BREAKING: In Response to Tester Pressure, Biden Administration Reverses Decision to Defund Critical Program for Montana Students, Awards Nearly $30 Million

Following Senator’s letter slamming the Department of Education’s decision to defund GEAR UP, Montana University System will receive nearly $30 million for the program

Following pressure from U.S. Senator Jon Tester, the Biden Administration’s Department of Education announced it has reversed its decision to defund a critical program for Montana’s rural students, and will award a total of $29,750,000, or $4,250,000 per year for seven years to the Montana University System’s Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program (GEAR UP).

In a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona last month, Tester expressed his “extreme disappointment” that the Department initially rejected the state’s application based on subjective diversity hiring requirements, and demanded the decision be reconsidered.

“As a former public school teacher and as a third-generation farmer, I know that education is one of the great equalizers for kids growing up in rural communities,” said Tester. “The Montana University System’s GEAR UP is one of the best tools we have to get kids ready for college, and it’s critical that it receives full federal support. I’m glad to see the Biden Administration reverse this misguided decision and fund this program to support our rural students and ensure that every Montanan who wants to go to college is equipped to do so.” 

“GEAR UP changes lives for students across Montana, so we were devastated to hear that this critical program wouldn’t be receiving funding after 25 years of federal support,” said Clayton Christian, Commissioner of Higher Education, Montana University System. “Today’s announcement is a huge win for Montana students and we are incredibly grateful to Senator Tester for his continued efforts to promote educational opportunities for our kids and protect transformative programs like GEAR UP.”

Montana GEAR UP prepares rural students for college by providing tutoring, mentoring, academic and career counseling, and exposure to college campuses. Without the resources provided by Montana GEAR UP, many statewide services, including free access to the ACT and pre-ACT and Montana’s dual enrollment program, will be severely limited.

In his letter to Secretary Cardona, Tester wrote, “This rejection of Montana’s GEAR UP application clearly demonstrates that unelected bureaucrats in Washington D.C. simply do not understand rural states like Montana and would rather push their own ill-advised agendas on hiring practices than actually help the students that would benefit from this funding… I request your immediate reconsideration of this matter and look forward to your response.”

Last year, Tester introduced his bipartisan Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act to ensure farm families aren’t paying higher costs to send their kids to college. Tester’s bill would restore the exemptions for family farm land and small businesses from being declared as an asset on the FAFSA form, saving the children of farmers and small business owners from being denied sufficient aid in the application and financial aid calculation.