Well, he kind of does. He’s no genius, instead he showed up and did the work and the stories about classmates were pretty pathetic, to be honest. And, many were adults not teens. Not many teens are supporting their families (as if) and if they are that is also another problem that going to a CC for free is not going to solve. Also, as I said my kid did go to CC for free so these programs are already out there in many states. In fact, he was amazed when he found out about people who didn’t apply for the fee waiver program because it took an hour to fill out the forms.
**MODERATOR’S NOTE:**I consolidated the ones in the “students’” forums. It gets confusing because the 2 threads there were started by students and answered by parents. I’m leaving this one alone since students do not necessarily trot on over to the parents forum.
Of course, the whole idea behind subsidized education is to allow members of each generation to achieve on their own merits, rather than being limited by their parents’ SES. Disagreement on this is likely the root of political conflict on the matter.
^^good thing – we don’t need no wet-behind-the-ears whippersnappers opining their “life” experiences. 
(just joking)
Actually, I just don’t think a couple of hundred dollars a month has much to do with SES at all. That can be achieved. And, if we get to the point where a part-time job can’t be found by a CC student that is also a different problem. There are already far too many aimless students attending CC’s for the simple reason that it’s cheap so how making it free will help anything I don’t know. But, it sounds nice. And, has no chance of passing. So yeah.
Keep in mind that the program is not targeted at low SES students. These students would be awarded Pell Grants. It’s much more of a middle class program (high SES students likely would attend a 4 year university).
In fact, that’s one of the early “concerns” with the program, that it doesn’t give any additional help to low SES students.
Hey, for once, I have to agree with my good friend Bluebayou! Actually, I would push it further with a deeper link between the high schools and start looking at a 3/3 program with only 3 years of high school and a FULL degree (as opposed to AA) as they have in Europe. There are all kinds of programs and degrees (think accounting) that could benefit for a shorter stay in school for dedicated students. Forget the articulations to the “top” unless the path is towards the Master’s level.
As far as funding, eliminating Pell Grants at rich schools is only one element. How about restricting the Pell at public schools after a smaller number of years and no meaningful progress to graduation?
As far as Harvard, there are more than a few people who would love for the august school to borrow a page from Hillsdale and become independent from the government and its … changing redistributive policies. A bonus would be that it drive a stake in the heart of the nefarious attacks of http://studentsforfairadmissions.org/ and its moronic funder. Not to mention a heightened freedom to choose the classes the school really wants!
I’ve been advocating this concept for a long time.
Basically, adding 13th and 14th grade to the basic publicly funded education offering.
One of the great advantages of this, imho, would be to massively decrease demand for and spending on very expensive seats at four year residential colleges. 4 year college degrees are way too expensive, way too over-enrolled and way too diluted. Way too much money being thrown at that credential and with horrible outcomes – only a 50% graduation rate.
Makes much more sense to provide the opportunity for every kid to get 2 additional years of post-HS education on a very low cost basis (live at home, attend CC, maybe study a technical rather than academic subject).
Then only some kids (where it makes sense in terms of ambition, talent and interest) go on to residential university but only for 2 years. We stop wasting money on 4 year college degree attempts for kids where it just doesn’t make sense. And hugely reduce the cost of the 4 year degree for those kids where it does make sense.
I’m not sure how high the barriers to attending a CC are now. But I think the reason to do this is to break the mindset that all kids need to go to an expensive 4 year college.
Once most middle class families adopt the mindset that it is OK/typical to do 13th and 14th grade at your local CC, the higher ed bubble will be permanently burst. Which would be a good thing.
Why would making it free instead of cheap make it more appealing, though? This is a question from a mom who has one kid who went for free and another who found the very concept of CC utterly embarrassing and free wouldn’t have helped. Also, if we’re now talking about middle class kids living at home I really don’t see why a little part-time job to help pay the current minimal fees is a bad thing. It’s part of growing up and kids at universities work part-time, too. It’s the whole skin in the game thing and hardly the end of the world.
Anyway, this can’t happen because the states won’t allow a takeover. It’s just talk.
Tenn funded their program with a lottery. AKA a tax on the poor and or stupid.
When I lived in California, community college cost $2/semester.
Frankly, I’d like to see this concept extended to all public colleges and universities. There would also have to be a requirement for satisfactory academic progress.
The whole “how can we pay it” question can be answered. Perhaps we can get rid of weapons systems the Pentagon doesn’t want built or we could cut subsidies to large farmers or could raise taxes very slightly. Ultimately, as with the GI Bill, it will help the entire economy.
That is true, but one could take the position that the money is diverted to a process that “might” reduce the number of poor or stupid people. At least, we ought to applaud attempts to implement positive changes, and especially when it has an impact on a system that has been dysfunctional for eons and rotten to its core.
Fwiw, ultimately we will have to forego the idea that education should be free during the entire K-12. At some point, and maybe one we already passed by, the current system of funding education will have to change as property taxes cannot possibly continue to increase. A system that emulates a FAFSA process could be incorporated in middle school. And one benefit might be for people to start realizing that the money that is routinely wasted in K-12 is not only OPM. Having to foot 5 to 20 percent of the cost of the public education might prompt families to become more involved in the “system” and start to scrutinize the funding mechanisms instead of blindly approving or rejecting bond issues.
… a tax on the mathematically incompetent
An acquaintance attended a local CC science class recently. Another student didn’t know whether the earth revolved around the sun or not. That’s the level of ability at some CCs. Making it free still won’t entice the best and the brightest to go to CC.
Better to fund free state college educations for those with the highest grades and SAT scores.
We lived in a town for a few years, ending the summer after D’s 9th grade year, where the CC on their own offered free tuition to anyone in their area that graduated in the top 10% of their HS class. They wanted to attract the brightest and hoped that the benefit for them would be that the friends of the brightest would come, even if they were between 11-20% of their graduating class and so had to pay.
@momofthreeboys
What is a “binding articulation agreement”?
Bajamm, did it work?
The only advantage to attending a CC is saving money. Classes are just not as rigorous and therefore, I know some medical schools will not accept credits from CCs in the hard sciences that are pre-requisites for med school. Students also lose out on getting four years of mentorship from professors, four years of doing research with the same investigator, etc. Even for those who are not looking to go on to graduate or professional schools, I wonder if Chem 101 for example at a CC is going to prepare a student for advanced Chem at a four year university.
IMO, paying for CC is not the best use of dollars for higher education, but as someone said upthread, it will never pass so…
@tatinG it was starting to work when we moved. I think they were hoping for more interest than there was, though the critics were surprised with the interest there was.
Perhaps its time for us to “retire.” hahahahaha