Fact Sheets & Briefs

College: Soaring Out of Reach for Families

Robert Borosage — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 02:29:16 -0500

The dream of a college education is being priced out of reach for more and more American students and their families. Tuition is rising while wages are flat or sinking. Conservatives in Congress have responded by cutting $12 billion from federal student loan programs and raising loan interest rates for student and their parents. Conservatives in state governments have cut back funding for colleges, passing more costs to families in the form of increased tuitions and fees. See below to find out how your representative voted.

Read state-specific reports to see the impacts in your state »
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Voting Scorecard: U.S. Senate (109th Congress)
Education Funding

Senator Name	State	Party	Stop the $12 Billion Cut to Student Loans (S.1932) ¹	Increase Funding of Pell Grants by $5.4 Billion (S.CON. RES. 83 / S. AMDT.177) ²	Increase Grant Funding by $6 billion (S.CON.RES. 83 / AMDT. 3028) ³	Increase Grant Funding (S.CON. RES.83 / S. AMDT.3048) ⁴	Grade
Sessions, Jeff	Alabama	R	N	N	N	N	F
Shelby, Richard C.	Alabama	R	N	N	N	N	F
Murkowski, Lisa	Alaska	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Stevens, Ted	Alaska	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Kyl, Jon	Arizona	R	N	N	N	N	F
McCain, John	Arizona	R	N	N	N	N	F
Lincoln, Blanche L.	Arkansas	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Pryor, Mark L.	Arkansas	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Boxer, Barbara	California	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Feinstein, Dianne	California	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Allard, Wayne	Colorado	R	N	N	N	N	F
Salazar, Ken	Colorado	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Dodd, Christopher J.	Connecticut	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Lieberman, Joseph I.	Connecticut	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Biden, Joseph R.	Delaware	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Carper, Thomas R.	Delaware	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Martinez, Mel	Florida	R	N	N	N	N	F
Nelson, Bill	Florida	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Chambliss, Saxby	Georgia	R	N	N	N	N	F
Isakson, Johnny	Georgia	R	N	N	N	N	F
Akaka, Daniel	Hawaii	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Inouye, Daniel K.	Hawaii	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Craig, Larry E.	Idaho	R	N	N	N	N	F
Crapo, Mike	Idaho	R	N	N	N	N	F
Durbin, Richard	Illinois	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Obama, Barack	Illinois	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Bayh, Evan	Indiana	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Lugar, Richard G.	Indiana	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Grassley, Chuck	Iowa	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Harkin, Tom	Iowa	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Brownback, Sam	Kansas	R	N	N	N	N	F
Roberts, Pat	Kansas	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Bunning, Jim	Kentucky	R	N	N	N	N	F
McConnell, Mitch	Kentucky	R	N	N	N	N	F
Landrieu, Mary L.	Louisiana	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Vitter, David	Louisiana	R	N	N	N	N	F
Collins, Susan M.	Maine	R	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Snowe, Olympia	Maine	R	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Mikulski, Barbara A.	Maryland	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Sarbanes, Paul S.	Maryland	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Kennedy, Edward M.	Massachusetts	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Kerry, John F.	Massachusetts	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Levin, Carl	Michigan	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Stabenow, Debbie	Michigan	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Coleman, Norm	Minnesota	R	N	Y	Y	Y	A
Dayton, Mark	Minnesota	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Cochran, Thad	Mississippi	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Lott, Trent	Mississippi	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Bond, Christopher S.	Missouri	R	N	N	N	N	F
Talent, James M.	Missouri	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Baucus, Max	Montana	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Burns, Conrad	Montana	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Hagel, Chuck	Nebraska	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Nelson, E. Benjamin	Nebraska	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Ensign, John	Nevada	R	N	N	N	N	F
Reid, Harry	Nevada	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Gregg, Judd	New Hampshire	R	N	N	N	N	F
Sununu, John E.	New Hampshire	R	N	N	N	N	F
Lautenberg, Frank R.	New Jersey	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Menendez, Robert	New Jersey	D	NA	NA	Y	Y	C
Bingaman, Jeff	New Mexico	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Domenici, Pete V.	New Mexico	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Clinton, Hillary R.	New York	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Schumer, Charles E.	New York	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Burr, Richard	North Carolina	R	N	N	N	N	F
Dole, Elizabeth	North Carolina	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Conrad, Kent	North Dakota	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Dorgan, Byron L.	North Dakota	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
DeWine, Mike	Ohio	R	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Voinovich, George V.	Ohio	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Coburn, Tom	Oklahoma	R	N	N	N	N	F
Inhofe, James M.	Oklahoma	R	N	N	N	N	F
Smith, Gordon H.	Oregon	R	Y	N	N	Y	C
Wyden, Ron	Oregon	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Santorum, Rick	Pennsylvania	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Specter, Arlen	Pennsylvania	R	N	Y	N	Y	C
Chafee, Lincoln	Rhode Island	R	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Reed, Jack	Rhode Island	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
DeMint, Jim	South Carolina	R	N	N	N	N	F
Graham, Lindsey	South Carolina	R	N	N	N	N	F
Johnson, Tim	South Dakota	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Thune, John	South Dakota	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Alexander, Lamar	Tennessee	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Frist, William H.	Tennessee	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Cornyn, John	Texas	R	N	N	N	N	F
Hutchison, Kay Bailey	Texas	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Bennett, Robert F.	Utah	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Hatch, Orrin G.	Utah	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Jeffords, James M.	Vermont	I	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Leahy, Patrick J.	Vermont	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Allen, George	Virginia	R	N	N	N	N	F
Warner, John	Virginia	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Cantwell, Maria	Washington	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Murray, Patty	Washington	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Byrd, Robert C.	West Virginia	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Rockefeller, John D.	West Virginia	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Feingold, Russell D.	Wisconsin	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Kohl, Herb	Wisconsin	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Enzi, Michael B.	Wyoming	R	N	N	N	N	F
Thomas, Craig	Wyoming	R	N	N	N	N	F

¹ S.1932 provides a provision that eliminates the "accumulated shortfall" of budget authority for the Federal Pell Grant Program by cutting the budget and lowering the reserve fund for Higher Education.

² S.AMDT.177 is relative to educational funding.

³ S.AMDT.3028 supports college access and job training by restoring program cuts slated for vocational education, TRIO, GEAR UP, Perkins Loans and other student aid programs and increases maximum Pell Grant to $4,500.

⁴ S.AMDT.3048 increases the advance appropriations allowance in order to fund health, education and training, and low-income programs.

The Benefits of High-Quality Pre-K

Alex Carter — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:23:01 -0400

The Progressive Solution

Robert Borosage — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 10:44:43 -0500

Education has to become a real national priority. No Child Left Behind was great as a slogan coined by the Children's Defense Fund. It is a disaster as a national education law. College education is exceedingly unaffordable and the cost precludes many potential students from pursuing a college degree. Progressives must unite Americans to meet the challenges facing our education system in the 21st century. We must make progress in several key areas.

More Learning Time: All children should enjoy quality pre-school and kindergarten learning and socialization, and students from 1st through 12th grades should have meaningful afterschool education opportunities. The school year should move from the agricultural calendar of the 19th century to a calendar that maximizes learning.

Quality Teachers and Principals: Skilled educators should teach all students. Every teachers and principal should receive high-quality training before he or she enters school, have on-the-job training opportunities, and be rewarded for excellence. If we hope to retain the best teachers, we need to pay them more and provide them with career opportunities. Our best educators should receive financial incentives to teach in those schools with the most at-risk children.

An Equal Education: Every student should have an opportunity to learn. Adequate health care and nutrition, and an end to the savage inequality in school funding, are all keys to providing an equal education.

A Rigorous Education: Every student should be provided a first-rate education with demanding curriculum standards in core subject areas. Voluntary national standards can help parents hold schools accountable.

Affordable College: Every child must know that he or she can afford a college education. No student should be priced out of the college or advanced technical training they need to succeed in the modern economy. Tuition rates, grant aid, and loan forgiveness must be readjusted to make college affordable.

Progressives should challenge every sector of society and every level of government to make education a top priority. Doubling federal expenditures on education—from three to six percent—should be adopted as a near-term goal, even as states and localities are challenged to invest more. To guarantee the money is used well, we should require that districts are spending money wisely and investing in best practices.

America's future depends on how well we educate our children. To provide every child with a world-class education we need to start sooner, set standards higher and provide opportunities for advanced training and college for all. We need to attract and retain skilled teachers. We need to restructure the school day and the school year. Money alone won't solve the problems facing our schools, but a policy of reforms without resources mocks the scope of our challenge.

Education Facts At A Glance

Robert Borosage — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 10:41:39 -0500

A quarter of students between 4th and 12th grade read below basic standards, and half of ninth graders in disadvantaged urban schools read two to three grade levels below where they should.
Some 14 million 'latch key children' go to an empty house on any given afternoon. The parents of 15.3 million children say their children would participate if an afterschool program were available.
Public school enrollment will reach new records over the next decade; teacher shortages are growing and close to 50% of new teachers leave the profession during their first five years.3 Over the past decade wages for teachers haven't kept up with other jobs that demand similar education and skills.
Higher education tuition costs are rising far faster than inflation, while real wages have been stagnant. Between 2000 and 2005, the average cost of tuition at a public college has increased 42 percent5 but median household income has fallen 2 percent.
The proportion of undergraduate funding in the form of grant aid declines every year. In 1975-76 a Pell grant covered 84% of tuition at a four-year public school—now it only covers 40%.

The Conservative Failure

Alex Carter — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 10:40:06 -0500

For conservatives, public schools are a red flag—bloated, bureaucratic, public institutions. Their first priority is to privatize public education, just as they would privatize Social Security. They push private school vouchers—seeking public funds for tuition to private and religious schools. They starve investment in public schools, arguing that too much is being spent already. Although they profess to believe in the market, they reject the need to pay teachers more and instead push for breaking teachers' unions.

The Bush administration is exemplary. The No Child Left Behind Act mandated testing to identify failing schools, but Bush broke his promise to provide resources to remedy the problems. Despite tuition at four-year public colleges rising by 40% since he came into office, Bush broke his promise to raise the level of Pell grants, the primary federal scholarship program, and cut $12 billion from the student loan program.

Republicans Fail College Affordability Challenge

Ian Mishalove — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 11:50:17 -0500

While students and their parents have been driven to take on high levels of debt to pay for college, Republicans have made doing so more expensive.