I have blogged on this before with my views that such national service is a good thing. This is the Chronicle of Higher Education’s summary:
April 21, 2009
Obama to Sign National Service Bill Today
Washington — President Obama is expected to sign legislation today that would expand the federal national-service programs by the largest amount in 50 years.
The bill will more than triple the size of the AmeriCorps program, to 250,000 slots, up from 75,000. It will also increase, to $5,350, the education stipend that volunteers receive for each year of service, bringing that award in line with the maximum Pell Grant. Older volunteers could transfer up to $1,000 of their stipend to a child, foster child, or grandchild.
Finally, the bill will create, but not finance, a grant program to encourage service learning. As many as 25 institutions would be named “colleges of service” and would share a $7-million award, which Congress would have to appropriate separately. —Kelly Field
Posted on Tuesday April 21, 2009 | Permalink |