WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) introduced the Students Working for Communities Act, which would allocate a greater percentage of existing Federal Work-Study (FWS) program funding to support student employment in community service roles, including with local non-profits and community-based organizations. As written, the legislation would increase the existing FWS community service set-aside dollar amount as FWS funding increases in the future.
“Each year, the Federal Work-Study program helps hundreds of thousands of college students earn an income and gain valuable career experience while in school. Many students are placed in public service jobs with non-profits and other organizations, providing a great benefit to their communities and their education,” said Congresswoman Hayes. “The Students Working for Communities Act would increase the number of students placed in public service jobs, exposing more young people to careers in service while providing additional support for organizations working to improve the community.”
The Federal Work-Study program was created in 1964 as one of the earliest forms of federal financial aid for college students. Today, one in ten full-time undergraduates is employed by FWS in critical career-related positions designed for students who cannot afford to participate in unpaid internships while attending school.
FWS includes a community service element, which sets aside a percentage of job placements and allows students to work in positions that support the communities around their school. Currently, 7 percent of FWS funding is directed towards placing students in community service roles, a number that has not increased since 1998.
The Students Working for Communities Act would increase the existing community service set aside as Congress increases FWS funding, with the percentage directed to community service placements increasing as funding increases.
Specifically, the set-aside would increase to:
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9 percent when FWS appropriations are between $1.3 and $1.45 billion;
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12 percent when FWS appropriations are between $1.45 and $1.65 billion;
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15 percent when FWS appropriations are between $1.65 and $1.9 billion;
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18 percent when FWS appropriations are between $1.9 and $2.2 billion;
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21 percent when FWS appropriations are between $2.2 and $2.55 billion; and,
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24 percent when FWS appropriations are at least $2.55 billion.
The Students Working for Communities Act has been endorsed by America Forward, JumpStart, National Education Association, Voices for National Service, Campus Compact, College Possible, Vehicles for Change, GreenLight Fund, Aliento Education Fund, The New Teacher Project, Gen Unity, One Million Degrees, Big Thought, Third Sector, Accelerate, The Pivot Fund, Inc., Braven, Inc., and the Institute for Child Success.
“The Students Working for Communities Act creates a vital pathway for increasing community service investments through the Federal Work Study (FWS) program tied to increasing appropriations for the program overall. Greater investment in community service will benefit students by reducing higher education costs and providing paid opportunities to gain professional skills and explore career paths. Increased investment will also benefit local communities by increasing their capacity to take on local challenges – from childcare and education, to housing and economic development. America Forward is proud to support this transformative piece of legislation,” said Deborah Smolover, Executive Director, America Forward.
“With rising college costs, programs like Federal Work-Study (FWS) are crucial for helping students afford education and gain valuable work experience. The FWS community service set-aside is essential for promoting student placements in non-profits like Jumpstart, where they can develop professional skills and make a meaningful impact,” said Crystal Rountree, CEO, Jumpstart for Young Children. “Jumpstart is proud to endorse the Students Working for Communities Act, which proposes gradual increases to the FWS community service set-aside. Expanding this requirement will ensure students gain work experience while contributing positively to their communities and encourage them to pursue service-based roles, addressing workforce gaps in critical fields like early education and care.