U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and Doug Jones (D-Ala.) yesterday introduced bipartisan legislation to make sure that more students have access to higher education. Under current law, students only find out how much financial aid they will receive right before attending college. The Early Pell Promise Act provides more financial certainty for families by pre-qualifying certain students for full Pell Grant support starting as early as the eighth grade. It also ensures that families and students who pre-qualify for aid receive additional information about the cost of college attendance and student financial aid. Modeled after successful Promise Programs across the country like Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars program, this legislation takes best practices from states and localities and applies them to the federal financial aid system. Some states and localities that have implemented early financial aid commitment programs have seen a twenty to thirty percent increase in college enrollment. Numerous studies show that the earlier students are given information about financial aid options and benefits of post-secondary education, the more likely they are to finish high school and go to college.