A New Higher Education? Free Tuition? Again? Really?
By Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute I read an interesting piece in iPolitics.ca by Ilona Dougherty about the issues of free tuition and the future of higher education—both issues I spend a fair amount of attention on. In the article, she mentions that the Canadian Federation of Students (CSF), a non-profit organization that, well, makes Bernie Sanders look like Ted … Continue reading A New Higher Education? Free Tuition? Again? Really?
America’s Newest Scholarship Provider: PornHub
By Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute I read an interesting article today about a $25,000 scholarship given to a Texas woman who was down on her luck. The 48-year old will use the scholarship to continue her education. MaryAnn Uribe completed a two-year associate’s degree and now wants to complete her BA. The philanthropist in this case is PornHub, one of … Continue reading America’s Newest Scholarship Provider: PornHub
Watchdogs That Don’t Bite
By Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute “For the most part, accreditation agencies are watchdogs that don’t bite.” That’s what US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said yesterday regarding higher education accreditation in the United States. The US Department of Education is putting pressure on accreditors to do more about quality in higher education. However, the Department serves mostly as a … Continue reading Watchdogs That Don’t Bite
The Broken Record of Student Debt
By Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute I recently read an article by Mitchell Weiss of credit.com in USA Today titled “Student Loan Debt: America’s Next Big Crisis.” Weiss points out that the percentage of delinquent student loans rose from 11.1 percent to 11.5 percent between the first two quarters in 2015. On the surface, that doesn’t sound like much. But … Continue reading The Broken Record of Student Debt
Early College: A Good Public Policy Option?
By Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute PBS NewsHour ran a story the other night titled “Does early college for high school students pave a path to graduation?” The piece featured Pharr-San Juan-Alamo School district in Pharr, Texas, a suburb of McAllen, and only a few hops and a jump from the Rio Grande River and the US-Mexican border. The high … Continue reading Early College: A Good Public Policy Option?
The Swail Letter on Higher Education 