Report

With billions in profits on the line, banks have waged an intensive, multimillion-dollar political and lobbying campaign against changes in the federal student loan program that would end billions in subsidies for the banks. They have enlisted six Democratic senators to raise concerns about the reform effort with Senate leadership. This report documents the extensive ties between the six senators—Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark.; Mark Warner, D-Va.; Tom Carper, D-Del.; Ben Nelson, D-Neb.; Bill Nelson, D-Fla., and Jim Webb, D-Va.—and major players in the student loan industry. more »

President Obama’s 2010 budget would transform the federal financial aid system that struggling students and families rely on to pay for college. The proposed budget cuts excessive lender subsidies, moves to more efficient direct lending instead, and invests the savings in students. Our report examines the impact, for the entire country and for students in each state.

» Related Reading: The Obama Budget: A Stick In the Eye For Banks more »

Of the institutions that responded to the survey, 28 percent indicated that they expected their institution to have a shortfall in their Perkins Loan fund on June 30, 2008, which would require their institution to make a loan to the fund. Another 18 percent were unsure if they would have a shortfall. more »

The nation has invested hundreds of billions of dollars in school infrastructure to create an environment where children can be properly educated and prepared for the future. Almost exclusively a state and local responsibility, this infrastructure requires maintenance and capital investment. However, public concern is growing that while laws require
children to attend school, some school buildings may be unsafe or even harmful to children’s health. This report analyzes the deterioration of public school building infrastructure and explains the hazards association with these buildings. more »

Outlines changes in the pricing of post-secondary education in the United States over the course of the last decade. more »

Outlines changes in the funding profile for post-secondary students in the United States over the course of the last decade. more »

Examines the private and public benefits of higher education and explores the discrepancies in the availability and access to higher education in the United States. more »

A report detailing the state-by-state impact, as well as the impact on certain ethnic groups, of the increase of college education and the decrease in median household income. more »

Since the year 2000, the average cost of tuition at a public college has increased
42%,[1] while median household income has fallen 2%.

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 the reports below for detailed impacts. more »