Families struggling to keep up with college tuition may get some help in the coming weeks as the federal government takes steps to try to ease the credit crunch.

Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced recently that her department will purchase up to $6.5 billion in student loans from the 2007-2008 academic year.

The ongoing credit crunch has shown signs of extending into more consumer-oriented areas like automobiles and student loans, creating an additional burden at a time when many are also facing layoffs and uncertainty.

Along with finding access to fewer loans, many students have been paying higher interest for the ones they can get.

"I am using the authority granted by Congress to protect students and their families during the unprecedented current market conditions and taking necessary steps to help ensure continued, successful disbursements of student loans," said Spellings last week.

The secretary added that this will be a short-term plan for her department, which will last no longer than February 28, 2009. The department will purchase loans at 97 percent of their principal along with any outstanding interest, at a rate of about $500 million each week.

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