U.S. Plans to Stop Funding Low-Earning Degrees. Indiana May Just End Them
a day ago
- #accountability
- #education-policy
- #student-earnings
- Starting this summer, most college programs must show students earn more than high school graduates to avoid losing federal funding.
- Indiana is close to passing legislation that would end failing programs entirely at public universities and Ivy Tech Community College.
- The federal earnings test, 'Do No Harm,' will compare program graduates' earnings to high school graduates' earnings.
- Indiana's Senate Bill 199 would shut down programs that fail the earnings test, with possible exemptions.
- Other states like Nebraska and New Hampshire are considering similar measures to penalize failing programs.
- Critics argue the bill is overly harsh and reduces education value to earnings, ignoring other benefits.
- Faculty and Democrats oppose the bill, calling it a power grab and academic Stalinism.
- Previous Indiana legislation already required programs to meet minimum graduation numbers, leading to program cuts.
- The federal test will use median earnings data from four years post-graduation to determine program viability.
- Concerns include lack of clarity on enforcement and the impact on programs with non-monetary benefits.