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Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools recently welcomed middle and high school students, pictured, back for in-person classes. The rate of applications for financial aid for college students has fallen both nationally and in North Carolina.
Getting first-generation and low-income students to apply for college is always a challenge, according to Hope Williams, president of North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities. But she says the pandemic has only exacerbated the issue.
“The challenge in higher education is reaching students and families who are our lower-income and first-generation college students,” Williams said.
Not only are application rates for first-generation and low-income students down, but so are applications for FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
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This week, North Carolina Legislators continued to consider bills related to COVID-19 and Gov. Roy Cooper nominated a number of Cabinet Secretaries.
Opening of K-12 Schools
A bill (S 37) that could lead to in-person learning at many K-12 schools has been approved by the General Assembly and sent to Gov. Cooper. The bill, among other things, would require school districts to offer certain in-person instruction options and allow students learning remotely to continue this format.
State Budget and Taxes
As is typical at the beginning of a General Assembly session, a number of committees met this week for orientation presentations. The Finance Committees met jointly and heard details about the state tax system. The Appropriations Committees also met jointly and considered the budget outlook for the next two years and spending details by category. In addition, the Presidents of the North Carolina Community College System
More than 1,750 students and staff are expected to return to Gardner-Webb University on Wednesday, but before they do the college is implementing new testing procedures for the spring 2020-21 semester.
All students attending face-to-face classes on the Boiling Springs campus must be tested for COVID-19 before they return to their residence halls or before attending the first day of class. Individual student ID cards, which include residence hall access, will not be activated until a negative test is received. The free, on-campus rapid-tests will be offered through Tuesday. A positive test on those days will require the student to immediately isolate either on campus or at home.