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Column: Where college affordability is at risk

 
Published April 10, 2015

Every spring, the Legislature makes important choices that affect the affordability of higher education. Since the recession, limited revenues and competition with other priorities have reduced the share of the budget going to colleges and universities in most states, and Florida is no exception.

The most visible effect has been rising tuition at state universities. Despite remaining significantly lower than the national average, the unusually rapid increase has caused real pain and concern for many students and families. The increasing visibility of tuition has led to confusion about what the true cost of college is, who pays for it and what makes Florida's situation unique. Five key facts can help highlight where affordability is most at risk and where voters and policymakers should be focusing their attention.

No. 1. There are 50 affordability challenges, not a single national crisis.

Every state has a unique system of funding for higher education, and in recent years the biggest factor in budget cuts and tuition increases has not been partisan politics but the severity of the recession. Budget cuts and tuition increases were worst in states like Florida and California where the recession hit hardest, and milder in states like Texas and Maryland, where employment and tax revenue dropped less.

No. 2. All Florida students receive an "invisible scholarship" from taxpayers.

The biggest financial aid program for public college is not Bright Futures but what the state gives directly each year to institutions in exchange for keeping resident tuition below the cost of education. That amount has fallen sharply. Still, without state support, in 2012-13 tuition would have had to have gone up by $5,900 at universities and by $3,100 at community colleges to compensate.

If resident tuition doesn't seem like a scholarship, consider New Hampshire, where the state provides very little funding. Tuition for in-state residents there is $6,500 at community colleges and $14,700 at the University of New Hampshire.

Since the state subsidy for residents is Florida's true middle class scholarship program, preserving or increasing it should be a priority for policymakers — and voters — concerned about affordability.

No. 3. In Florida, the lowest-income students have faced the biggest increase in prices.

While the latest round of tuition increases hurt everyone, the net price of college after financial aid — including tuition, books, room, board and other expenses — went up fastest for those from the poorest families. In the State University System, average net prices increased by 28 percent ($3,000) between 2008-09 and 2012-13 for all students receiving financial aid, but by 68 percent ($3,700) for those with family incomes under $30,000.

Among the explanations: financial aid that has not kept up with tuition increases, changes to Bright Futures that have disproportionately affected poorer participants, and colleges that use their own financial aid to compete for top students rather than prioritize those who need it to succeed.

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No. 4. Non-tuition costs are the biggest expense for most Florida students.

A few students, mostly at private out-of-state colleges, face headline-grabbing tuition bills of $40,000 or more. But most students in Florida attend public colleges, where the highest resident tuition is under $7,000. By contrast, a no-frills budget for books, transportation, room and board runs about $10,000 to $12,000. Covering these expenses can be a challenge, even with a tuition scholarship and part-time work.

No. 5. Family income has an outsized impact on college enrollment and success.

The odds of getting a college degree are high for academically gifted students at all income levels. But for those with average academic records, money makes a big difference. Data from one study in Florida showed that a student from the highest income group with a verbal and math combined SAT score in the 900 to 990 range was more likely to graduate from the university system than a student from the lowest income group with an SAT score between 1200 and 1290. Public policies should provide the support low-income students need to narrow the gaps.

Florida is rightly proud of its strong public universities and nationally recognized community college system. The state should maintain its core commitment to the middle-class scholarship — the annual appropriation to institutions — while focusing additional resources and attention on students who most need it in order to succeed. It is the right thing to do — both for Florida's students and for the citizens and businesses whose prosperity and quality of life depend on a well-educated workforce.

Sandy Baum is senior fellow at the Urban Institute and research professor of education policy at George Washington University. Nate Johnson is principal consultant at Postsecondary Analytics in Tallahassee. They wrote this exclusively for the Tampa Bay Times.