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| Clinton takes debt-free higher education from progressive dream to mainstream | Clinton takes debt-free higher education from progressive dream to mainstream |
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| Hillary Clinton unveiled her response to America’s crushing $1.3tn student loan crisis on Monday with a plan to make tuition affordable enough that young people might someday be able to attend university debt-free. | Hillary Clinton unveiled her response to America’s crushing $1.3tn student loan crisis on Monday with a plan to make tuition affordable enough that young people might someday be able to attend university debt-free. |
| Though Clinton’s college-spending targets are not as far-reaching as those of her Democratic presidential opponents – and at least one group called them “bait” for liberal voters – the plan has already received endorsements from progressive activists who pushed the formerly fringe ambition of zero-debt higher education to the forefront of her mainstream campaign. | Though Clinton’s college-spending targets are not as far-reaching as those of her Democratic presidential opponents – and at least one group called them “bait” for liberal voters – the plan has already received endorsements from progressive activists who pushed the formerly fringe ambition of zero-debt higher education to the forefront of her mainstream campaign. |
| “It’s time to show some tough love to college and universities that let significant numbers of our students drop out and fall behind year after year,” Clinton told hundreds of supporters at a town hall style event in Exeter, New Hampshire. | “It’s time to show some tough love to college and universities that let significant numbers of our students drop out and fall behind year after year,” Clinton told hundreds of supporters at a town hall style event in Exeter, New Hampshire. |
| Her proposal, which is estimated to cost about $350bn over 10 years, would provide grants to US states that make their public four-year institutions affordable enough that students do not have to take out loans to attend. The plan also includes refinancing options for students already saddled with massive debt. | Her proposal, which is estimated to cost about $350bn over 10 years, would provide grants to US states that make their public four-year institutions affordable enough that students do not have to take out loans to attend. The plan also includes refinancing options for students already saddled with massive debt. |
| The so-called college compact also includes about $175bn in grants that would go to states that ensure students can afford to attend four-year public universities and colleges without taking out loans. States would have to stop divesting and increase spending on higher education. (During the recession, many states reduced their spending on higher education.) | The so-called college compact also includes about $175bn in grants that would go to states that ensure students can afford to attend four-year public universities and colleges without taking out loans. States would have to stop divesting and increase spending on higher education. (During the recession, many states reduced their spending on higher education.) |
| “No student should have to borrow to pay tuition at a public college or university in their own states,” she told the crowd. “Schools will have to control their costs and show more accountability to their students.” | “No student should have to borrow to pay tuition at a public college or university in their own states,” she told the crowd. “Schools will have to control their costs and show more accountability to their students.” |
| Clinton will formally introduce the plan during a campaign event in New Hampshire, where students paid an average of $14,712 in tuition and fees – the highest in the US – to attend in-state universities in 2014-15, according to the College Board. | Clinton will formally introduce the plan during a campaign event in New Hampshire, where students paid an average of $14,712 in tuition and fees – the highest in the US – to attend in-state universities in 2014-15, according to the College Board. |
| The former secretary of state has been leading a campaign focused heavily on personal contact with potential voters, many of them students and families concerned with the high costs of education. In addition to hearing from Americans who will be impacted directly, Clinton’s team has consulted widely on student debt, including with the staff for the progressive Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren. | The former secretary of state has been leading a campaign focused heavily on personal contact with potential voters, many of them students and families concerned with the high costs of education. In addition to hearing from Americans who will be impacted directly, Clinton’s team has consulted widely on student debt, including with the staff for the progressive Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren. |
| “There’s something wrong when students and their families have to go deeply into debt to be able to get the education and skills they need in order to make the best of their own lives,” Clinton told an audience at an Iowa community college in April, as her campaign was just beginning. | “There’s something wrong when students and their families have to go deeply into debt to be able to get the education and skills they need in order to make the best of their own lives,” Clinton told an audience at an Iowa community college in April, as her campaign was just beginning. |
| In the months since, however, progressive outsiders have successfully pushed – or at least nudged – Clinton to the left. | In the months since, however, progressive outsiders have successfully pushed – or at least nudged – Clinton to the left. |
| Many groups had expressed hopes that Clinton would roll out a proposal for entirely debt-free college – not just tuition-free – such as the sweeping plans already proposed by Vermont senator Bernie Sanders and former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley. | Many groups had expressed hopes that Clinton would roll out a proposal for entirely debt-free college – not just tuition-free – such as the sweeping plans already proposed by Vermont senator Bernie Sanders and former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley. |
| Clinton’s plan still expects families to cover part of their tuition costs – through savings or loans. Under her plan, military veterans, lower-income students and 250,000 members of programs like AmeriCorps would attend college tuition-free. | Clinton’s plan still expects families to cover part of their tuition costs – through savings or loans. Under her plan, military veterans, lower-income students and 250,000 members of programs like AmeriCorps would attend college tuition-free. |
| Other parents would still have to cover part of the costs for their children’s schooling. | Other parents would still have to cover part of the costs for their children’s schooling. |
| Even though it did not go as far as they hoped, leading debt-free groups lauded Clinton’s detailed proposal as contributing to a groundswell of support for an issue long ignored by the Washington mainstream. | Even though it did not go as far as they hoped, leading debt-free groups lauded Clinton’s detailed proposal as contributing to a groundswell of support for an issue long ignored by the Washington mainstream. |
| “Hillary Clinton’s plan is very big and ambitious – leading to debt-free college and increased economic opportunity for millions of Americans,” said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. “The center of gravity on higher education has shifted from tinkering with interest rates to making college debt-free – and Clinton’s bold proposal is emblematic of the rising economic populist tide in American politics.” | “Hillary Clinton’s plan is very big and ambitious – leading to debt-free college and increased economic opportunity for millions of Americans,” said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. “The center of gravity on higher education has shifted from tinkering with interest rates to making college debt-free – and Clinton’s bold proposal is emblematic of the rising economic populist tide in American politics.” |
| StrikeDebt, the Occupy movement’s offshoot which has forgiven millions in student debt, was less forgiving: “Hillary Clinton’s plan on student debt is designed to win votes and never become law,” the group tweeted after details of Clinton’s proposal leaked on Sunday. “It’s bait and nothing more. Don’t take the bait.” | StrikeDebt, the Occupy movement’s offshoot which has forgiven millions in student debt, was less forgiving: “Hillary Clinton’s plan on student debt is designed to win votes and never become law,” the group tweeted after details of Clinton’s proposal leaked on Sunday. “It’s bait and nothing more. Don’t take the bait.” |
| In May, Sanders introduced a Senate bill that would eliminate tuition at four-year public colleges and universities, which is estimated to cost $70bn a year. Two-thirds of the cost would be covered by the federal government and one-third would be covered by the states, according to the Sanders campaign. | In May, Sanders introduced a Senate bill that would eliminate tuition at four-year public colleges and universities, which is estimated to cost $70bn a year. Two-thirds of the cost would be covered by the federal government and one-third would be covered by the states, according to the Sanders campaign. |
| O’Malley has come out in favor of striking down student debts and has told his supporters that “every student should be able to go to college debt-free”. His plan would help all Americans refinance their student loans, tie minimum payments to incomes, freeze public tuition rates, tie tuition rates to median incomes, and help low- and middle-income students cover non-tuition costs. | O’Malley has come out in favor of striking down student debts and has told his supporters that “every student should be able to go to college debt-free”. His plan would help all Americans refinance their student loans, tie minimum payments to incomes, freeze public tuition rates, tie tuition rates to median incomes, and help low- and middle-income students cover non-tuition costs. |
| O’Malley’s campaign has yet to put a price tag on his plan and did not immediately respond to a request for comment. | O’Malley’s campaign has yet to put a price tag on his plan and did not immediately respond to a request for comment. |
| Clinton’s proposal, which puts most of the burden on colleges, would cost $350bn over 10 years. Under her plan, colleges have to maintain costs and improve graduation rates, while those colleges whose graduates cannot repay their loans would face penalties. | Clinton’s proposal, which puts most of the burden on colleges, would cost $350bn over 10 years. Under her plan, colleges have to maintain costs and improve graduation rates, while those colleges whose graduates cannot repay their loans would face penalties. |
| Weeks before details of Clinton’s plan were announced, Green expressed hope that Clinton, too, would push for debt-free college. | Weeks before details of Clinton’s plan were announced, Green expressed hope that Clinton, too, would push for debt-free college. |
| “Bigger is better. Bigger is more popular,” Green told the Guardian in May. “Debt-free at all public colleges is the game-changer.” | “Bigger is better. Bigger is more popular,” Green told the Guardian in May. “Debt-free at all public colleges is the game-changer.” |
| One of the ways that Clinton plans to tackle costs other than tuition is by allowing students to use the total of their Pell Grants for living expenses. | One of the ways that Clinton plans to tackle costs other than tuition is by allowing students to use the total of their Pell Grants for living expenses. |
| Pushed on whether he thought Clinton’s proposal had gone far enough, Green told the Guardian on Monday that “this is a proposal of debt-free college for millions of Americans. Very bold and ambitious.” | Pushed on whether he thought Clinton’s proposal had gone far enough, Green told the Guardian on Monday that “this is a proposal of debt-free college for millions of Americans. Very bold and ambitious.” |
| While Clinton’s plan might be more manageable than the Sanders agenda, it still might not become law. The Republican-held Congress has made little progress on Barack Obama’s proposals for free community college, which cost $60bn. | While Clinton’s plan might be more manageable than the Sanders agenda, it still might not become law. The Republican-held Congress has made little progress on Barack Obama’s proposals for free community college, which cost $60bn. |
| On the right, former Florida governor Jeb Bush was quick to condemn Clinton’s plan as “irresponsible”.“We don’t need more top-down Washington solutions that will raise the cost of college even further and shift the burden to hardworking taxpayers,” Bush said in a statement. | On the right, former Florida governor Jeb Bush was quick to condemn Clinton’s plan as “irresponsible”.“We don’t need more top-down Washington solutions that will raise the cost of college even further and shift the burden to hardworking taxpayers,” Bush said in a statement. |