From CQ Politics:
Clinton noted that exploding tuition at college is driving the problem, as "higher education institutions are pricing themselves into America's decline." He argued that new, less-costly "delivery systems" for education were needed to reverse this trend."
On the rising cost of education, the Brown Daily Herald noted:
Here is a chart from the Lumina Foundation which seems to be the data that Clinton was referring to. It presents data on the percent of 25-34 year old population that has attained tertiary education (2-year or 4-year) by country (on the right) and by state (on the left).
If you are really into this data set, here is a 2008 OECD presentation that provides some great comparative data on the OECD countries. The presenter has a great closing line:
Clinton is a genius. What incentive do schools have to embrace a new paradigm in how they deliver cheaper education when the government continues to finance the status quo? I wonder what would happen if the states and feds woke up to this fact? Perhaps the solution to cheaper education is to embrace the benefits of a truly competitive market for higher education? We have cars in almost every garage, microwaves in every kitchen, TVs in every living room, and so on. Why can't we have the same for higher education?
Something will give. Either the big egos in Washington will introduce price controls (which will turn higher ed. into the public shool system), or they will embrace reforms that increase competition and innovation in higher-ed. delivery systems. My money says that stupidity in Washington will prevail--and that price controls will rule the day. Oh, and by the way, schools will no longer have the boogey man of lenders to hide behind for their rent seeking. What goes around comes around--the schools have stood idly by while FFELP got drug through the mud--who do they think Congress will eventually pick on next? (Chairman Miller and company will of course pick on the for-profit schools first--so as to seem like they're doing something.) Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity from Washington!
Posted by: Bizzaro Watchdog | September 30, 2009 at 07:53 PM
5 states are missing...I hope they aren't below the 20% base line.
Posted by: Neville | October 01, 2009 at 05:22 AM