The measure, introduced by Sen. James Lankford (R-Oklahoma) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), is called the Religious Education Fairness Act. It aims to roll back recent federal regulations tying student loan and grant eligibility to post-graduation income thresholds.
According to the Department of Education, undergraduate programs have to show their graduates earn more than those with only a high school diploma, a rule called “Student Tuition and Transparency System and Earning Accountability.”
This rule aligns with the earnings-based accountability measure from the Working Families Tax Cut Act, under a provision known as “Do No Harm.” It uses post-graduate data to determine which programs will be eligible for federal Direct Loans.
Many education programs are affected, including those for ministry and other religious studies. The Religious Education Fairness Act aims to protect those studying in religious fields from losing federal student aid.
Greg Baylor, director of the Center for Religious Schools at the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), says the current policy unfairly targets faith leaders. Baylor is also senior counsel at ADF, and the organization helped consult on the legislation of the bill.
“The law says if you go into a profession that doesn't make enough money, we're going to stop providing direct loans, Pell Grants, and work-study support for students. This bill would fix that problem,” Baylor says. “It would protect students preparing for the ministry from being punished just because they choose professions that aren't highly compensated.”
He argues the current rules rely on a flawed standard that measures the worth of an education solely by a graduate’s paycheck.
“We need to push back against this mindset that says that the only thing valuable about an education is the compensation you eventually earn,” Baylor says.
Supporters say the bill restores critical support, like Pell Grants and work-study programs, for the next generation of community and faith leaders.
A couple of groups that are advocating for this bill, other than ADF, are the Association for Biblical Higher Education and the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, among others.
