Hillary Clinton to unveil $350 billion plan to make higher education affordable
On Monday, Hillary Clinton will announce her plan to make college more affordable and accessible for millions of Americans.
Called the New College Compact, the plan would create an incentive program that will give more money to states that agree to offer "no loan" tuition at community colleges and four-year public universities; states that enroll more low- and middle-income students; and states that work with colleges to reduce living expenses for students, The Washington Post reports. The plan would cost $350 billion over the course of 10 years, and Clinton would close tax loopholes to secure funding. More than half of the money would be invested in the states, and one-third would go to lowering interest rates on student loans.
The rest of the money would go into other initiatives, including giving grants to schools for child care and emergency financial aid in order to increase graduation rates; investing in support systems on campuses for older students; and allowing federal student aid to be used for online career training programs that issue certificates. "This plan would go further to help the 40 million Americans with student debt than any other plan right now," Chris Hicks, with Jobs for Justice's Debt-Free Future campaign, told the Post. "Other candidates and Congress need to pay attention."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
5 hilariously spirited cartoons about the spirit of Christmas
Cartoons Artists take on excuses, pardons, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Inside the house of Assad
The Explainer Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez, ruled Syria for more than half a century but how did one family achieve and maintain power?
By The Week UK Published
-
Sudoku medium: December 22, 2024
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
USC under fire for canceling valedictorian speech
Speed Read Citing safety concerns, the university canceled a pro-Palestinian student's speech
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Florida teachers can 'say gay' under settlement
speed read The state reached a settlement with challengers of the 2022 "Don't Say Gay" education law
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden administration to forgive $39B in student loan debt for 800K borrowers
Speed Read
By Theara Coleman Published
-
Advocacy groups challenge Harvard's legacy admissions policy
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
2 Michigan school districts ban backpacks after confiscating 4th gun this year
Speed Read
By Theara Coleman Published
-
Education Department to limit bans on transgender student athletes but allow exceptions
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
UAE becomes 1st Middle Eastern country to mandate Holocaust education in schools
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
College admissions scandal mastermind sentenced to 3.5 years in prison
Speed Read
By Devika Rao Published