Education: The Latest From New America

The Next Step in Systems-Building

Education Policy — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:44:00 -0500

Today, preschool and other services for young children are delivered through what is widely recognized as a non-system, with programs like child care, pre-kindergarten, special education services and Head Start operating in separate policy silos, each with differing objectives and different funding streams. This uneven and uncoordinated character of early childhood policy can impede access, quality, and return on investment to these programs. Indeed, stories of avoidable dysfunction-of low-income parents who are unaware that their child

529s and Public Assistance

Asset Building — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:10:00 -0500

529s are tax-advantaged accounts designed to help families save for post-secondary education. In recent years, state policymakers and 529 administrators have worked to expand access to 529 plans and increase the participation of lower-income families through outreach, advertising, and targeted incentives such as matching deposits and reducing or eliminating fees.[1] Yet, as plan administrators and state and federal policymakers design new strategies for expanding the use of 529 plans

Low-Cost State Policy Innovations to Help Families Save for College

Asset Building — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:56:00 -0500

At a time when low-income students are underrepresented in higher education and the cost of attendance is becoming increasingly unaffordable, 529 college savings plans have the potential to address issues of college readiness, access and completion. Savings can help reduce higher education debt, making college more affordable, and has the potential to change aspirations and behaviors of both students and their parents. Research from the asset building field shows that even a relatively small amount of savings may have positive impacts on behavior and educational achievement.

On the Cusp in California

Education Policy — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:00:00 -0400

If children are the future, then looking at a state's educational system is like peering into a crystal ball. California is a state teeming with young children -- 4.7 million under age 8, to be exact. One in every eight young American children lives in California. And many of these children come from minority ethnic and racial backgrounds and speak languages other than English. If Americans want to get a glimpse at our future as a "majority minority" country they don't have to look beyond California.

Increasing College Completion Among Low-Income Students through Savings

Asset Building — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:03:00 -0400

Earlier this year, the Obama Administration released a bold new plan for improving the state of higher education in the United States. Its fiscal year 2010 budget proposal included several items aimed at increasing postsecondary education enrollment and completion rates, and decreasing the financial burden that college represents to many lower and middle class families. [1] These proposals include reforming the federal student loan program, expanding Pell Grants for low-income students, and creating a new College Access and

Rethinking the Middleman

Education Policy — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 01:00:00 -0400

Each year, the federal government guarantees billions of dollars in loans disbursed through the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, a public-private partnership that provides financial aid to students attending institutions of higher education. Despite the significant investment of taxpayer dollars, the actual administration of the FFEL Program is largely handled by participating lenders and a group of 35 non-federal guaranty agencies across the country. Guaranty agencies perform a number of administrative functions, such as disbursing federal default insurance provided to private lenders issuing FFEL loans, preventing loan default, and collecting or rehabilitating loans that borrowers have failed to repay.

Equitable Resources in Low Income Schools

Education Policy — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 05:44:00 -0400

Teachers with the least experience and fewest credentials teach in our poorest schools, putting low-income students at a disadvantage. School finance disparities in teacher spending within school districts are a major cause of this problem. However, school district budgeting techniques mask these intra-district disparities, allowing administrators and policymakers to ignore them.

Student Loan Purchase Programs Under the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act of 2008

Education Policy — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:19:00 -0400

In May of 2008, Congress passed the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act (ECASLA) in response to concern that credit market conditions could disrupt federal student loan availability. The law gives the U.S. Department of Education temporary authority to purchase federally backed student loans made by private lenders, effectively providing a secondary market for the loans. Congress opted to leave the new purchase authority largely undefined in statute, giving the Department considerable discretion to design and administer it.

Building a Solid Foundation

Education Policy — Mon, 18 May 2009 00:59:00 -0400

In April, the states and school districts began receiving the first installment of more than $48 billion in federal economic stimulus funds for education and child care appropriated under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA). This unprecedented federal investment in education—from early childhood through college—is a tremendous opportunity for state and local investments to improve our nation's schools. The danger is that states and school districts may squander these funds on ill-conceived projects or use them simply to maintain the status quo.

Summary and Analysis of President Obama’s Education Budget Request

Education Policy — Mon, 11 May 2009 02:04:00 -0400

President Barack Obama submitted his first budget request to Congress on May 7, 2009. This request follows the initial summary budget request he submitted in February that included only aggregate funding levels for federal programs and agencies.

Key Questions on the Obama Administration’s 2010 Education Budget

Education Policy — Tue, 05 May 2009 00:05:00 -0400

President Barack Obama submitted his first budget request to Congress on Thursday, May 7, 2009. This request follows the initial summary budget request he submitted in February that included only proposed funding levels for federal programs and agencies in aggregate. The detailed budget request includes proposed funding levels for federal programs and agencies in aggregate for the upcoming five to ten fiscal years, and specific fiscal year 2010 funding levels for programs subject to appropriations. The president's 2010 budget request marks the first time the Obama administration has submitted funding recommendations for every federal education program and a comprehensive list of new education policy initiatives.

Five Low-Cost Federal Policy Ideas to Help Families Save for College

Asset Building — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:10:00 -0400

The Potential of 529 College Savings Plans

At a time when low-income students are underrepresented in higher education and the cost of attendance is becoming increasingly unaffordable, 529s have the potential to address issues of college readiness, access and completion. College savings can help make higher education more affordable, and have the potential to change aspirations and behaviors of both students and their parents. Research from the asset building field has shown that even a relatively

10 Ideas to Ensure College Readiness in the No Child Left Behind & Higher Education Acts

Education Policy — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:53:00 -0400

It is a stark, indisputable fact that many of America's high school graduates are not ready for the rigors of college. Fewer than half of the high school juniors and seniors who took the ACT national college admissions test in 2008 met its college readiness benchmark in mathematics.^[1] Of the 40,000 freshmen admitted into the California State University system in 2007, more than 60 percent needed remediation in English or math.^[2] Nationwide, nearly a third of all incoming freshmen—42 percent of first-year students at public two-year colleges—require remediation.^[3]

A Stimulus for Second-Generation QRIS

Education Policy — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 01:03:00 -0400

On April 1, 2009, the states began to receive education and child care funds appropriated under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, or "the stimulus").^[1] Child care advocates in several states have urged policymakers to use some of the stimulus funds to launch or expand a statewide Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) for providers of early childhood education and care.

A Primer on the 2009 Budget Resolution’s Impact on Education Funding

Education Policy — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 11:07:00 -0400

The budget resolution put forward by Congress each year sets out a budget plan for the next five to ten years. The budget resolution and the ensuing budget process itself can have significant effects on education funding. The arcane procedures Congress uses to produce and act upon the budget resolution, however, are often confusing to the media and education advocates alike. This confusion is made worse by political rhetoric and partisan spin.

2009 Education Appropriations Guide

Education Policy — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:42:00 -0400

Congress completed the fiscal year 2009 appropriations process on March 10th, 2009, finalizing annual funding for nearly all federal education programs through September 2009 at $62.6 billion, up $3.4 billion from the prior year. Making sense of the federal education budget and the appropriations process can be a frustrating task for education advocates, state and local policymakers, the media, and the public. The now concluded fiscal year 2009 appropriations process is no exception due to numerous stopgap funding measures and emergency economic stimulus legislation.

The Basics of Progressive 529s

Asset Building — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 09:30:00 -0500

Background on 529 college savings plans

In 2001, the Internal Revenue Code authorized college savings plans (529 plans) as a tax-advantaged savings tool. In a 529 plan,[1] individuals save money in an account that is dedicated for future college expenses of a beneficiary. States administer 529 plans, and offer a limited selection of funds with a range of risk and return characteristics.[2] In

10 New Higher Education Ideas for a New Congress

Education Policy — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 17:26:00 -0500

(1) Social Insurance for College Costs

The families of undergraduates can borrow a minimum of $57,500 in federal Stafford loans.[1] Standard repayment for that level of debt equals approximately $660 per month, burdening young borrowers and constraining career choices. At no new cost, Congress can limit Stafford loan payments to 5 percent of post-college income so that young people "pay as they earn." Graduates

10 New Ideas for Early Education in the 111th Congress

Education Policy — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 12:17:00 -0500

As a new congress and new administration take their places in Washington, early education is attracting more attention. The 111^th Congress will have numerous opportunities to enact policies that improve access, quality, efficiency, and alignment in early education, including the forthcoming economic stimulus package and the scheduled reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The New America Foundation's Early Education Initiative proposes

Bridging the Gap

Education Policy — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 09:16:00 -0500

Far too many students leave high school unprepared for the rigors of college and the workplace. Nearly a third of all incoming freshmen- 42 percent of first-year students at public two-year colleges-require remediation. At some postsecondary institutions, more than 90 percent of first-time freshmen need to take remedial classes before enrolling in courses that count toward their degrees. Remedial courses are offered at 99 percent of public two-year colleges and more than 75 percent of public four-year institutions.