In one of her last speeches in office, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos railed against “free college” ... [+]
In one of her last speeches in office, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos railed against “free college” plans, calling it a “socialist takeover of higher education.” The Secretary followed up on that speech by appearing on Fox News and echoed her message saying that the two-thirds of Americans who don’t pursue a four-year degree will end up footing the bill for the third that do.
But DeVos’s message gets a lot wrong about free college plans, their effects, and higher education in general.
DeVos is correct that about a third (36%) of the population over 25 years old has a four-year degree or higher. But counting all of those with a two-year degree makes that number jump to 46%. And all “free college” plans include two-year degrees. In fact, in the primary, President-elect Joe Biden initially only proposed making community colleges free.
More than that, by including all of the Americans with a certificate—something DeVos and the Trump administration has encouraged—and the “some college, no degree” population, that percentage jumps even further to 62%. That’s important in this discussion because college affordability issues often cause students to not finish a degree.
Sticking to the now-favorite Republican Party talking point of socialism, DeVos argued that making public colleges tuition-free would cause a rationing of higher education where students would be told they aren’t eligible to attend certain schools or be able to pursue certain degree programs. DeVos added that there would be quotas for “free college” students that would mean some would have to pay full price.
These claims are partisan and off base. In reality, one could argue that higher education is already rationed because colleges and universities already select who they admit, even public universities. Plus, the cost of college itself stops many from attending in the first place, rationing it to those with more resources. Beyond that, states like Tennessee, New York, and more have created these programs and have not experienced those results.
DeVos made a point in her speech to say, “nothing is “free.” Somebody, somewhere pays the bill.” That line is often used to attack the policy, so it likely will fall on deaf ears for advocates. Proponents of free college would assert that it is tuition-free for the students who enroll so that cost isn’t prohibitive to earning a college degree. Of course, someone will pay and that someone is taxpayers, just like K-12 education and many other programs.
It is important to remember that taxpayers already pay for higher education programs. DeVos herself oversees the agency that oversees the federal dollars that fund Pell Grants, subsidized student loans, loan forgiveness, federal work study, and more. Outside of the federal government, public colleges and universities are supported by state tax dollars and some receive local tax dollars.
DeVos’s assertion those without a degree paying for others to get one also misunderstands how the tax system works. Those that benefit from a free college program will likely be the ones who pay for it in the years to come. College graduates earn far more on average than those with only a high school degree and, while our tax system is flawed and benefits the wealthy, higher-income individuals still pay more in tax dollars under our mostly progressive tax structure.
Of course, some without college degrees do earn a great deal of money, but that is the exception. But this isn’t a new precedent. Tax dollars often fund programs that individual taxpayers with higher incomes or wealth do not benefit from because they have—such as the person without children who pays the property taxes that supports K-12 education.
Still, taxpayers would pay for the program, but it could also create revenue. Several analyses have shown that, on average, college graduates pay more in taxes. A report from Georgetown University recently estimated the costs of President-elect Biden’s free college plan and found that his plan would actually pay for itself. The economists estimated that eliminating tuition would increase educational attainment and bring in $371.4 billion in federal and state tax revenue, and an additional $886.7 billion in private after-tax earnings gains.
To be clear, there are reasonable policy arguments around free college. For example, some who support the intent argue that policymakers should prioritize other programs given the country’s finite resources. But DeVos’s comments show a misunderstanding of the policy generally and ignores the struggle students face trying to attend and afford higher education.
DeVos has been critical of the massive amount of outstanding student debt in her time in office. However, as this speech shows, she has done little to provide a solution for student borrowers or make college more affordable.
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