Editorial Board
Rethinking College — and How to Pay for It
America’s higher education system is no longer providing value for money.
Education economics 101.
Photographer: Ronda Churchill/BloombergNo advanced society can thrive without a well-functioning system of higher education. College can be an equalizer, providing opportunity to all regardless of race or class. It can enhance human capital, boosting the economy’s productive capacity. It can make people better citizens.
On all these counts, the U.S.’s system of postsecondary education is falling short. Fixing it will require rethinking what it should be aiming to achieve — and how to pay for it.