The pillar of Hillary Clinton’s higher education proposal that has attracted the most attention could also be a tough sell to state lawmakers.
Mrs. Clinton’s proposal, which she announced on Monday at a campaign stop in Exeter, N.H., aims to turn the tide on states’ dwindling support of higher education by creating an incentive for states to buy in. Under the plan, which would cost $350 billion over 10 years, the federal government would make about $175 billion in grants available to states that guarantee students can cover tuition at four-year public universities without loans. But there’s a condition: States would need to arrest higher-education budget cuts and slow tuition growth in order to be eligible.
In other words, taking the money would limit state lawmakers’ freedom to make cuts in one of the first categories of state spending they turn to when it comes time to tighten budgets, experts said.
Read more at The Chronicle of Higher Education: http://chronicle.com/article/A-Key-Question-for-Clinton-s/232287