Just
last year, tuition and fees at four-year
public colleges rose 6.5 percent. Unfortunately, this continues a decades-long
trend of rising college costs, even during periods of economic unease and low
inflation. Escalating prices have also coincided
with stagnation in need-based financial aid availability, the result of which has
been mounting levels of student debt for low and middle-income families. In
this context, there has been greater reliance on savings, particularly through
529 college savings plans, in order to increase college affordability and
Matching programs are one of the most effective ways to get these families to save for college, says Jackie Williams, director of the College Saving Initiative at the New America Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan public-policy institute based in Washington, D.C. ...
“The reason they're popular is simply because the states bear the risk, not the individual,” said Jackie Williams, who was executive director of the Ohio Tuition Trust Authority for 10 years, until June. ...
The New America Foundation, a public policy institute, said the task force should have gone further, recommending matching grants for families below certain ...
and more »
Washington, D.C. -- The importance of saving for college has increased dramatically in
recent years. Tuition costs have vastly outpaced growth in both family
income and federal student aid commitments over the past several
decades. At the same time, the importance of receiving a postsecondary
education has become paramount in getting ahead in today's global
economy. The result has been unsustainable levels of debt for some
students, while access and completion rates for low-income students
have suffered. Research shows that even small amounts of targeted
... are part of an initiative by 529 college savings officials to reach out to the higher-education community, according to Jacqueline “Jackie” Williams, ...
“Everybody is so focused on health care legislation that everything else has to wait,” said Jackie Williams, director of the College Saving Initiative for the New America Foundation...
As Director
of the College Savings Initiative at the New America Foundation, Ms. Williams
develops and promotes progressive policy enhancements to 529 college savings
plans in order to facilitate participation by low to moderate income families
and thereby support greater access to higher education.
Washington, DC -- Beginning
July 1, 2009, Reid Cramer will assume the post of director of New
America Foundation's Asset Building Program. Cramer, who holds a Ph. D
from the LBJ School at the University of Texas at Austin, has been
research director in the assets program since 2003 and played a
leadership role in New America's Next Social Contract Initiative as
well. Before joining New America, Cramer served at OMB in both the
Clinton and George W. Bush Administrations.
Jackie Williams, executive director of Ohio's CollegeAdvantage plan, says a 529 needs a range of aggressive and conservative options. Aggressive plans are often sought by parents who started saving late and hope to catch up. ...
