MTA urges passage of debt-free public higher ed bill
The Massachusetts Teachers Association is urging passage of a bill to create debt-free access to public higher education, recognizing that public colleges and their graduates are the foundation of our state’s robust economy and an essential tool for creating a more socially just Commonwealth.
The Legislature’s Joint Committee on Higher Education is holding a hearing today on “An Act relative to debt-free public higher education” (H. 1436/S.929). The bill seeks to cover tuition and mandatory fees for Massachusetts residents attending one of the state’s public colleges or universities. The bill also provides additional aid to the state’s lowest-income residents so they can pay for food and housing while attending college.
“The right to an education is a fundamental cornerstone of our democracy guaranteed in our state’s Constitution. To make that right meaningful in the 21st century, we must extend it to include higher education,” said MTA President Max Page. “Every resident of the Commonwealth, who so chooses, deserves to pursue a degree or vocational certificate at one of our 29 public colleges and universities without incurring debilitating debt.”
The MTA praised state Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Marlborough) and state Representatives Natalie Higgins (D-Leominster) and Carmine Gentile (D-Sudbury) for being lead sponsors of the bill.
“I’m proud to partner with Representatives Natalie Higgins and Carmine Gentile, and to stand with the MTA, in championing legislation for debt-free public higher education,” said Senator Eldridge. “Last session, we made real progress by establishing debt-free community college. Now, we have the opportunity to go even further by making our state universities more affordable for working families and strengthening the state’s commitment to public higher education."
Supporters of this initiative point to the availability of revenue from the Fair Share Amendment to launch this crucial “first dollar” program, which also will rely on federal student aid grants and ongoing funding in the state budget. Voters passed the Fair Share Amendment to enhance the state’s investments in public education and transportation by placing a 4 percent surtax on income above $1 million. Fair Share is generating more than $2 billion annually for the public good.
Massachusetts has a highly educated workforce, with more than half of the state’s residents holding a bachelor’s degree. In Gateway Cities, that number drops significantly and household incomes are likewise lower than the state average. Knocking down financial barriers to public colleges is one of the best ways to extend opportunities for social and economic mobility to more residents
“As a first-generation college graduate who attended UMass and a representative of a Gateway City, I can attest that this this legislation will change lives and improve communities,” said Representative Higgins. “The financial barriers preventing so many residents from pursuing higher education arise from more than a college’s tuition and fees. This bill looks to ensure that students who enroll in a public college have the additional support they need to succeed. Tuition-free community college immediately proved its value. We must create similar opportunity throughout our system of public higher education.”
More than 70 percent of all the state’s high school graduates pursuing higher education are attending a Massachusetts public college. More than 81 percent of the graduates from public colleges and universities in Massachusetts remain in the state. The state’s public higher education system fuels the Massachusetts economy with skilled workers and innovators.
“Higher education was transformative for me, as a first-generation college graduate,” said Representative Gentile. “No one should be saddled with enormous debt by our public colleges and universities or have to seriously consider whether they can afford to go to school at all. Debt-free public higher education has been the reality in much of western Europe for decades, and it is high time for the Commonwealth to catch up.”
Higher education across the country is under assault as the Trump administration seeks to cut funding for research and other academic work as well as for student support. Massachusetts must take the necessary steps to protect access to high-quality public education.
“Our residents value education. They have supported our campaigns to increase state spending on preK-12 schools, to limit public money being spent on privately run charter schools and to end the abusive use of high-stakes standardized testing,” said Page. “Our students deserve to have debt-free access to great public colleges once they have graduated from our great public high schools.”