Education wasn't front and center at Thursday's debate - it was barely mentioned. Sanders managed to plug his free-tuition-for-all proposal. But I was waiting for a more substantive debate about the plausibility of his promise to America's youth, and a much-needed discussion about our nation's K-12 schools.
I have a daughter going to college this fall. I get it. I know what tuition and room and board costs. It's out of control. The level of student debt in this country is appalling and crippling. Change must be in the offing.
Bernie Sanders wants to make all public universities and colleges tuition-free. Hillary Clinton wants to make community colleges tuition-free for two years.
But before this country invests tens or hundreds of billions in providing free tuition to public colleges and universities, we must invest in the countless broken elementary, middle and high schools in this country. Senator Sanders talks about taxing Wall Street firms to the tune of $75-billion to help pay tuition. A large chunk of that money should instead go to better preparing American children for college, and life, by improving their K-12 schools.
There's been so little mention of public education in this election cycle, despite the fact that so many of our schools - particularly those in our nation's largest cities - need an infusion of cash and so much more. For many children, college isn't even a thought. And often times, highly intelligent students graduate with subpar skills that don't prepare them for college, something I have seen first-hand as an adjunct professor. Many school buildings are crumbling and dangerous, and classrooms are overcrowded. Sanders often talks about income inequality. But just as important is the inequity in our public schools from city to suburb and from neighborhood to neighborhood.
So until we fix our nation's public schools, free tuition at state schools isn't the answer. The monetary figure we're talking about is staggering, and would overburden taxpayers and state budgets. Sanders talks about countries like Germany and Norway offering free college education. But these countries are tiny in comparison to the U.S. Norway, for example, has 42 public colleges by my count. The State University of New York alone has 64 campuses, 420,000 undergrads and a $12-billion budget.
If state schools are free, I believe they will, over time, deteriorate due to fluctuating funding, which is already a problem at some of them. Many community colleges and some four-year institutions will be no better off then our troubled high schools. Their infrastructures will suffer, and their technology will not keep pace. They will come to rely on poorly paid adjunct instructors more than ever. You can bet that some governors (see Wisconsin's Scott Walker) will not make these schools a priority when budgets are tight.
If some of our states can't take care of their public schools, what makes us think they can take care of our secondary institutions without the billions of tuition dollars paid by students?
Rather than make public colleges and universities tuition-free, the U.S. should make them more affordable in the following ways.
Student Loans
Both Sanders and Clinton are proposing changes to student loans. This is the most pressing issue. There's no reason anyone should pay interest rates of 4-7% when even mortgages have lower rates. Anyone with student loan debt should be able to refinance at a rate closer to 2%, and those applying for new loans should get the lowest possible rates.
One of the reasons student loan rates are so high is the high default rate. Loan default is more likely when a student drops out. This is another reason our low performing high schools must better prepare students for the rigors of college.
Tuition
Tuition at public universities and community colleges has severely outpaced inflation, and needs to be rolled back and capped for the foreseeable future. I don't know what the magic number is, but pricing should take into consideration a reasonable maximum student loan debt, scholarships and Pell grants, etc. This is where some of that Wall Street tax revenue could make up the difference in school budgets.
FAFSA
If you have a student in college, you know what this is. The Free Application For Federal Student Aid tells you, based on family income and assets, how much financial aid you qualify for. These calculators have not kept up with the cost of living, and have always been ridiculous, at least for students living in major metropolitan areas. My father was furious back in the early 80's when he realized how much Syracuse University expected him to pay. The thresholds have to be raised, so that more middle-class students are eligible for aid.
Trade Schools
Instead of going to two-year community college, many high school grads would be better off learning a trade. But we have done away with so many trade schools in this country. This would be an excellent area for government investment. There's money to be made in carpentry, welding, electrical work, plumbing, hair styling, mechanics, computer and machine repair. Trade schools could also prepare careers in the field of renewable energy. Going to community college for two years is often a dead end - but a year or two at a trade school could result in immediate employment and a middle-class salary. Not everybody wants or should go to traditional college.
If we want to get more young people into college and keep them there, we have to make it more affordable. But we also have to better educate them in the years before college. I've heard very little about this on the campaign trail, and I'm concerned that it appears public education isn't going to get the help it needs during the next administration - no matter who is in the White House.