About the Beat

It is no secret the United States’ economy is in a recession. What has also become apparent in the past few years is that public education is one of the first items on the chopping block when budgets are reconstructed. The effects are felt at every level of the education system from elementary, middle and high schools to the state universities. Cuts to education budgets have been in the news for decades, and with each slash the results become more magnified. As a result, students and families have been taking on a larger financial obligation, especially at the collegiate level.
Now, with hard times falling upon more and more families, the decreased affordability of education is taking a more dramatic toll. That can even be seen in primary and secondary schooling. Private schools are becoming less of an option for Americans and that not only makes it more difficult for the schools losing enrollment to operate, but puts a larger burden on the already-stretched public schools those children are entering.
Another part of the education system that is taking a hit due to the economy is scholarships and financial aid. College tuition nowadays is a small fortune even at a state school, and there is less money being provided to help offset the cost for potential students. There are also more people applying for financial aid and scholarships than ever before because of the worsened economy, further compounding the problem.
As a student at Washington State University, I see first-hand the consequences these drastic budget cuts are having on our school, but we are not alone. As unbelievable as it sounds, it is even worse in some places and those nation-wide issues can offer a glimpse at what may be in store for this region. Follow me as I explore what happens in the education realm during the next four months and how it may affect the Northwest.
Please direct any questions or comments to mwalsh88@wsu.edu.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

'College is simultaneously being perceived as more essential than ever, but also less available than ever'

A survey done last year regarding the perceptions of higher education in the United States was released recently. All told, there is widespread concern about the divide that may be created due to the economic nightmare that will make a college degree more about wealth and less about intelligence and hard work.

A Newsday article by Karla Schuster explains the results.

Survey: College seen as essential but costs prohibitive
KARLA SCHUSTER
Newsday

More than half of Americans believe that it's impossible to succeed without a college education, but an even larger number say that rising college costs are shutting out many students, a national survey has found.

As the nation's economic crisis deepened last year, frustration over tuition costs went up, with 67 percent of adults saying that many qualified students don't have the chance to attend college, according to the survey called "Squeeze Play 2009" that gauges public perceptions about higher education.

By comparison, 62 percent of adults felt that way in 2007, and just 57 percent did in 2003, according to the survey by the nonpartisan, nonprofit groups Public Agenda and the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.

"College is simultaneously being perceived as more essential than ever, but also less available than ever," said John Immerwahr, a researcher at Public Agenda, which conducted a telephone survey of 1,009 adults nationwide over five days in December.

Read the rest of Schuster's story HERE.
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