U.S. Senator Clair McCaskill stopped in at Missouri Western State University Tuesday as part of a state-wide College Affordability Tour.

McCaskill heard directly from students, educators, and families on the need for more affordable, accessible higher education as she held a roundtable discussion at Western.

“We have a crisis in this country,” McCaskill said. “We’re seeing it in the incredible load of student debt enveloping our families. And what student loan debt does is diminish our economic growth.”

“I had the opportunity today to speak to so many Missouri students who are doing everything right—working hard to get into good colleges—but who are going to be strangled by debt for years after they graduate,” she said. “Hearing from these folks directly will shape my work in Washington on much-needed reforms to our Pell grant and loan refinancing systems, on transparency and accountability for institutions, and on incentivizing higher and faster graduation rates so we can better help Missouri students and families succeed.”

McCaskill said her policy goals include:

· Refinancing options for graduates with student loan debt – allowing students to refinance their loans at a lower rate, the same way it can be done with a home mortgage.

· Pushing institutions to improve graduation rates – currently, a significant portion of debt comes from students who drop out or take more than five years to graduate.

· A boost to Pell Grants by indexing them to inflation to ensure that they increase as the cost of tuition rises; make them available for more of the year—including summer semesters—rather than in only two academic semesters.

· Stronger accountability and transparency for institutions, so families and students know exactly what they will need to pay at each institution, as well as key information about the education provided at the schools, so students and parents can comparison shop.

· Resources to continue federal funding for critical job training programs – which are slated to run out soon. Missouri has benefited from more than $50 million in these funds, which are directed to community colleges to design education and training programs. The programs work closely with employers and industry that prepare workers for jobs in-demand in their regional economies, such as health care, information technology and manufacturing.

· Fixes to the 90-10 rule, which would include federal assistance for military personnel and veterans in the 90% cap in student aid funding at for-profit schools, to protect veterans from scams.

At Missouri Western, McCaskill discussed her proposals to boost Pell grants, including by making them available for more of the year, and on increasing transparency in student loan programs so students and parents can make informed comparisons.