding the financial condition of the borrower population before these changes take full effect matters because policy changes interact with the financial circumstances of the...
Student loans create debt burdens that impact families for generations. Black Americans in general, and Black and Latina women in particular -- often are forced to take on more college debt than their white counterparts in pursuit of the American Dream. The student debt burden is felt most acutely by attendees of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. CRL successfully led a coalition of advocates that achieved substantial student debt cancellation in 2022. We continue to advocate for higher education policies to protect student loan borrowers and their parents from falling into a cycle of debt that keeps them from engaging in wealth-building activities.
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In 2025, the Department of Education and Congress reshaped the student loan system through new laws, administrative actions, and proposed rules that could bring further changes. Together, these actions mean higher costs, fewer protections, and more uncertainty for millions of borrowers. Here is what is happening and how it could affect borrowers. Download the full factsheet. CRL Advocacy Priorities Protect...
The Center for Responsible Lending writes this comment to emphasize how the proposed rule’s vague and ambiguous standards would undermine program integrity, create a dangerous precedent for future administrations, and harm borrowers and the communities they serve.
Watch the full testimony from Jaylon Herbin, Director of Federal Campaigns as he argues for strengthening the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
The U.S. Department of Education’s commitment to reforming Title IV programs presents a historic opportunity to reshape the federal student aid system into one that is more equitable, efficient, and effective. CRL stands ready to support this process and urges the Department to center the needs of students—especially those that are first generational and underrepresented—in all forthcoming regulatory proposals.
On behalf of the Center for Responsible Lending, thank you for the opportunity to comment on the notice of proposed rulemaking (Proposed Rule) by the U.S. Department of Education on Student Debt Relief Based on Hardship for the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (Direct Loans), the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, the Federal Perkins Loan (Perkins) Program...
227 organizations representing millions of students, borrowers, workers, people of color, veterans, people with disabilities, and consumers crushed under the weight of the student loan debt crisis, wrote to urge the Department of Education to immediately unveil its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to provide student loan debt relief to student loan borrowers experiencing hardship.
CRL submitted a comment on the Proposed Rule by the U.S. Department of Education on Student Debt Relief for the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (Direct Loans), the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, the Federal Perkins Loan (Perkins) Program, and the Health Education Assistance Loan (HEAL) Program. The Proposed Rule is critically important to Black, Latino and...
Read a new report from CRL and California Policy Lab on the Department of Education’s latest income-driven repayment plan, SAVE which could revive the homeownership dreams of millions.
The Department of Education’s newly launched income-driven repayment (IDR) program, “Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE),” represents a significant step forward in improving the affordability of federal student loan repayments for millions of borrowers. SAVE accomplishes that goal by basing repayment on a realistic estimate of a borrower’s discretionary income considering the borrower’s family size and reducing the amount of...