Presidential candidates are starting to mention “college affordability”– but we need to be looking at more than just costs, loans, and tuition.
America is ranked last or almost last in major adult skills needed to compete in the 21st century economy.
Of the 22 industrialized countries tested by ETS, U.S. millennials rank:
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16th in literacy
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Tied for last in numeric literacy
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Tied for last in PS-TRE (Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments)
Not only is college unaffordable — colleges aren’t training millennials for modern skills and careers.
How is free college or student loan forgiveness going to fix that?
It can’t. And while higher education reform may not sounds as sexy as “free college,” Republican candidates for president have an opportunity to stand out from their Democrat counterparts.
Republicans need to start talking about helping young Americans realize the American Dream by getting an affordable education in a career path that will get them meaningful and high-paying jobs.
Our undertrained workforce stems from two problems: Colleges and high schools aren’t training students in modern fields; and, students aren’t choosing to major in fields that are in-demand.
Here are some easy-to-understand policy proposals to fix these problems:
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Make colleges co-signers on federal student loans. That way, colleges have an incentive to keep tuition low, persuade students to major in productive fields, and help their graduates get good jobs.
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Offer better interest rates and grants to those majoring in fields in-demand. Give students a financial incentive to make good choices, just like a bank would offer. This will help American businesses get the talent they need, while directing graduates toward high-paying jobs.
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End tenure and make colleges right-to-work. If professors don’t have a financial incentive to update their teachings and certifications, why would they? If you can never be fired, where is the accountability? Tenure is just one of the outdated practices, but it’s one that could be ended easily if the federal government were to cut aid to systems that don’t reform.
These are just a couple examples of the policies Republican candidates could be championing to help the next generation. As we pointed out, no Republican candidate has made a major pitch to millennials in a debate — while Democrats mentioned college affordability 11 times in the last debate alone.
Young grads and those nearing graduation know the system is broken and job opportunities are scarce. These voters want answers from our policymakers about how they will lower college costs and help young Americans start their careers and compete globally.
