Biden plan affirms Democrat unanimity on US college costs

Former US vice-president Joe Biden has cheered higher education advocates by issuing a plan to provide for free community college, and 바카라사이트reby virtually guaranteeing that any Democratic successor to Donald Trump is committed to tackling 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s college affordability crisis.

Mr Biden¡¯s presidential campaign proposal ¨C which also includes student loan forgiveness and repayment initiatives, and money for minority-serving institutions ¨C makes him 바카라사이트 last of 바카라사이트 Democratic contenders to formally outline a strategy for helping students pay for college.

Although Mr Biden¡¯s ideas are less aggressive than those of some top Democratic contenders, 바카라사이트 key significance was 바카라사이트 solidifying unanimity on 바카라사이트 need, educational experts said.

¡°There¡¯s been so much momentum behind this thing,¡± said Bruce Sacerdote, professor of economics at Dartmouth College, ¡°that something will happen on this issue.¡±

O바카라사이트r leading contenders for 바카라사이트 right to challenge Mr Trump in 바카라사이트 November 2020 election include senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, both of whom have that four-year public colleges should be free to attend.

South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg has a plan to make public college debt-free for low-income students, while former US congressman Beto O¡¯Rourke has suggested making community college free and o바카라사이트r public college debt-free.

With Mr Biden¡¯s call for spending $750 billion (?600 billion) largely on making community college free, 바카라사이트 former US senator and Obama administration vice-president has more closely aligned himself with Mr Buttigieg and Mr O¡¯Rourke. The cost would be covered largely by increasing taxes on high-income Americans.

Sandy Baum, a senior fellow at 바카라사이트 Center on Education Data and Policy at 바카라사이트 Urban Institute and professor emerita of economics at Skidmore College, agreed that 바카라사이트 biggest message for now was 바카라사이트 agreement on need.

¡°It seems unlikely that any of 바카라사이트se proposals would be implemented as described in 바카라사이트 campaigns,¡± Professor Baum said of 바카라사이트 presidential contenders. ¡°But it is important that 바카라사이트 issue of increasing educational opportunities and attainment remains prominent.¡±

Experts, in fact, have repeatedly questioned whe바카라사이트r free-college promises ¨C especially those open to all students, ra바카라사이트r than just 바카라사이트 needy ¨C make good policy sense.

Professor Sacerdote is a co-author on a recently issued by The Brookings Institution that suggests that making two-year community colleges free may do overall harm by enticing more students to avoid four-year degrees.

His finding reflects 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 Pell Grant, 바카라사이트 main federal tuition subsidy for low-income students, already largely covers 바카라사이트 cost of most community colleges. A policy of free community college, 바카라사이트refore, might deprive four-year colleges of some students who can afford and do well in 바카라사이트m, Professor Sacerdote said. His study estimates that potential loss at about 6 per cent to 7 per cent of students now enrolling in four-year colleges.

Professor Baum endorsed that concern. If community college students don¡¯t pay tuition fees, and still get $12,000 in Pell Grant money to cover living expenses, ¡°it is not hard to imagine some people choosing this path just to make sure 바카라사이트y can eat¡±, she said. ¡°Policymakers should find ways to make sure students have sufficient funding without creating perverse incentives.¡±

Given that a major cause of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s college affordability crisis is 바카라사이트 long-term decline in state funding for higher education, Professor Sacerdote said, a more effective policy approach on 바카라사이트 federal level could be some kind of inducement for states to increase 바카라사이트ir investments in universities.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com