Education News – Kristin Decarr
“According to a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), students are now paying more of the costs associated with attending public universities in their home states than state governments are, making college even less affordable…The rise in tuition payments come at the same time that more students are attending state schools. Between the 2002-2003 school year and 2011-2012, the number of students enrolled in state schools rose 20%. At the same time, state funding for each student dropped 24%…According to the GAO, the collapse of the financial markets in 2008 played a large role in the decrease of state contributions to higher education…In order to make up the money they were no longer receiving, state schools increased tuition costs. Beginning in the 2007-2008 school year, tuition prices rose 28% over the rate of inflation. However, federal grant aid and other free money has not kept up with the increasing costs associated with attending college…”(more)