For too long, U.S. community colleges have faced the problem of high dropout rates and subpar opportunities. They seem to be better at attracting government funding than helping students graduate in a reasonable time frame and ready to take on the job market. Although President Obama’s recent proposal to provide free tuition for all community college students meeting certain academic criteria appears to be a noble idea, it fundamentally fails to address the root problems that have plagued community colleges and their students for years.
Community colleges have always been an important cog in the American education machinery, providing opportunities for students who have been excluded from other forms of higher education. In fact, community colleges around the country enroll almost half of all U.S. undergrads. President Obama’s plan, as it stands, is a meaningful attempt to narrow disparities in higher education and afford opportunity to a new wave of students.
But the plan does not address the fact that few community college students earn their degree or move on to four-year institutions in a timely manner. According to the Community College Research Center, Only 15 percent of students who start in community college actually earn a degree within a six-year time frame. Plus, students at community colleges get little to no individual time with academic advisors who can help guide them through college coursework and college life. Free tuition would not address the issue of quality at these institutions, and it would not dramatically boost the success of community college students either.
Tuition should not be a barrier to attending a college of any level. But as researcher Thomas Bailey, director of Columbia University’s Community College research center, pointed out, many of the nation’s lowest income students can already attend community college for free. Pell grants, which do not have to be paid back by students, cover up to $5,730 in college expenses for lowest income students. The average community college costs $4,000.
President Obama’s plan, as presented in the State of the Union, does nothing about the slew of the real problems that make the daily life of low-income, students more difficult. Free tuition does not address the childcare that many of the parents attending school need. It does not address work hours, part time jobs or bus fares that inhibit many lower-income families from completing their degrees in a timely manner. It also does nothing to actually boost the quality of education at these institutions or to boost community college graduation rates.
To cover the cost of the program, President Obama estimated the use of $60 billion dollars over the next 10 years, which would come primarily through federal and state taxes. Instead of subsidizing relatively cheap community college education, that money and effort should be put in to improving educational facilities and overhauling remedial educational courses which help students from under-resourced schools master basic high school-level concepts they need to complete college level coursework.
In order to properly and dramatically improve the educational outcomes for U.S. students from all backgrounds, college must not only be made more affordable but must also give students better opportunities to succeed with their courses, finish their programs and graduate within a reasonable time frame. I applaud President Obama for making references to the country’s completion problem in his speech, showing that his administration understands the deeper issues involved. But more needs to be done to actually address those issues within the proposed policy. Free tuition for U.S. students remains an important goal, but a better quality education should be the priority.