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The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and the Purpose of Higher Education

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Title: The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and the Purpose of Higher Education
Language: English
Authors: Saralyn McKinnon-Crowley, Sarah A. Harris
Source: Critical Education. 2026 17(1):104-122.
Availability: Institute for Critical Education Studies. 2125 Main Mall, EDCP, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4 Canada. Tel: 604-822-2830; Web site: https://ices.library.ubc.ca/index.php/criticaled/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 20
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Case Studies, Federal Aid, Federal Programs, Student Loan Programs, Loan Repayment, Higher Education, Debt (Financial), Public Service, Public Service Occupations, Program Descriptions, Access to Information, Barriers, Federal Legislation, Criteria, User Satisfaction (Information), Court Litigation, Politics of Education
ISSN: 1920-4175
Abstract: This case study investigates the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF), a policy designed to enable student debt forgiveness after ten years of payments for individuals working in public service. The program has only forgiven a small number of loans; as of this writing less than 34% of people who have applied for the program have actually received loan forgiveness. What does this low number indicate about the program and the perception of higher education in the contemporary United States context? To answer that question, in this article, we review the history of the program, the scholarship about PSLF, and analyze its implementation using the tools of document analysis and critical policy analysis. We argue that the failure of the program communicates a clear message about the purpose of higher education in the United States under a neoliberal paradigm.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1499651
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Institute for Critical Education Studies. 2125 Main Mall, EDCP, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4 Canada. Tel: 604-822-2830; Web site: https://ices.library.ubc.ca/index.php/criticaled/
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  Data: This case study investigates the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF), a policy designed to enable student debt forgiveness after ten years of payments for individuals working in public service. The program has only forgiven a small number of loans; as of this writing less than 34% of people who have applied for the program have actually received loan forgiveness. What does this low number indicate about the program and the perception of higher education in the contemporary United States context? To answer that question, in this article, we review the history of the program, the scholarship about PSLF, and analyze its implementation using the tools of document analysis and critical policy analysis. We argue that the failure of the program communicates a clear message about the purpose of higher education in the United States under a neoliberal paradigm.
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      – Text: English
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        StartPage: 104
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      – SubjectFull: Case Studies
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Federal Aid
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      – SubjectFull: Federal Programs
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      – SubjectFull: Public Service
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      – SubjectFull: Public Service Occupations
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      – SubjectFull: Program Descriptions
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      – SubjectFull: Access to Information
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      – SubjectFull: Federal Legislation
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      – SubjectFull: User Satisfaction (Information)
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      – SubjectFull: Court Litigation
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      – SubjectFull: Politics of Education
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