FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: media@edreformnow.org
Washington, D.C. – Today, the Hillary Clinton campaign unveiled new policy proposals to address the growing college affordability crisis in this country. Clinton’s “New College Compact” is a comprehensive plan that invests both resources and reform in higher education – ensuring more students will be able to attain a quality degree without having to shoulder an unsustainable debt. In response to the proposal, Michael Dannenberg, Director of Strategic Initiatives for Policy at Education Reform Now, released the following statement:
“Clinton’s College Compact couples substantial resources with bold reforms – it’s not just the typical more money for college aid approach. Under Clinton’s proposals, colleges will be held financially responsible for a portion of dropout costs, college accreditation will be tied to student outcomes, and predatory for-profit trade schools will continue to be held accountable. This balanced approach is the only way to ensure that our public investment will actually bring about meaningful change and a better future for our students. This plan exemplifies the fact that both resources and reform are key to any pragmatic, progressive approach to higher education and K-12 challenges.
“Hillary Clinton’s College Compact is far more thorough and thoughtful than any other plan put out to date. It’s designed to make college cheaper and better and alters the current incentive structure underlying financial aid in such a way that promotes college completion and better cost containment. It’s a smart and balanced plan that our students deserve.
“By forcing schools to focus on their students rather than their bottom lines, we hope to reverse a growing and troubling trend of America’s colleges and universities being engines of inequality rather than engines of progress. Costs shouldn’t be a barrier to education, and Clinton’s plan is an important step toward ensuring that debt doesn’t hold another student back from a brighter future. This proposal, coupled with those she’s already rolled out on universal Pre-K, shows that Hillary Clinton is doubling down on making education a centerpiece of her campaign.”