Empower Aspiring Students
A recent bipartisan state bill would improve chances for economically disadvantaged students to obtain an education
This state’s education system is among the strongest in the nation, but not all residents have the same access to it. Fortunately, legislation aimed at helping low-income students get to college is well underway. The House of Delegates passed a bill by Del. Alonzo Washington (D-Prince George’s) by a 131-5 vote on March 19, while a Senate version sponsored by Sen. Jim Rosapepe (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel) passed unanimously two days later.
The widespread support for the bills is a commendable demonstration of this state’s commitment to education, and Washington said he expects Gov. Larry Hogan will follow suit by signing the legislation into law. Perhaps one reason for the bipartisan support is that Washington’s and Rosapepe’s bills do not propose a new government organization; instead, they would create a fund-matching program to empower nonprofits that are already working with students around the state.
Federal data show that this state’s residents are already relatively successful in attaining higher education. In 2010, this state had the ninth-highest percentage of college graduates, according to the U.S. Education Department, with 45.5 percent of 25- to 34-year-olds holding a degree.
But achievement is far from equal across the state. In Prince George’s County, 29.8 percent of residents ages 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree — well below the state average of 36.8 percent — according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In adjacent Montgomery County, that figure is 57.1 percent. Those rates are both better than they were in 2000, but the gap has increased, from about 11 percentage points to more than 27.
Income is likely a factor in the discrepancy — compare the median household income of $73,623 in Prince George’s to $98,221 in Montgomery. And, as with bachelor’s degree attainment, income disparity is also on the rise: Montgomery County’s median household income was 29.5 percent greater than Prince George’s’ in 2000, but 33.4 percent greater in 2010.
Higher education is likely to be an even greater factor in income in the future. A report from Georgetown University estimates that by 2020, 65 percent of jobs will require more than a high-school diploma, compared to 59 percent in 2010. So while a vast majority of state residents have graduated high school — and between Prince George’s and Montgomery, the graduation gap is only a few percentage points — the value of a high-school education is predicted to slip even more than it already has. If a college degree is the employability baseline of the near future, then this state must work harder for equity in higher education.
The rest of the state is not waiting for lawmakers in Annapolis to solve this longstanding problem. Several colleges at this university already hold competitions and initiatives to raise interest in and access to higher education. For example, this university’s Physics Summer Outreach Program, aimed at girls who are interested in physics, or this university’s annual High School Mathematics Competition, through which students from this state and Washington can win scholarships.
But this university and its students can do more to help.
For low-income high-school students, knowledge about the admissions process and financial aid is a prerequisite for successful entry into college. The bills going through the legislature aim to help organizations that teach students how to successfully apply for college.
Who else knows how to get into college? Every current student at this university — otherwise we wouldn’t be here. We could be a valuable resource for aspiring college students, whether through university-sanctioned outreach programs or just by talking with younger neighbors back home.
We students have been fortunate enough to reach this university, with its effective professors, chances for growth and diverse community. We can and should use our experience to help others reach those same opportunities.
Source: The Diamondback
Author: Diamondback Editorial Board
Date: March 30, 2015