This biweekly newsletter contains news and information about school improvement in the United States, designed expressly for parents and families. This issue highlights federal student loan interest rates, which have dropped to 3.37 percent, the lowest in nearly 35 years, saving money for millions of borrowers.

Describes how, as new competitors lobby for legislation for further open the student loan market to them, Sallie Mae and other lenders have responded by attacking the loan consolidation program. (EV)

The Guaranteed Student Loan program is big business and risky for everyone except the lending institutions. Students who default on their loans now risk tougher penalties, and the federal government must foot the bill when students don't repay. The default problem varies by state and lending institution. Some California figures are provided. (MLH)

Most college students who default on federal loans come from low-income families and drop out of school within a year. Borrowers from more affluent families take out bigger loans, but stay in school longer, and are likely to secure steady employment and repay their loans. The Guaranteed Student Loan program seems designed for borrowers least…

Although student loan option remains a useful adjunct to federal grants, work/study programs, and cooperative education programs, the country should learn from the Higher Education Assistance Foundation default difficulties. The student loan program is best suited for middle-income students and parents; scholarships, training grants, and…

"Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators" is the authoritative source for accurate information on the state of education around the world. It provides data on the output of educational institutions; the impact of learning across countries; the financial and human resources invested in education; access, participation and progression in…

This guide is intended for students leaving school and therefore needing to plan for repayment of loans received through the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. The guide offers students guidelines for choosing a repayment plan, information about rights and responsibilities as a borrower under both subsidized and unsubsidized direct loan…

This directory lists changes to the list of the low-income schools at which teachers with loans from the Federal Perkins Loan and national Direct Student Loan programs can have a portion of their loans canceled for each year of teaching service. A list of state agency contact persons precedes the main body of the directory. Listings are…

The four articles in this journal issue examine the pros and cons of the proposition that credit card rates are too high. In "How Congress and Consumers Will Crack the Credit Card Market," Congressman Charles E. Schumer argues that banks can get away with their excessive rates because of consumer misinformation and the unfair competitive edge held…

Students frequently experience "sticker shock" when at graduation they find their college debt is much larger than they planned or expected. If they do not understand loan repayment and loan costs, they may borrow more than they can afford and experience difficulty in paying their loans. This study explored debt from the students' perspective to…

This checklist reflects the requirements of the revised Direct Loan System of the Joint Financial Management Improvement Program to assist agencies in implementing and monitoring their direct loan system and to help managers and auditors review their direct loan systems to determine if they comply with the Federal Financial Management Improvement…

This 6-page pamphlet shares what the Student Financial Assistance (SFA) Office of the Ombudsman has learned from cases it has handled. An initial section offers information on the case management process, noting that the ombudsman process depends on the case's complexity and that many are revolved quickly. Next, it examines customer-reported case…

This statement focuses on issues related to consolidation loans and their cost implications for taxpayers and borrowers. Consolidation loans, available under the Department of Education?s (Education's) two major student loan programs?the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and the William D. Ford Direct Loan Program (FDLP)?help borrowers…

This study investigated: (1) differences between the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (FDLP) consolidation loans and borrowers; (2) the extent to which borrowers with student loans under one program obtain consolidation loans under the other; and (3) how FFELP and FDLP borrower and loan…

The Secretary of Education discusses the condition of postsecondary education in the United States. Focuses on student loan programs and the high default rate. Indicates that schools must work with the Department of Education to reduce the default rate. (JOW)