The Facts

Obama’s Budget: Supporting Students, Not Banks

By Eric Lotke, Christine Lindstrom and Armand Biroonak
Institute for America's Future, U.S. Public Interest Research Group
March 26th, 2009
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College-Debt-nobgff.gifPresident 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 »

COHEAO and NACUBO Survey Reveals Perkins Loan Shortfalls

By Coalition of Higher Education Assistance Organizations (COHEAO) and the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO).
May 04th, 2008
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Author Organization(s): 

Coalition of Higher Education Assistance Organizations (COHEAO) and the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO).

Report: 
http://www.coheao.org/resource/frontnews/0508a.asp
Publication Date: 
05/04/2008

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 »

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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 »

Investing In People

By OurFuture.org Staff
November 13, 2008

Here are some basic facts behind our call for "real investment" in people, assembled from recent government and private studies. We've fallen behind as a nation, but making the right spending choices will yield lasting dividends. more »

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Parents are Very Concerned about Paying for Their Children's College

Submitted by Alex Carter
April 14, 2008

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.
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Investing in smaller classes and better teachers attracts wide support.

Submitted by Alex Carter
March 14, 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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