The Importance Of Universal Access To Free Public Schools

Public education in America began in the early to mid-19th century with the simple goal of “uniting the American population by instilling common moral and political values” (Spring, 2012, p. 5). Our country was founded by men who designed the constitution so that it could be amended to accommodate changing political and social climates. They believed in the ideology of the American dream which “holds out a vision of both individual success and the collective good of all” (Hochschild & Scovronick, 2004, p. 1). It is with this same ideology that our public schools were

Thomas Jefferson remains one of the first advocates for public education, which was later termed the Common School Movement. He recognized the inequality in education, for the wealthy stood the only ones capable of affording an education, thus the poor stayed poor and the rich stayed rich. Jefferson aspired to change the apparent injustices in the education system. He felt all children possessed the right to and education regardless of prosperity, heritage, and circumstances. Even though Jefferson remained not able to create the change he so desperately sought to make, he never stopped trying and since education stayed revolutionized, for his persistence in equality. James Conant, former president of Harvard University stated, “In short, as I view the American scene of the 1960’s, I am ready to declare without hesitation that Jefferson’s proposals have become incorporated in the pattern of our educational structure” (Mercer, 1993).

Access to free public education was first addressed by President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1877. Hayes did not scrutinize based on a family’s economic standing. A child of a poor family benefitting from free stuff was not his concern, nor did he believe that the wealth of a the family should exclude a child from the program. Hayes simply believed, education was the basis for full political and economic participation, and full participation was the basis for a prosperous economy. Therefore, education should be free and available to everyone regardless of their background. Today, education is universal and free to all from kindergarten through twelfth grade. In the 1950’s, it was possible to graduate from high school and move straight into a decent-paying

The United States needs to look to other nations that have figured out the necessity of higher education to be at an affordable cost if not free. In 2015, college graduates are facing on average just north of $35,000 in student debt (Berman). In part, the government has reduced the federal funding that each college receives each year. Therefore, colleges have constantly raised the

Research indicates a steep upward trend in the cost of higher education throughout the 20th century. In recent decades, America has witnessed a widening gap between inflation and tuition. An incoming freshman at a typical college incurs charges for tuition, university fees, books, room and board,

There is no escaping the fact that the cost of college tuition continues to rise in the United States each year. To make it worse, having a college degree is no longer an option, but a requirement in today’s society. According to data gathered by the College Board, total costs at public four-year institutions rose more rapidly between 2003-04 and 2013-14 than they did during either of the two preceding decades (Collegeboard.com). Students are pressured to continue into higher education but yet, the increasing costs of books and tuition make us think about twice. Sometimes, some of these students have to leave with their education partially finished, leaving them with crushing debts. It is important to find the means to prevent these

As a recent analysis, America’s colleges and universities are quietly shifting the burden of their big tuition increases onto low-income students, while many higher-income families are seeing their college costs rise more slowly, or even fall” (Eskow). Though education is the basic human right, most of the people in the U.S. are not being able to gain it as because of its rising cost. Since the 1970s, tuition and fees at public institutions have increased by more than 350 percent, while pay for working- and middle-class households has stagnated. As a result, the cost of a public-college education now accounts for almost 15 percent of the average family's annual income; 40 years ago it was about 4 percent (Kenneth W. Warren and Samir Sonti). The tuition and fees are increasing in such a way that the young Americans aren’t as educated as the young citizens of many other developed countries. The U.S. ranks 14th in the world in the percentage of 25-34 year-olds with higher education (42%).” When all adults of working age are considered, the US is still one of the highest-educated countries in the world. But when this age group is considered, we are falling behind (Richard Eskow). That’s the personal loss for the young people of the U.S. Education is not a privilege of the rich and well-to-do; it is the inalienable right of every people. It is a powerful tool by which people can lift

A major problem for today’s high school graduates is the rising price in college education. Attending college can add up really fast; it can cost up to tens of thousands of dollars per year (Barkan 1). No wonder, in Steven Barkan’s book of social problems, issues and problems in higher education take up a full chapter. In this chapter, Barkan states that only 44% of all students who attend a four-year institution is lucky enough to have annual tuitions and fees amount to less than $9,000 per year. The aggravating question is, “why does college cost so much?” Not only is tuition part of the cost of college but also fees housing and meals, books, school supplies, and accessories (“What’s the Price Tag” 1). All tuition covers is the money for academic instruction. Fees are charges for specific services such as, internet access, and then the cost of books and school supplies add up. Additionally, one is not paying just for textbooks but also

In the past, President Rutherford B. Hayes was the first president to address free public education in 1877 (Sanders A.23). Hayes simply believed education was the basis for full political and economic participation, and full participation was the basis for a prosperous economy. Therefore, education should be free and available to everyone regardless of their background (Sanders A.23). By the 1950’s, a family with only one breadwinner could graduate from high school and move straight into a decent-paying job with good benefits, buy a house, raise a family, and pay for their children’s education. Unfortunately, that American dream is not a possibility for most Americans today (Sanders A.23). To get to the middle class, the pathway is through a higher education; however, with the rising cost of a higher education and cost of living, it is becoming more and more

In the 1980s a first-year college student could attend a public four-year university for $2,500 and a private university for a little over $5,000. Although, most of these universities are offering the same mediocre education from the last three decades; the cost of tuition has more than tripled for public universities and for private universities, it has gone up a staggering 85%. Canada holds an average educational cost of 5,974 and England follows with an estimated average cost of 5,288. In spite the tuition in the United States being more than twice that of its allies; the main problem contributing to the continuing rise of tuition are the billions of dollars owed in both federal and private student loans. Unfortunately, out of 15 countries the United States held the number one position when it came down to the cost of a higher education (including books, fees, room and board).With that being said, I will thoroughly explain in the following essay how student loans have affected the cost of tuition, compare US tuition to other countries, and analyze the average spending budget for most universities that prove to influence the rise in tuition.

Education received a huge investment doubling the expenditure of each student and a preschool program for students from low-income backgrounds. The president wanted education to be available to the masses regardless of their income which meant the poorest child had an opportunity to receive adequate education. In agreement with President Johnson each child considered as an American citizen needs the public provided education funded by the government when they need aid. Since education involved an individual child required the funds despite the school they attended. The classroom then became the new freedom where American youth would prepare for the modern world because they are the nation’s resources.

St.Amour 1Mitchel St.AmourProfessor OlsonComp II8 February 2018The College ProblemThe investment of higher education has been debated for a long time. By today’s standards, it can either be too expensive or seem to be too high of a risk for so low of a reward. It surely doesn’t help that other alternatives can contest the outcome of higher education, but should that influence the question of: should all Americans go to college? To say that all Americans should go to college is a blanket statement; instead it should ask: Should Americans attend college? To that question, many of the same concerns arise with the price of higher education and payoff of a diploma. While the cost can be a detriment to the wallet,

The cost of attending college has risen drastically over the years. Statistics show that there has been a 260% increase in tuition costs since 1980. The increase in tuition cost equates to an increase in money borrowed to fund higher education. An increase in money borrowed results in an increase in debt accumulated over time. As a result of the rising figures, the economy as a whole has also suffered because of the restricted financial space many graduates find themselves in upon completion of their degree. In this paper, we will discuss college costs, reasons why they have risen, and the best way for students to pay for it.

Since the beginning of the 20th Century, college education has been available for everyone and anyone who is willing to develop their knowledge regarding a specific professional field. Currently in the United States, the percentage of high school graduates going to college has increased considerably: 68 percent in 2011 compared to 49 percent in 1940 (Menand, 2) and the record high set in 2009 with 70 percent of total high school graduates enrolled in college ("Bureau of Labor Statistics"). Notwithstanding, it has come to the attention of many that the college tuition and fees have been increasing at an accelerated rate. According to The New York Times, college tuition and fees increased 439 percent from 1982 to 2007 (Lewin, 1). This

The increasing cost of higher education in the United States has been a continuing topic for debate in recent decades. American society emphasizes the importance of education after high school, yet the cost of undergraduate and advanced degrees continually rises at a greater rate than inflation. According to the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, cost factors prevent 48% of college-qualified high school graduates from pursuing further education (McKeon, 2004, p. 45). The current system requires the majority of students to accumulate extensive debt with the expectation that they gain lucrative post-graduate employment to repay their loans.