The American Dream Can’t Only Run Through College

While money has poured into higher education, the cost of a college degree has continued to skyrocket. Instead of this public investment benefiting students and faculty, colleges and universities have developed bloated administrations that would be recognizable to the federal apparatus subsidizing them. Nothing better encapsulates this broken system more than President Biden’s recent unilateral action to cancel federal student loan debt. It’s flat out wrong, unfair, and counterproductive to pay off these college debts on the backs of these hard-working taxpayers.

A good education is the foundation to career success. But there’s a fine line between investing in developing the talents of the next generation and subsidizing needless credentialism on the taxpayer’s dime. An America United believes that it’s time to finally put to rest the fiction that the American dream can only run through prestigious colleges and universities. In Maryland, Governor Hogan has been focused on expanding career opportunities outside of an expensive four-year college degree and reducing the cost of college. While unwinding this broken system will be complex and take time, we urge leaders across the country to take the following four immediate steps based on what Governor Hogan has already achieved in Maryland.

1. Stop Requiring College Degrees For Jobs That Don’t Need Them

   In Maryland, Governor Larry Hogan launched a first-in-the-nation successful initiative to eliminate the four-year degree requirement from thousands of state jobs, recognizing the value of skills already developed on the job, or through apprenticeship programs, community college or military service.

   An America United proposes that If more states follow Governor Hogan’s lead, then this trend will also spread to applicable jobs in the private sector. The federal government can also play a critical role by expanding eligibility for Pell Grant subsidies for short-term skills-based training, not just expensive four-year degrees.

2. Drastically Expand Successful Apprenticeship Programs

   Our current system undervalues alternative postsecondary education that can provide on the job training for college and non-college graduates.

   Governor Larry Hogan’s innovative EARN program is a model for how these programs can be successful in developing the workforce by partnering with industries to develop job training programs. A recent study on the economic impact of EARN Maryland found that for every $1 of state funding invested, an additional $17.32 of economic impact is created. The federal government’s Registered Apprenticeship system only covers a narrow subset of careers. An America United proposes drastically expanding the federal government’s Registered Apprenticeship system to include high-growth industries.

3. Improve Career Readiness in K-12 Schools

   Every child deserves a world-class education that will prepare them for a successful career, regardless if they attend a four-year college or not. Governor Hogan has been a national leader in expanding school choice and improving opportunities for STEM education in schools. Under his leadership, Maryland created the Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today (BOOST) program that provides scholarships for low-income students from areas with under-performing schools to attend non-public schools. Governor Hogan drastically expanded Maryland’s innovative Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) Program, which allows selected high school students to earn a college degree in a critical STEM field and train for a job at the same time. He also implemented the Access Initiative to require STEM courses in K-12 schools, including at least one computer science course.

   An America United proposes other states adopt versions of these successful programs.

4. Limit Executive Power To Unilaterally Forgive Student Loans

   President Biden’s reckless student debt transfer will likely create the expectation that future presidents will repeat this broken process. An America United urges Congress to immediately act to limit executive power to unilaterally forgive student loans. Making it clear that future administrations will not repeat this plan is critical to stopping the vicious cycle of more debt and increased tuition costs.