The Affordability Crisis: Rescuing the Dream of College Education for the Working-Class and Poor

Reclaiming the Promise of Public Education Conversation Series
Twitter: #affordablecollege

In the last thirty years, the cost of a college education has increased twelve-fold. Over the last decade, it has outstripped inflation in every other major cost area, increasing at almost double the rate of health care, the nearest competitor, and over three times the rate of the consumer price index. Working class and poor students who need to borrow much of these costs often graduate college crippled with heavy debt. Many prospective low income students are scared off from a college education altogether. As a consequence, out of control costs of a college education are contributing to growing economic inequality. From a variety of different perspectives, our panelists will discuss the reasons for the rising costs of college and what should be done to make college education affordable for the working class and poor.

Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-MA

PANEL

Beth Huang, Student Labor Action Project Coordinator, Jobs with Justice, United States Student Association

Zakiya Smith, Strategy Director, Lumina Foundation

Moderator: Mary Cathryn Ricker, Executive Vice President, American Federation of Teachers; Member, Albert Shanker Institute Board of Directors

Sponsored by the Albert Shanker Institute and the American Federation of Teachers, this conversation series is designed to engender lively and informative discussions on important educational issues. We deliberately invite speakers with diverse perspectives, including views other than those of the AFT and the Albert Shanker Institute. What is important is that these participants are committed to genuine engagement with each other.