SUMMARY

President Joe Biden on Monday announced new plans to cancel student debt for millions of borrowers, his broadest student loan forgiveness attempt since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down his more sweeping plan over a year ago. Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, who covers the economics of higher education for The Washington Post, joins Lisa Desjardins to discuss.

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Vocabulary

executive action — a formal action taken by a president without Congressional involvement; new laws or spending in most cases need to be passed or approved by Congress

WARM-UP QUESTIONS

• Who does the Biden administration's new student loan payment plans include?
• Why did the Supreme Court strike down a previous attempt by the Biden administration to forgive student loan debt?
• What are the reasons the Biden administration is forgiving some student loans?
• When did the Biden administration first begin forgiving student debt?
• How do some students end up owing more than originally taken out for student loans, despite making regular payments?

FOCUS QUESTIONS

Why do you think the Biden administration is focused on this goal of forgiving student debt? How might it help individuals and communities? What might be some downsides to the action?

Media literacy: How could you find out what students think about Biden's new plans?

Alternative: See, Think, Wonder: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to find out more about?

FOR MORE

What students can do: Watch this video from Student Reporting Labs on dealing with student loan debt. After watching this piece, discuss — what are some ways students can plan for college and avoid burdensome debt?

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