If I had an opportunity to advise a presidential candidate on the preparation of children for college, I would stress the importance of reforming education funding policies. The current policies do not create equitable access to education leading to an amplification of the wealth gap. The tuition fees and other costs have been rising disadvantaging the poor. Lyndsey (2015) reported about the federal data of 2013 stating that for the past fifty years, a majority of the public school students from prekindergarten to the 12th grade came from low-income households with 51% being eligible for the federal program offering free or reduced lunch. Further, a White House report of 2014 quoting Martha and Susan (2011) noted that while half of the people in high-income families attain a bachelor’s degree before twenty-five years, only 1 in 10 people from the low-income families do.
The above facts indicate a disproportionate access to higher education among students. Jobs requiring post-secondary education have doubled in the past forty years and, therefore, children from the poor backgrounds faces greater unemployed due to low education perpetuating poverty. The state needs to carry out reforms in funding policies to address these challenges.
U.S. Department of Education report of 2011 showed that forty percent of low-income schools did not get a fair share of local funds. It follows that low-income student would not get the prerequisite support to help them progress through the education system. The failure of financial aid (grants or scholarships) to cover education expenses among the low-income students forces them to borrow more than the wealthy, work for many hours, have a decreased enrollments, and higher drop out (Saunders, 2015). There is a need to increase the overall budget geared towards aiding students from the low-income families.
A larger budget would ensure that students from low-income households would not borrow more loans disproportionately because that leads to higher debt levels after college. Debt tends to amplify economic challenges and, as a result, condemn the learners from low-income families to perpetual poverty because they may not have the chance to progress economically and afford tuition fees for their children. Providing grants or scholarships throughout higher education would reduce the need for the low-income students to work more hours. Consequently, they would have better opportunities for schooling and completion.
In particular, the Congress has no option other than addressing the following as soon as possible.
Preserve a continuous aid eligibility for students who mix enrollment intensity during their college program. The move would ensure that no one is left behind due to changes during the course and, therefore, lower the dropout rates.
Increase the flexibility of receiving aid throughout the year. In this case, there is a need to allow student respond to changing family environment and life issues. It can also help students to accelerate their studies that would increase achievement levels and completion rates.
Low-income students may not be aware of all the public benefits that they may be eligible. Making them know would raise the number of those receiving the benefits and, as a consequence, the number of enrolment in higher education. In this regards, there should be intensive regular public campaigns and awareness programs including the use of technological platforms like social media and cell phones.
Increase the Pell grant cap to cover for inflation to enable low-income students to achieve satisfactory academic progress throughout the course.
Low-income schools deserve to get a fair share of funds to have the right equipment to prepare students for higher education. It is imperative that attending colleges depend on the levels of development and achievement in earlier years.
A budget for mentorship and counseling program is necessary to ensure that low-income students complete school.
The above measures would help low-income students attend and complete college and allow them to compete effectively in the job market.
References
Martha J. B. & Susan M. D. (2011). Inequality in Postsecondary Attainment. In reg Duncan and Richard Murnane, eds., Whither Opportunity: Rising Inequality, Schools, and Children's Life Chances, pp. 117-132. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
More Than 40% of Low-Income Schools Don’t Get a Fair Share of State and Local Funds, Department of Education Research Finds. (2011). Retrieved July 14, 2016, from U.S. Department of Education, http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/more-40-low-income- schools-dont-get-fair-share-state-and-local-funds-department-
Saunders, K. (2015). Barrier to success: Unmet financial need for low-income students of color in community college. Retrieved July 14, 2016, from Centre for Postsecondary and Economic issues, http://www.clasp.org/resources-and-publications/publication- 1/Barriers-to-Success-Unmet-Financial-Need-for-Low-Income-Students-of-Color.pdf
White House. (2014, January). 1 The Executive Office of the President Nati January 2014 Increasing College Opportunity for Low - Income Students. Retrieved July 14, 2016, from https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/white_house_report_on_increasing_c ollege_opportunity_for_low-income_students_1-16-2014_final.pdf
Layton, L. (2015, January 16). Majority of U.S. Public school students are in poverty. Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/majority-of-us-public-school-students- are-in-poverty/2015/01/15/df7171d0-9ce9-11e4-a7ee-526210d665b4_story.html
