Editorial: Pell cuts hurt needy students

That's the number of New York students who would lose their eligibility for Pell Grants if the U.S. Senate passes the 2012 budget approved by the House of Representatives. Additionally, the overall 45 percent cut in aid for low-income college students hits all 548,058 New Yorkers in the Pell program. The House proposal would cut the maximum grant so the average award in our state would drop from $4,682 to $2,179. Washington must cut costs, but denying the most needy access to higher education isn't the sensible place to start. hN