EXPLAINER: What’s behind changes in student loan forgiveness

By COLLIN BINKLEY
AP Education Writer

A student debt forgiveness program with notoriously complex eligibility rules is getting an overhaul from the Biden administration, with the intent of extending debt relief to thousands of public workers. The Education Department announced Wednesday that it will lift some rules for Public Service Loan Forgiveness while it works on permanent improvements through a rulemaking process. The action will immediately make 22,000 workers eligible for loan cancellation. Under the temporary action, certain loan payments that previously couldn’t count toward the program will be eligible. This week the Education Department started holding hearings as a part of a process to make permanent improvements.