The Facts

Starving America’s Public Schools

How Budget Cuts and Policy Mandates Are Hurting Our Nation’s Students

By Jeff Bryant
Campaign for America's Future
October 13th, 2011
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Author Organization(s): 

Campaign for America's Future

Author(s): 
Jeff Bryant
Report: 
http://www.ourfuture.org/files/documents/starving-schools-report.pdf
Publication Date: 
10/13/2011
Report Subtitle: 
How Budget Cuts and Policy Mandates Are Hurting Our Nation’s Students

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School Cuts Hurt Kids. . . 

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Money-Changers In The Senate

How The Student Loan Industry Enlisted Senators To Fight Reform And Protect Profits

By Kevin Connor
Public Accountability Initiative
March 22nd, 2010
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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 »

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Average College Debt

Submitted by Armand Biroonak
September 15, 2008

The average debt for students graduating college now exceeds $19,000.

Source
U.S. Department of Education
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Voucher Programs Have No Impact on Performance

Submitted by Armand Biroonak
August 21, 2008

Two studies from Bush’s own Department of Education found that the voucher program in Washington D.C. has had no impact on students’ academic performance. An exhaustive eight-year study of Milwaukee’s school voucher program reached the same conclusion.

Source

Department of Education 2007

Department of Education 2008

Economic Policy Institute

College: Soaring Out of Reach for Families

By Robert Borosage
December 20, 2007

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. more »

Backgrounder: The Student Aid And Fiscal Responsibility Act

By Armand Biroonak
February 9, 2010

The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act seeks to provide relief to millions of students, parents and workers struggling to obtain a college degree or training for a better job. more »


According to a recent New York Times/CBS News poll, 70 percent of parents surveyed were “very concerned” about how they would pay for college; only 6 percent were not concerned.

Source
Jonathan D. Glater. "Fewer Options Open to Pay for Costs of College." New York Times. April 12, 2008.

-95% of Americans believe smaller class sizes would be effective in attracting and retaining teachers, and 87% believe higher salaries for beginning teachers would accomplish the same. (Gallup, September 2007)

Source
“The 39th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward The Public Schools,” Lowell C. Rose & Alec M. Gallup, September 2007. http://www.pdkmembers.org/members_online/publications/e-GALLUP/kpoll_pdfs/pdkpoll39_2007.pdf.

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