Tuition within American public colleges is said to have been close to free about forty years ago because the students took a very small share of the education costs. Today, the cost of higher education is high and unaffordable for the many children from the poor backgrounds. Considering the available statistics again, the United States of America was at the top, on the list of countries with many 24-35 years aged youths with higher education degrees in the year 1990. Today, the United States is at number 12 on the same list (Baum, 2016). The 2014 U.S. Census Bureau data presents the current worrying situation in a clearer manner by explaining that 68% of the people aged 25 years and above do not possess a bachelor's degree. Moreover, 62% of the youths aged over 25 years do not have any form of a degree (Baum, 2016). Using Bardach (2012) model, this paper identifies these issues as the problem that needs policy-based solutions. It is a case of a concern that has to be changed. Many youths have to be allowed to access higher education. The United States Federal Government should make college education within the public four-year institutions free for all students.
There is massive evidence to show that the existing situation in the United States is harmful the future of the entire country and free college has to be implemented. Firstly, there is the major issue of massive student debt level. Students currently take up the greater share of college education costs than the federal government. This was the case for the generations that lived in the past when the college education was almost free for students (Baum, 2016). Today, the tuition fees and inflation have significantly increased while the government aid has been falling steadily. Statistics indicate that the people of America have a student loans debt of $1.9 trillion today. Over 7 million people are in default in terms of paying this debt while many others are behind the payment schedule. According to the U.S. Department of Treasury, the tuition fees for the four-year public colleges as well as universities has doubled, in terms of percentage, when compared to the level it was in the year 1987 (Baum, 2016). It is also interesting to note that the U.S. Department of Treasury reports that the proportion that is financed by the government both the federal and the state governments has decreased by about 30%. The in-state tuition within public colleges, as well as the universities, has increased by over 60% when compared to the level it was in the year 2000. This is after adjusting for inflation (Baum, 2016).
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The second evidence is for the limited access to higher education for the many qualified students from the poor families. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the size of students hailing from the low-income families registering in the colleges after their high school learning has fallen by 10% from the year 2008. In the year 2008, it was 56% enrolling but now stands at 46%. This is s sharp contrast for the students from wealthy families where 79% of them join colleges for higher education.
The third evidence is the barrier to getting employment if not educated in college. With the United States economy moving from manufacturing-based to service-driven, the need for high knowledge and skills is increasing within the job market. There is a high demand for the educated job-seekers. The 2011/2012 American Community Survey found out that 65% of all the job opportunities being advertised demanded a bachelor's degree as the minimum qualification (Baum, 2016).
There are various policy proposals that can be implemented in order to achieve free college education for all students. These policy proposals have been advanced by leaders like Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
Expanding the original Taylor Opportunity Program for Students is one important policy proposal. It will be worthwhile if the original program of Taylor for students is expanded. It has been noted that the current completion rate shows that the one for students under the TOPS program is two times more that for non-TOPS learners (Baum, 2016).
Another proposal may is to stop the money going to for-profit colleges. Statistics from the Institution of Education Science and National Center for Education Statistics indicate that about 78% of the for-profit higher education institution students got grants to assist them to pay for their attendance in the academic year 2011/2012. This was a proportion higher than that of both the 2-year and 4-year public college students (Baum, 2016). This money has to be diverted from the for-profit colleges and be used to support the free education of the public higher education students.
Another vital proposal may be to implement the proposal made by Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. The other way of achieving free college education is by implementing the raft of proposals made by Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. The proposals are aimed at ensuring students from families earning an annual salary of $125,000 access college and university education. It has to be understood that this income group makes up 83% of the entire American population.
In order to effectively fund and deliver free college education for all students in the United States of America, it is important to implement the proposals given by Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. This paper selects the policies proposed by Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in delivering free college education for all students. The problem targeted by these policies is high student debt. The criteria to be used in financing free college education, under the Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton proposal, include implementing various specific policy actions.
The first policy action is the federal and state governments to provide free tuition in public colleges and universities. Under this policy, the federal government will foot 75% while the state government will take 25% of the tuition fees for the students in the public colleges and universities. If this policy is implemented, then education in the institutions of higher learning will be made totally free. It has to be noted that this is not the first time it will be happening in the United States of America, it is a policy that was implemented in Germany last year in order to encourage more students in the country to access higher education (Baum, 2016). Other countries have also planned to implement free higher education for students in public colleges and universities as soon as in 2017 (Baum, 2016). These countries include Chile. There are those that have already implemented free tuition in public colleges apart from Germany; they include Finland, Norway and Sweden.
Moreover, it is important to note the fact that free tuition in public colleges is something that has happened before in the United States of America. The University of California provided free tuition up to the year 1980. Another college that did not charge tuition fee from students is the City University of New York. Therefore, free college education in the United States of America will not be a whole new policy.
The second policy action is to cut student loan interest rates substantially. The student loan interest rates setting formula has to get back to how it was in 2006. With the 2006 student loans interest rate formula, the current interests would decrease from the level of 4.29% to 2.37%. Students have to be allowed to refinance their loans at the low-interest rates.
Thirdly, it is worthwhile to give students the opportunity to use need-based financial aid as well as work-study programs. Universities and colleges have to settle all the financial needs of the students from low-income families. These low-income students would be in a position to utilize federal, state and college financial aid in order to take care of the room and board, books as well as living expenses (Baum, 2016). Furthermore, work-study programs need to be implemented with college students allowed to build worthwhile career experiences, which can assist them after they complete their higher education.
The federal government should also impose taxes on the Wall Street Speculators on the stock, bonds and derivative trades. To get the requisite money for financing the full free tuition for college and university students, a tax has to be imposed on the Wall Street speculators. Free tuition in colleges and universities may cost the government $75 billion per year (Gilbert & Heller, 2013). This amount can be fully settled by imposing a tax on the Wall Street speculators who virtually ruined the entire American economy. It is important to note that most economists have supported this policy bearing in mind the fact that across the world, there are many countries that have successfully implemented the same policy. Some of these countries include Britain, Germany, France, Switzerland and China. If these policies are implemented, then free education in colleges will be a big success.
The outcomes of implementing the above policies will be many. Firstly, many youths in America will be able to access higher education in the colleges and universities. With access to free education, many youths will be able to climb the economic ladder. They will be able to access good-paying jobs and improve their standards of living. With a college education, the many children born into the low and middle-class families will advance to high-income socio-economic class when they become adults (Baum, 2016). Many children will have the chance to be employed when they become adults because of this free college education.
Another major outcome of a free college education is the fact that the level student loans debt will significantly be cut down. With the implementation of low-interest rates on the student loans, the level of student debt is expected to reduce greatly. This plan will also mean the federal and state government takes the biggest share of the college and university education costs hence reducing the financial burden on the students.
The United States of America needs this program so that the various sectors of the economy can be improved through increased research and innovation. With many students accessing education in the United States, it implies that there will be many brilliant minds given the chance to research and do innovation of new technologies as well as processes into the various sectors of the economy. The positive outcomes of this plan to the whole country cannot be gainsaid.
The people on the negative side, opposing free education in colleges, have advanced arguments that implementing free education in colleges and universities may overstretch the already insufficient public financial resources. They ask where the funds to finance free education in colleges will be got. Those on the negative side have always said that America cannot afford to fund free college and university education (Doyle, 2012). However, considering the opportunity cost of not implementing free college education, it is real that it is too high to continue taking it. Not implementing free college and university education means many youths will not qualify for employment, children from low-income families will not access higher education; the student debt will keep rising, and the economy remains with minimal research, development, and innovation. Therefore, it is important to implement free higher education for all students.
In conclusion, the decision taken in this paper is that the federal and state government as well as the higher education institutions should implement free education for all college students. It is the right and worthwhile course of action for the United States of America. The low-income families of the American people are wallowing in high debts brought about by the increasing costs of higher education. It is, therefore, vital that the government of the coming regime ensures debt-free college and university education to save these families that make up 83% of the whole American population. The United States Federal Government should make college education within the public four-year institutions free for all students.
References
Bardach, E. (2012). A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective problem solving, (4th Ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage/CQ Press
Baum, S. (2016). Student Debt: Good, Bad, and Misunderstood. In Student Debt (pp. 1-15). Palgrave Macmillan US.
Doyle, W. R. (2012). The politics of public college tuition and state financial aid. The Journal of Higher Education , 83 (5), 617-647.
Gilbert, C. K., & Heller, D. E. (2013). Access, equity, and community colleges: The Truman Commission and federal higher education policy from 1947 to 2011. The Journal of Higher Education , 84 (3), 417-443.
