Most Americans who are eligible to vote in the 2020 presidential election want greater accountability in the U.S. higher education system, according to a new survey by the think tank Third Way.
The non-profit think tank commissioned a nationwide survey of 1,389 likely 2020 voters, both Democrats and Republicans, which was conducted by Global Strategy from April 30 through May 9.
Fifty-two percent of voters from both parties, particularly Democrats, think that Congress should prioritize increasing guardrails to protect students from predatory and poor-performing schools.
Nearly 67 percent of Republicans agreed that “the federal government should provide basic guardrails to ensure that students aren’t encouraged to take out loans to attend predatory institutions that will leave them worse off than when they first enrolled.”
Additionally, 81 percent of surveyed voters said that the federal government should increase its oversight and stop subsidizing institutions that fail to provide value to students and leave them without a degree.
“This new data shows that there are several policies to improve higher education that garner broad support outside of the traditional party-line talking points,” the survey report says. “This makes clear that the building a higher education system that is more accountable for the success of its students not only the right thing to do but a winning political strategy, too.”
However, a majority of voters, 83 percent of Democrats and 70 percent of Republicans, believe that the responsibility lies with educational institutions to ensure that most students who enroll in college graduate. Nine in 10 voters believe that institutions can do more to make that happen.
An overwhelming number of voters, 91 percent, think that students who attend higher education institutions should be able to get good paying jobs, while 83 percent said that they should be able to repay their loans.
A majority of the voters also said that bachelor’s degrees, associate’s degrees, and vocational training certificates are worth an investment.
As some of the Democrat presidential nominees are pushing plans to eliminate college tuition, the survey surprisingly found higher support for ideas like increasing investment in the Pell Grant program; establishing a grant program that provides additional resources to institutions dedicated to improving outcomes among low-income students and students of color; and requiring college accreditors to consider student outcomes as part of their review of institutions. The ideas are most popular among Democratic voters.
The other ideas that received support from more than 70 percent of those surveyed include free tuition at community colleges, free tuition at all public colleges and universities, and restricting aid unless the graduation rate is above 15 percent, among others.
Forgiving Student Debt is a Top Issue for Millennial Voters [Survey]
