Others Weigh in On McCain and Obama Education Agendas
I have previously posted about the education positions of the presidential candidates and criticized both candidates for failing to address the needs of adult, part-time, and financially independent students—the other 85%. In a comment to my August 4 blog post, one person suggested that I was expressing my “political loyalties” and asserting the other 85 percent as a single issue by which to judge the candidates. Neither of those things are what I intend. I am trying to report the stands of each candidate, without endorsing either one. For the purposes of this blog, dedicated to the other 85%, I am focusing on an issue that I think deserves public policy attention. It is my hope that both candidates will recognize and address this issue. Obviously, there are many other important issues out there.
As you would expect during an election period, there continues to be coverage of the candidates stands on education. On August 18, Inside Higher Ed made this statement:
Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate, has released his higher education agenda, but there aren’t many details. McCain calls higher education a key part of the “increased competition from overseas” that the United States faces, and says that the government should “support innovative approaches to education, removing regulatory barriers that prevent us from moving forward.” Parents need better information on college choices, the plan says, and tax credits for college and aid forms need to be simplified. Further, he reiterates his previous calls to eliminate earmarks, which he says are “destroying the integrity of federally funded research.” (The higher education plans of Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate, may be found here.)
I will simply say, once again, that that I am waiting to see the presidential candidates address the needs of the other 85%.
What are your thoughts?
Mike
Share This2 Responses to “Others Weigh in On McCain and Obama Education Agendas”
Lee Thienel Says:
Having the US Government involved in education is an enormous waste of our (working adults) hard earned money.
Currently the Department of Education budget is:
Total, Discretionary budget $56.830B and the
Total, Non-discretionary budget is $7.654B (from http://www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/fy07/pdf/budget/education.pdf. The “Credit Activity” (loans) is $74.314B. This works out to $138.798B. No matter who is the President, the federal government has demonstrated an uncanny inability to efficiently collect and distribute funds. Of this money how much actually makes it down to the local school or University and of that how very little makes it to the classroom? It seems that for every $100M we give the local school board (Albuquerque, NM) they come back in a year or two and ask for another $100M. If we ask where the last $100M went they admit that they really don’t know.
Until school systems and faculty are accountable we need to stop sending them huge sums of money. If we are going to fund schools federally then the US Department of Education (along with the State Dept of Ed.s and local governments) needs to get to a point where >90% of their budget is going into the classroom or other end points where it is intended to go.
It doesn’t matter who wins the election, this is one area where the problems will continue or get worse. This area of the budget is poorly managed and that will not change during the next administration.
It would be good to guarantee student loans to all Americans. There should be no needs test, no wealth discrimination, and no age discrimination (us older students). It should be granted to all Americans without discrimination. It is the socialist nature of “needs based” benefits that divides this nation.
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Welcome to The Other 85 Percent. So what does "the other 85 percent" refer to? Research has shown that only about 15 percent of higher education students still fit the traditional definition of young adults age 18 to 22 who live on campus and go to school full time. more
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Calliope Says:
It seems like McCain threw an education plan out there just to shut up the people who were asking for it. It’s not terribly cohesive, though it’s got a couple of good ideas. Doesn’t seem to mention working adults anywhere.
See a slightly more detailed analysis here.
August 25th, 2008 at 11:41 am