Written by:
Tatiana Mirutenko

Potential Increase in Tuition with New Education Spending Proposal

According to the WSJ, President Barack Obama’s 2011 proposal includes a 9% increase in education spending. This is one aspect of the budget that has come to a consensus between the Democrats and the Republicans. His efforts are in response to a negative reaction to Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act. At this point, there is no clear headway towards any new standards: negotiations are still underway as current proposals for increased accountability standards are unsatisfactory. One proposed standard would rate states and school districts on criteria including, but not limited to, standardized test scores and teacher accountability. However, many critics are skeptical about the hike in education spending in tandem with the debt inducing expenditures that have been enacted under Obama’s administration.

How will Obama’s plan affect college students? Students will face increased tuition costs as the federal government reduces their financial support of colleges and universities across the country. The government will focus their attention towards increasing the performance of lower level educations systems in an effort to establish a system that prepares students for stable careers. Some, like Jeanne Allen, question the immediate need for a hike in education spending. Allen, president of the Center for Education Reform, a publically funded, privately run advocacy group states her concern is about the addition of spending at a time where other, more pressing issues seem to prevail. The budget seeks an addition $1.35 billion to the already $4.35 billion stimulus program currently funding the education.

Photo courtesy of Flickr.