Free College Tuition Taking Root

When Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders ran for President, he was labeled a socialist.

Many of the voters who latched on to his platforms were young people who were able to connect with what he was saying. One policy issue that gained traction was free college tuition. As anyone who has been following college costs knows, a four- year college degree is being priced out for many would-be students. Although Sanders lost the nomination to Hillary Clinton, the free tuition notion apparently has some traction. Recently the State of New York announced free college tuition for students who attended New York state colleges. Two provisos of the program are that family income must be under $100,000 and the student must promise to remain in New York State for each year of scholarship. Thus a student who receives a four-year scholarship is to remain in New York for four-years after graduation. This is to prevent a “ brain drain” where students leave the state soon after graduation.

The state of New Jersey has had a program for a number of years. The NJ Stars program enabled students who graduate from high school with a certain GPA would be able to attend the local community college tuition-free. If the student maintains the requisite GPA at the community college, they would receive scholarship funds to a New Jersey state college for the next two years.

Other states may be jumping on the wagon. The state of Tennessee has enacted the Tennessee Promise Act where, starting in 2018, all state residents will be able to attend community college tuition-free. Students must be state residents for at least a year before applying. To keep the scholarship, they have to enroll at least part-time, maintain a 2.0 GPA and complete eight hours of community service each semester.

Oregon has also enacted similar community college free tuition programs.

While programs like those mentioned have been slow to develop, the future for many prospective college students look bright. Even back in colonial times, Dr. Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, observed that in order for the fledgling democracy, the United States of America, to succeed, it needed an educated population. Two centuries later, the same is still true.

c. 2017 J. Margolis

Housing Prices and School Districts

A recent article in The Newark (NJ) Star Ledger discussed the results of a study comparing home prices in certain neighborhoods with the ratings of the school districts in those neighborhoods. It is a given that many parents select where to live based on how highly rated the schools are.  Good schools attract families with school age children.  Parents are even willing to give up some housing options (like an extra room or garage) to live in an area with a more prestigious school system.  They are willing to pay thousands of dollars over budget to land a house in a well-regarded school system (high test cores, % of students who get into college). This raises the question of whether higher housing prices attract more affluent parents who want better education for their children or do schools with high academic ratings drive home prices higher.

One of the other issues to consider has to do with property taxes. In some states, the district’s taxpayers must approve local school board budgets. In districts with a high proportion of senior citizens, school budgets are often defeated as retirees on a fixed budget are reluctant to see their property taxes increased. In other areas, the local population wants the best for their children and is willing to pay for items like field trips, new technology, and experienced teachers. That is why you may find that local taxes may dedicate as much as 40% of their funding to run the schools.

These issues create a genuine dilemma for house-hunting families, especially those on a budget. It also points to the disparity in this country when it comes to public education. After decades of research and millions of dollars spent on trying to equalize education in America’s schools, the disparities still exist. As long as these issues persist, children in less affluent communities will continue to be shortchanged.

c. 2017 J. Margolis

School Trips to Washington, DC

It doesn’t seem to matter who occupies 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC, our nation’s capital is always a prime destination for tourists. During my recent trip to DC, I was gratified to see a number of school students, from all over the country, visiting historic sights and museums, learning about our nation’s history.

I had the opportunity to visit two museums and one historic home. The hot ticket at the Smithsonian these days is the National Museum of African- American History. The museum traces the struggles of Blacks in America from slavery through the Civil Rights movement and beyond. The museum is divided into two facets, historical and cultural. The upper floors pay homage to African- American leaders in art, music, and sports.

The second museum, one of my favorites, is the Newseum. It traces the history of journalism and news reporting throughout the world. There are newspaper headlines from around the world highlighting wars, triumphs in space and the evils of terrorism. Visitors can see what is like to be in front of a TV camera, reporting the news.

We also got to visit the DC home of President Woodrow Wilson. There were not too many students there but the few at the home took interest in his legacy.

There were hundreds of students at each location. They were all quite polite and appeared to be engaged in the museums’ offerings. My hats off to those teachers who organized and chaperoned these important trips. I hope that schools throughout the United States will continue to bring their students and engage them in an understanding of our history or government.

c. 2017 J. Margolis