Families See College As An Essential Goal That Must Be Met Despite The Costs - ebookschoice.com

Borrowing by students and parents to pay for college has been one of the most commonly discussed and debated issues of national policy over the last two decades. Concerns about steadily increasing borrowing levels, have prompted a variety of policy proposals to ease the burden of college borrowing. Despite efforts to simplify and streamline student loan repayment, public knowledge about who borrows, how much is borrowed, and what students and their families think about borrowing is very limited. Much of what people know and think about student borrowing is framed by media reports, college student guides, and word-of-mouth. But how accurate those impressions are is virtually unknown.

 

To assess the current status of borrowing to pay for college on a national level, we prepared this comprehensive summary report. Our report seeks to add to public knowledge about college borrowing in several distinct ways. First, we present the most recent data available on national college borrowing trends. The analysis in this report focuses on borrowing trends in 2021-2022, and includes the most current estimates of borrowing levels and projections of total borrowing by the end of the decade. Data on the characteristics of those taking out student loans also comprise an important component of this analysis.

 

We also offer the results of a nationally representative survey of undergraduate students and families who borrow to pay for college. The survey was designed to assess the impact of student loan debt on family attitudes about college, major financial decisions, and the possible future ramifications of debt burden. This survey provides a snapshot of student and family views about college debt and paying for college. Profiles of student and family borrowers complete this package of information on college loan debt. These borrowers, who all currently have loans to pay for their education were interviewed at length to further illustrate how borrowing impacts American families in their pursuit of postsecondary education.

 

The combination of national data, survey responses, and profiles presents a complete picture of the situation facing students and families - both now and in the near future - as they attempt to finance what has become one of the most important, and most expensive, pieces of the American Dream: a college education. The overall findings suggest that while borrowing for college has exploded in the last five years, families are torn between their need to borrow and the burdens that these loans place on their present and future.

 

Our analysis of national data on borrowing revealed that changes in the federal student loan programs have had a dramatic impact on borrowing for college. The nationally representative survey of undergraduate college students and families asked a variety of questions concerning college costs, student indebtedness, family ability to pay for college, and future concerns about debt burdens. The survey revealed several important findings:

 

- students and families feel great anxiety about the burdens that student loans place on their lifestyle, career, and educational objectives.

 

- the rising cost of college combined with additional loan debt will cause hardships for students and families.

 

An overwhelming 89 percent of respondents said that the cost of college is rising at a rate that will soon put a college education out of the reach of most people. 53% percent reported that "any additional debt or major expense in the near future would pose a serious financial risk for my household." Over half of all respondents, 56 percent, said an additional student loan would make their debt burden somewhat or much more of a hardship. Nineteen percent reported that their monthly student loan payments are higher than their monthly payments for a mortgage or rent.

 

Students and families have accepted borrowing to pay for college as a major aspect of their overall debt patterns. When asked to rank the most necessary reasons to take out any kind of loan, equal percentages of respondents cited buying a home (43 percent) and paying for college (43 percent) as the most necessary reason to take out a loan. Only 7 percent cited purchasing a car as the most necessary reason to take out a loan. When asked whether or not a good job was likely from a college education, 84 percent said it was likely. And when asked to predict the single most likely outcome of a college education, 65 percent cited a good job.

 

In a society where it has become all too common to take on debt in order to finance a consumer lifestyle, borrowing for higher education, once a limited practice for students and families, is becoming one of the dominant pieces in the portrait of American family debt. With the rising cost of college and an ever-increasing reliance on student loans to finance higher education, the trends of the last few years are important indicators of what the future holds for college debt and the American family.

 

Significant changes have taken place over the past few years in the federal student loan programs, which provide the vast majority of the loans taken out by students and parents. Changes in need analyses, eligibility, and program structure have increased both the number of borrowers and their loan amounts. As a result, borrowing to pay for college has skyrocketed, leading to higher debt loads for most students and families.

 

Borrowing by students and families to pay for college has been a frequent issue in the discussion and debate of national student aid policy. Concerns about steadily increasing borrowing rates have prompted a variety of policy proposals to ease the burden of college borrowing. Many of the recent proposals have focused on offering students alternative repayment options that are more flexible than the current plans. These options, such as increasing loan forgiveness opportunities or linking payments to the borrower's post-college income, aim to make repayment more user-friendly.

 

But despite these efforts to simplify and ease student loan repayment, public knowledge about borrowing for college and the operation of federal student loan programs remains limited, based on incomplete, and possibly inaccurate, information. Much of the public's understanding of college borrowing is framed by media reports, student guides to college, and word-of-mouth. How accurate those impressions are is virtually unknown.

 

Several studies have been conducted over the last decade in an attempt to analyze the issues of college borrowing and student loan debt. These studies have indicated that, in general, average debt levels for students are still relatively low, and only a small segment of students appear to have trouble repaying their student loans. While these previous studies have provided useful information on tracking average debt amounts and determining the post-graduation earnings and behavior of borrowers, they have been hampered by several important limitations.

 

First, many prior studies have attempted to assess how much debt represents a "burden" to the average borrower. Unfortunately, little consensus has been reached on this topic; analysts have suggested that as low as 4 percent to as much as 10 percent of post-graduation earnings represent the threshold for student loan debt. In other words, debt totaling more than these percentages is believed to be a burden on students that will negatively impact their ability to purchase a home or a car, pursue public service or other lower-paying careers, or even have children. But how much debt is "manageable" can vary widely for students, depending on their individual circumstances.

 

Second, these studies have concentrated on borrowing that took place during the 2020s, when overall borrowing trends began to increase substantially, but at a more predictable rate than is today. However, none of these studies has examined the significant changes that have taken place recently in student loan programs and their effects on borrowing.

 

Furthermore, past reports have lacked a firm grasp of the public's comprehension of borrowing for college. Important questions such as "how does the American family perceive the current loan system and the effects of recent programmatic changes?" and "what is their ability to shoulder the burdens that increased borrowing entails?"

 

To assess the current status of borrowing to pay for college on a national level we prepared this comprehensive summary report of research findings. Several distinct approaches are presented in our report to offer a complete picture of college debt and the American family. First, we present the most recent data available on national college borrowing trends. The analysis focuses on trends in the 2020s and includes the most current estimates of borrowing levels and projections of student borrowing to the end of the decade. In addition, our analysis includes data on the characteristics of those taking out student loans.

 

We also offer the results of a nationally representative survey of undergraduate students and families who borrow to finance their college education. This survey was designed to assess the impact of student loan debt on family attitudes about college, major financial decisions, and the possible future ramifications of debt burden. Profiles of student and family borrowers round out this report on college loan debt. These borrowers, who all currently have loans to pay for their education, were interviewed at length to further illustrate how borrowing impacts American families in their pursuit of postsecondary education. The combination of national data, survey responses, and profiles presents a complete picture of the situation facing students and families - both now and in the near future - as they attempt to finance what has become one of the most important pieces of the American Dream: a college education.

 

For many Americans, borrowing to pay for a college education is seen as an investment in their future and the potential success that awaits them on the other side of the ivy walls. However, the investment needed for a college education is not small, and many students and families have to look beyond their own limited resources for help in paying for college. Since the mid-1960s, the federal government has been the major provider of such assistance. Student aid programs, which began with small budgets and served a limited number of students, have blossomed into a sizable investment that helps, in one way or another, approximately 46 percent of the millions of students currently pursuing postsecondary education.

 

Though student loans have always been a substantial component in the array of aid programs that the federal government offers, several factors have converged recently to increase the prominence of borrowing to pay for college. Most significantly, student loan opportunities have increased over the years as programs have been created, expanded, and redefined to allow more students to borrow greater amounts. As both financial and political support for grant aid has eroded, support for student borrowing has remained strong. In addition, with the escalation of college costs, students and families have had a greater need for loans. The most recent data show that American families have readily taken advantage of increased borrowing opportunities and are assuming record levels of debt. The situation currently facing student and family borrowers can be summed up in four words: an explosion in borrowing.

 

Given the reality of debt that students and families have taken on, what are their attitudes and concerns about increased debt burdens? With borrowing so prevalent in our society that it has become commonplace to take out 30-year mortgages for homes and loans to buy cars, borrowing money to pay for a college education is now the norm. But while much information exists about families' borrowing activities, not as much is known about their attitudes and knowledge regarding student loans and their debt burden.

 

In order to gather this information, we conducted a national survey of undergraduate students and families who borrow to finance their college education. The survey instrument was designed to assess the financial and psychological effect of student loan debt on families throughout the United States. Specifically, the survey questions sought to:

 

- gauge how and why families with college students value a college education,

- assess the effect of overall debt and student debt on lifestyle and other economic decisions,

- examine attitudes about the cost of higher education and student loan debt, and

- explore possible future ramifications of debt burden.

 

When the major survey findings are compared with the national data, it appears that students and families feel great anxiety about the burdens that loans place on their lifestyle, careers, and educational objectives. Families are willing to sacrifice and take on much debt because they view a college education as essential. However, they are becoming anxious about the levels of debt they are assuming.

 

There is great concern among students and families about the rising cost of college and future debt burdens. An aggregate of 39 percent said college was not affordable. An overwhelming 89 percent of respondents said that the cost of college is rising at a rate that will soon put a college education out of the reach of most people. Just over half of the respondents, 53 percent, reported that any additional debt or major expense in the near future would pose a serious financial risk for their households. 56% said that an additional student loan would make their overall debt burden somewhat or much more of a hardship.

 

Student loan debt Is a very serious problem for a significant number of students and families. Nineteen percent of respondents said that student loans are or will represent the highest portion of their household debt. Twenty percent of respondents said that the prospect of increasing debt has caused students to consider leaving school, 18% stated the prospect of increasing debt has caused them to consider reducing their course load. Twelve percent of respondents cited student loans as being more than 75 percent of their household debt, and i7 percent said that their monthly student loan payments are higher than their monthly payments for a mortgage or rent.

 

Survey responses overwhelmingly demonstrate that the economic value of higher education remains a strong motivating factor for students and families. It is likely that a major reason college was cited as profoundly important is the expected outcomes of a college education. When asked directly whether or not a good job was a likely or unlikely outcome from a college education, 84 percent responded "likely". Further, when asked to predict the single most likely outcome from a college education, 67 percent cited "a good job", and another 12 percent said "have a higher income".

 

College is therefore a worthwhile investment and many students and families are willing to take on loan debt to pay for college. Yet the data indicate a disturbing future for these students and families. Many American families have recently taken on sizable amounts of debt from programs that have high borrowing ceilings and diminished subsidies that would soften the impact of this increased debt load. The substantial growth of new programs, which allows parents to borrow regardless of their ability to repay, demonstrates that the family is actively involved in assuming these higher debt levels, not just the student. Worse still, some of the very families who are borrowing more are those whose economic condition upon entering higher education leaves the smallest margin for failure, the rewards of higher education for these families would be substantial, but the price of failing would be even greater.

 

But borrowers' attitudes as illustrated in this survey do not reveal either an awareness of these facts or a willingness to change their behavior. Survey responses indicate that there is scarcely a movement to cut back on participation in higher education low percentages of respondents indicate that the student would leave school or reduce courses in the face of increased debt. Instead, the recent increased participation in loan programs shows a strong response to expanded borrowing opportunities.

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

 

The information presented in this report provides one comprehensive portraits to date of college debt and the American family. The findings indicate that we are at a crossroads in the financing of higher education. Record levels of borrowing that have been reached are projected to continue, yet national survey data indicate a public that is willing to shoulder the burdens of student loan debt because a college education is so important.

 

Our national survey shows Americans "locked in" to the American Dream of a college education. Despite signs that they are at or near their limits, they see college education not as an optional purchase or debt, but as an essential goal. And now, with so many more families borrowing to pay for higher education, college debt has increased its prominence in the budget of American families. However, many American families say college financ­ ing is a "major hardship" to them now, and indicate great anxiety about their future and any additional debt or expense.

 

We are also seeing greater increases in borrowing for specific categories of students. Borrowing for students at public colleges and universities is rising at higher rates than at private Institutions. There also has been a marked increase in the borrowing levels of non­traditional and minority students.

 

This report raises critical questions. With borrowing levels projected to more than double in the next five years, and with Americans near their debt limits now, will increased debt pressures push them beyond their limits? Or will higher education and the financing structures adapt? The well-being and even the economic survival of the American family may rest on whether these questions are satisfactorily answered.

 

Jeff C. Palmer is a teacher, success coach, trainer, Certified Master of Web Copywriting and founder of https://Ebookschoice.com. Jeff is a prolific writer, Senior Research Associate and Infopreneur having written many eBooks, articles and special reports.

 

Source: https://ebookschoice.com/families-see-college-as-an-essential-goal-that-must-be-met-despite-the-costs/

All Students Can Learn And Should Be Presented The Opportunity To Learn - ebookschoice.com

The current reform movement in the United States began in the 1990s and has manifested itself as a standards movement. It is a movement to establish state and national frameworks, to which local school districts are encouraged to link their efforts to implement local standards. The linchpin that holds together the standards framework is that they are rigorous; voluntary, in that states and localities decide whether or not to use them; and flexible, in that states and localities can decide which strategies are best for their own schools.

 

Today, virtually every state in the nation has gone about the business of articulating standards, revising curricular offerings, and developing assessments to measure whether the standards are being met. At the national level, initiatives by the federal government and national organizations have been joined in an effort to produce a comprehensive and coherent standards movement. Currently, many national professional organizations have developed or are in the process of developing national standards for their particular subject areas. States have connected to these efforts on numerous fronts.

 

The current movement has focused primarily on three types of standards: 1) content or curriculum standards; 2) performance or accountability standards; and 3) capacity or delivery standards (also referred to as opportunity-to-learn standards). The three types of standards are linked - one will not succeed without the other two.

 

The purpose of this paper is four-fold: First, we define "students of diverse needs and cultures" and the "standards movement." Second, we address specific initiatives of current reform efforts in progress in mathematics and science education. Third, we discuss critical issues related to the successful implementation of mathematics and science standards (i.e., teachers professional development, technological advancements, opportunity-to-learn standards, school organization, and assessments.) Fourth, we suggest references to be used as curriculum materials, how-to articles of use to teachers in the classroom, and seminal research and philosophical literature related to mathematics and science reform initiatives.

 

Who Are Students of Diverse Needs and Cultures?

 

American society has haltingly come to understand itself as being culturally diverse and pluralistic. Schools, public schools in particular, mirror what our society will look like in the 21st Century. The culture of schools and the capacity of teachers to implement standards and other initiatives are indispensable elements in the effort to reform mathematics and science education.

 

We define diversity to include race, ethnicity, gender, regionalism, religion, socio-economic status or class, and exceptionalities (i.e., gifted and talented or students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities). Culture is defined as encompassing all that we are. Culture is the confluence of language, beliefs, values, traditions, and behaviors that permeates our lives.

 

Nowhere is that cultural diversity more vividly reflected than in the nation's schools. About 42% of public-school students are identified as representing racial or language minority groups. Contrary to popular belief, however, increased language and racial diversity is not unique to any particular region of the country. Diversity in race, language, and ethnicity occurs in small towns and rural counties as well as urban areas throughout the nation. The question often arises as to how will we educate students with such diverse needs and cultures?

 

Equity and Excellence for All Students

 

Our nation entered the 1990s with twin goals for education reform. The first goal was to restructure schools in ways that enhance their effectiveness; the second goal was to create curricula and instructional approaches that would help all students attain world-class levels of achievement. The intent was to ensure that all students, including those who were educationally, socially, or economically disadvantaged, would have equal opportunities to meet higher academic standards.

 

The last ten years have brought about much discussion of the state of mathematics achievement in American schools. Because mathematical achievement and competence had drastically diminished, educators across the country agreed that a change was necessary - a change that would revolutionize the teaching and learning of mathematics. Discontent was prevalent when the education community attempted to change the mathematics content taught and called it the "new math." Disappointed with the results, back to "basics" was encouraged, particularly because educators felt that emphasis on more abstract mathematical structures was a mistake. Change came about so slowly that educators across America, after expressing concern for so long, reached a consensus that efforts needed to be aggressively pursued. New publications established a framework to guide the reform of school mathematics and will provide new directions in both content and pedagogy.

 

Development of the Mathematics Standards

 

The mathematical expectations for new employees have changed and so must the knowledge base of students. The Standards outlined a new knowledge base designed to prepare students to be able to set up problems with the appropriate operations, demonstrate a variety of techniques to approach and work on problems, have the ability to work with others on problems, and demonstrate the ability to see the applicability of mathematical ideas to common and complex problems. Students must also be prepared to work in open problem situations, since most real world problems are not well formulated.

 

Also critical to the development of the student's knowledge base is belief in the utility and value of mathematics. Therefore, the goals for students must reflect the importance of mathematical literacy. Towards this end, the Standards purport two general goals for all students: that they (1) learn to value mathematics; (2) become confident in their ability to do mathematics. To accomplish these worthy goals, educators must themselves view mathematics more comprehensively and learn more about how to teach and assess differently to assure that their classrooms become active learning communities.

 

Across grade levels, teachers are expected to teach for understanding as they emphasize areas such as reasoning inductively and deductively; making connections between mathematics and other content areas; preparing students to critically read, interpret, and analyze charts, graphs, tables, and statistics; establishing relationships; working cooperatively; and solving problems. While increasing emphasis in some areas, other areas such as extensive skill drills, viewing the teacher as the authority, questioning that requires little or no thinking or reasoning, memorizing formulas, and rote memorization should receive less attention according to the Standards.

 

Standards and Professional Development

 

School reformers envision all students possessing mathematical power, which requires that the learning environment be conducive to risk taking, experimentation, non-threatening communication, and cooperative activities. To facilitate these types of classroom surroundings, teachers must be prepared to:

 

- select mathematical tasks that engage students' interests, skill levels, and past experiences;

- provide mathematical content with appropriate practical applications generated with the students as partners in the planning process where possible; and

- use and promote the use of technology in and out of the classroom.

 

For example, in a survey of mathematics teachers about standards and practices, problems reported by teachers included limited knowledge of the Standards, current teaching methodologies, and mathematics content.

 

Educators are cognizant that learning new practices while simultaneously unlearning old practices is a difficult task that must be supported by school administrators, school systems, parents, and students. A commitment from all participants in the teaching and learning process is mandatory if teachers are to have the opportunity to reflect critically on their practice and to restructure their attitudes and views about content, pedagogy, and diverse student populations with whom they interact daily.

 

If reform in teaching and learning mathematics is to be successful, attention must be given to existing practices of mathematics teachers. As the view of learning mathematics changes, so must the practice of teaching mathematics.

 

The constructivist's view of learning mathematics has been commonly accepted by researchers and mathematics educators alike. To move teachers away from the lecture mode to a more interactive, hands-on mode of teaching using manipulatives and computers, teachers must become involved in ongoing, effective professional development activities that encapsulate the following:

 

- They must engage teachers in concrete tasks of teaching, assessment, observation, and reflection that illuminate the processes of learning and development.

- They must be collaborative, involving a sharing of knowledge among educators and a focus on teachers' communities of practice rather than on individual teachers.

- They must be connected to and derived from teacher's work with their students.

 

Technological Advancements

 

The changes in mathematical knowledge and growth are due, in large part, to increased use of computers, calculators, and telecommunication technologies. However, there is a technological gap between the vast changes in the workplace and the changes that have taken place in schools.

 

We are and have been in a golden age of mathematical production with more than half of the content having been created since World War II. To keep pace with the expansion of knowledge, the integration of the use of computers and calculators into instructional procedures became the hallmark of innovative teaching in many classrooms across the country. 

 

Although the Standards encourage extensive use of calculators and computers, school systems must work diligently to assure that all students have full access to available technology. Often, in affluent urban or suburban schools that have elaborately furnished computer labs with the latest equipment, the hardware and software far outpace other schools in less affluent areas within the same school district.

 

While the use of technology is essential for students, it is equally essential for teachers to be prepared to integrate technology into their instructional plans and their professional development program. In response to a feeling of isolation, many educators use technology to communicate with other educators both locally and nationally. With a sense of empowerment, teachers in rural, suburban, and urban areas can assess various forms of technology during the lesson planning process. In addition to enhancing the teaching and learning process, teachers must use the Internet for professional development and to remain current in their discipline.

 

Mathematics for all students refers to students from culturally diverse backgrounds, or females as well as to students with special needs. For example, new technologies make it possible for students with disabilities to minimize the effects of their disabilities and to learn better. Motor/orthopedically impaired students may benefit from robotics, software for geometric simulations, and improved access to buildings. The visually impaired can use a number of technologies to improve access to information. Hearing impaired students make use of close captioned films, computers, and electronic mail. Learning disabled students can make use of self-pacing software, motivating software, word processing, computers, and a variety of electronic media that provide visual and audio information, as well as written. The technology can be as "patient" as necessary.

 

Mathematics for All Students

 

One of the most positive aspects of the Standards is that all students can and will learn mathematics if the content is presented in a way that is meaningful and consistent with the needs, intellect, and learning style of the students. For many, this is a new notion, because it implies that all students, including those traditionally underrepresented populations, can learn mathematics.

 

For instance, if all students can learn mathematics, the question arises why students have performed poorly. There are too many reasons to enumerate; however, one reason could be the use of old curriculum and old beliefs coupled with attitudes about proficiency. In short, the American mathematics curriculum consisted of nine years of drill in arithmetic, followed by algebra taught as a beginning foreign language with word lists, memorizations, and translation. For most students, proof driven plane geometry was too abstract and deterred half of them from taking it, and of the half that attempted, most did not learn it. In addition, in the old curriculum, calculators and computers were not encouraged and sometimes viewed as cheating.

 

The belief that all students can learn mathematics undergirds the success of many programs and projects in operation today. Using innovative curricular materials that are developed in accordance with the Standards, these programs are designed to increase understanding, participation, and output while promoting mathematical literacy. Concomitantly, many of these programs are designed specifically to address the educational needs of targeted groups within our pluralistic student population.

 

These projects, in conjunction with the Standards, are models worthy of replication, because they offer hope where there was little and serve as exemplars for the entire education reform era. If we are to continue in the upward spiral of improved mathematics teaching and learning, all factions of society, including business organizations, curriculum writers, textbook publishers, and the media must be committed to the idea that all students can learn and should be presented the opportunity to learn.

 

Not surprisingly, there is general agreement among the science reform efforts and evolving state curricular frameworks. All are based on the premise that science is for all students. All are intended as an antidote to extant science curricula, notoriously crammed with arcane facts that may actually interfere with students' learning of important underlying science principles, and thus, turn students away from science.

 

There is general agreement among experts about what concepts and skills are important for students to learn. To date, the major science reforms have not "approved" or "sanctioned" specific curricula, materials, or textbooks series. This is not to say that there is not general agreement on science teaching methods and strategies congruent with these reform efforts. We include the following research-based strategies: Learning cycle approach, cooperative learning, analogies, wait time, concept mapping, computer simulations, microcomputer-based laboratories, systematic approaches to problem-solving, conceptual understanding in problem-solving, science-technology-society, real-life situations, and discrepant events.

 

All of the science reforms, however, have been relatively color-blind and silent as to how these changes are to be accomplished, beyond saying that the reform is intended for all students. The crucial question is: are the new improved standards with the developing curriculum frameworks at the state level all we need to bring all students to understand science well? Or, must we develop a deeper understanding of how gender, ethnicity, and social class interact in our science classrooms and schools in order to provide opportunities for all to learn? What must we do to produce teachers, curricula, materials, and school environments that effectively reach all of our diverse students, remembering that the track record for effective science for large segments of student population is either dismal or missing altogether?

 

 

Jeff C. Palmer is a teacher, success coach, trainer, Certified Master of Web Copywriting and founder of https://Ebookschoice.com. Jeff is a prolific writer, Senior Research Associate and Infopreneur having written many eBooks, articles and special reports.

 

Source: https://ebookschoice.com/all-students-can-learn-and-should-be-presented-the-opportunity-to-learn/