Education and Training

“Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.”

– Franklin D. Roosevelt

The Problems:
  • Educational Inequality: High costs of education limit access to quality education for many.
  • Student Debt Crisis: Many graduates are burdened with overwhelming student debt.
  • Insufficient Adult Education: Lack of programs to help adults adapt to changing job markets and technologies.

Our Solutions:
  • Free Public Education: Provide free, high-quality public education from preschool through university, including vocational and technical training.
  • Student Debt Relief: Cancel existing student debt and transition to a system where higher education is publicly funded and free at the point of use.
  • Adult Education Programs: Expand adult education and retraining programs offered in Public Libraries, Community Centers, and to help workers adapt to changing job markets and technologies.

Our Reasoning:
  • Accessibility: Free public education ensures everyone has access to learning opportunities, regardless of financial background.
  • Economic Mobility: Student debt relief allows graduates to contribute to the economy without the burden of debt, enhancing economic mobility.
  • Workforce Adaptability: Adult education and retraining programs ensure the workforce remains competitive and adaptable to technological advancements.

How we will accomplish the task:
  • Legislative Action: Enact laws to provide free public education and cancel student debt.
  • Funding Allocation: Allocate government funding to support adult education and retraining programs.
  • Partnerships: Collaborate with educational institutions, public libraries, community centers, and other organizations to develop and implement effective training programs.

Funding:

Education and Training | Net +$4B in federal discretionary spending (transfer to mandatory spending) with these policies

  • Free Public Education:
    • Estimated Cost: $300 billion annually (for free education from preschool to university).
    • Funding Source: Reallocate $200 billion from existing education funds, $96 billion from education subsidies, and $4 billion from increased progressive taxes.
  • Student Debt Relief:
    • Estimated Cost: $0 to cancel existing student debt.
    • Funding Source: Mandate forgiveness for all student loans through law. Financial compensation has already been made to banks by bailing them out for previous crisis they’ve caused.  
  • Adult Education Programs:
    • Estimated Cost: $15 billion annually.
    • Funding Source: Reallocate from other job training programs.