100 Groups Join “SAVE on Student Debt” Outreach Campaign, Reaching More Than 18 Million Americans

The U.S. Department of Education Launches “SAVE on Student Debt” Week of Action

The U.S. Department of Education (Department) today kicked off its “SAVE on Student Debt” Week of Action with events across the country from the Department and 100 participating organizations who have a combined reach of more than 18 million Americans. These events will support borrowers returning to repayment by providing information about available resources from the Department, including encouraging them to take full advantage of the Biden-Harris Administration’s new Saving on A Valuable Education (SAVE) income-driven repayment (IDR) plan and other debt relief programs. The Department launched the “SAVE on Student Debt” campaign last month, a public-private partnership with national grassroots organizations to get the word out to groups across the country about the SAVE plan.

Emphasis on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The “SAVE on Student Debt” campaign aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations:

1. Goal 4: Quality Education – The campaign aims to make higher education more affordable and ensure student debt is not a roadblock to attaining a college degree or credential.
2. Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – By providing borrowers with lower monthly student loan payments and protecting them from accumulating unpaid interest, the SAVE plan supports working individuals and families.
3. Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities – The SAVE plan offers significant savings for borrowers, particularly those with lower incomes, helping to reduce inequalities in access to affordable education.

Information about the SAVE Plan

The SAVE plan is the most affordable repayment plan ever created. Under SAVE, a single borrower who makes less than about $15 an hour will not have to make any payments, and borrowers earning above that amount would save more than $1,000 a year on their payments compared to the repayment plan that SAVE replaced. Borrowers with families will save even more. The SAVE plan also ensures that borrowers never see their balance grow due to unpaid interest as long as they keep up with their payments.

Week of Action Activities

Federal and State Agency Outreach

• Federal Student Aid will host one of many webinars for borrowers as repayment resumes. The webinar will include information about the new SAVE plan, the Fresh Start option to help borrowers get out of default, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and steps borrowers can take to prepare for repayment. Borrowers can sign up to attend at Repayment101.eventbrite.com.
• The Department’s Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs will host bipartisan trainings for constituent services staff in congressional offices to make sure they can provide their constituents with information they need to manage their loans.
• The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) is hosting a workshop for state legislators on the SAVE plan and supporting borrowers as repayment resumes. The event is co-hosted with the Campaign for California Borrowers’ Rights and the Student Debt Crisis Center.
• The Washington State Student Loan Advocate will be supporting borrowers with resources and tips as repayment resumes, including holding webinars to share more detailed about PSLF and other regulatory changes.

Organizations hosting borrower education events

• The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) will continue their weekly series of student debt clinics for members that provide information about Public Student Loan Forgiveness, IDR plans like SAVE, and other student loan resources available from the Department. They will also conduct targeted outreach via email and text to portions of their membership who have identified as student loan borrowers to inform them of SAVE and other repayment and regulatory changes they may benefit from.
• Civic Nation will host a relational organizing training to empower individuals to share information on the SAVE plan with their friends, family, and communities.
• The NAACP is incorporating the SAVE plan into their broader educational webinar series, where members will better understand their student loans. The NAACP is also organizing outreach training in 47 state conferences this fall for both youth and adult members. These sessions will provide access to resources related to the SAVE plan and offer insights into members’ pathways to access various forms of student debt relief.
• The National Education Association (NEA) will continue to provide information to members about Public Student Loan Forgiveness, IDR plans like SAVE, and other student loan resources available from the Department. They will also host an online student debt clinic for their members and the public.
• The National Urban League (NUL) is sharing information on social media, in newsletters, and other relevant engagements. NUL and UnidosUS are additionally co-hosting a webinar that will cover upcoming changes for student loan borrowers so that affiliates can conduct further borrower outreach.
• Rise will reach out to its community of 250,000 students, alumni, and supporters across more than 100 campuses, hosting phone banks and text banks to share how the SAVE plan will directly impact borrowers and their communities.
• The Student Debt Crisis Center (SDCC) will host an “office hours” webinar for borrowers to learn about student loan programs and drop in with questions. Their ambassador network is launching during the Week of Action and will host their first meeting to provide resources and inform ambassadors about how to educate borrowers in their communities. Later in the month, SDCC will mobilize young leaders to take action on their college campuses.
• UnidosUS will host a virtual roundtable for Latino families and mobilize its national network of affiliates, allies, and supporters via a targeted social media campaign to raise awareness in the Latino community about the SAVE plan and other student loan resources.
• Young Invincibles will host a roundtable in Texas with borrowers and FSA Chief Operating Officer Rich Cordray and will train Texas-based organizations in effective borrower outreach on SAVE and other student loan repayment options.

Organizations sharing information with their networks

• The American Council on Education (ACE) will continue to send their member college presidents materials for distribution to students, parents, and alumni about resources available to student loan borrowers, including the benefits of the SAVE plan. ACE member colleges and universities educate two out of every three students in all accredited, degree-granting U.S. institutions.
• The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) will share resources on student loan repayment to be distributed by financial aid officers at nearly 3,000 colleges and universities across the

  SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

  1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

  • SDG 4: Quality Education
  • SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

  • SDG 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational, and tertiary education, including university.
  • SDG 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
  • SDG 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.

  3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

  Yes, there are indicators mentioned in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

  • The number of borrowers benefiting from the Biden-Harris Administration’s SAVE plan (indicator for SDG 4.3)
  • The amount of money saved by borrowers under the SAVE plan compared to the previous repayment plan (indicator for SDG 8.5)
  • The number of borrowers reached and provided with information and resources about the SAVE plan (indicator for SDG 10.2)

  Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

  SDGs	Targets	Indicators
  SDG 4: Quality Education	Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational, and tertiary education, including university.	– The number of borrowers benefiting from the Biden-Harris Administration’s SAVE plan
  SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth	Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.	– The amount of money saved by borrowers under the SAVE plan compared to the previous repayment plan
  SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities	Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.	– The number of borrowers reached and provided with information and resources about the SAVE plan

  Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

  Source: ed.gov

   

  

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