Wait...does free college actually work?
EDITOR'S NOTE
Axios this morning reports that Bernie Sanders "won" the online conversation last week, not because of his debate performance, but because of his proposal to wipe out America's entire $1.6 trillion of student debt.
He drew 5.7 million total interactions--likes, comments, and shares--on Facebook and Twitter, more than any other Democratic candidate.
There is plenty to say about the merits (or demerits) of this proposal. All that aside, would wiping out student debt for good and making college free for everybody actually work?
There are ways to find out. The Wall Street Journal the other day had a fascinating profile of Kalamazoo, Michigan, where anonymous donors have been paying for local students' college tuition since 2005 at any public college in the state and 15 private ones.
Only 38% of students who finished high school there between 2006 and 2012 have earned a college degree or certificate, up from 34% before the program existed.
It turns out, as one researcher observed, "You take away the outer layer—financial need. Once that's gone you see these other layers, or barriers, are left," like teen pregnancy, high rates of single-parent households, and homelessness.
You've got to applaud the donors for their efforts here--as the Journal reports, they wanted to do something to help turn Kalamazoo's fortunes around. "The thinking was free tuition for city students would lure families back, give households a financial boost, form a skilled workforce and reduce unemployment," but as the article details, the city's poverty rate has actually steadily risen to 31%.
There are definitely some success stories from the Kalamazoo effort (the whole article is a must-read)--its graduation rate, at least, hasn't fallen, like other similar cities in Michigan. But again, most of the dollars have gone to white females from middle- and upper-income families, who are not exactly the most vulnerable members of society.
Ironically, the strong U.S. labor market today may be undermining the effort. Unemployment in the Kalamazoo area is only 3.1% right now, with rapid job growth in mining, logging, and construction--industries that don't often require entry-level college degrees.
"This year," the Journal notes, the Kalamazoo program is emphasizing "vocational college...hop(ing) marginal students will be less likely to drop out of such programs because they are shorter."
Bernie's campaign platform includes "College for All and Cancel Student Debt." Specifically, he says, "We are going to end the racial and class disparities that persist throughout higher education... [to ensure] all Americans, no matter their race, income, zip code, or immigration status receive a high quality education."
All of us who share those goals should demand more evidence that free tuition would actually achieve them.
See you at 1 p.m.!
Kelly
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