Secrets of the City

I am not a big fan of paying higher taxes but there are two areas I think we should do more in, higher ed and transportation.

Keeping a higher percentage of our students in MN will lead to a higher percentage being in MN after graduation.

Good for the economy, business, and more income taxes collected.

All politics aside, I could care less who had the idea first or who has it now, let’s do this.

I was at the top of my high school class and I’m about to graduate from the U of M in engineering. Do I get a $20,000 rebate?

Great. Let’s keep giving the kids who are already going to get most of the places in our universities and the scholarships and the academic awards MORE stuff. I think this is a most excellent way of ensuring that there is an even larger gap between the educated professionals and the poor chumps who make $5.75 min. wage (for the 10th year in a row! Alriiight!) because their schools just didn’t have enough funding to provide them with a quality education.

Good thing Pawlenty isn’t spending his time and energy on things like juvenile crime or rising drop-out rates…that stuff is so depressing compared to throwing free stuff at the most-likely-affluent high-achievers.

“because their schools just didn’t have enough funding to provide them with a quality education”

The proposal goes to the top 25% of each high school, so within a bad school it’s still available to 1/4 of the students.

Amber, I think minimum wage is $6.15. Not that it’s incredibly relevant.

Minimum wage.

Nothing is relevant. Sometimes I just like to go off, and am too lazy to fact-check myself. Plus, I know you guys will always be there to tell me when I’m wrong.

Love ya!

I love fact-checkers! And lazy posting! If I were in charge, I’d give both of you free college.

And I can’t believe I’m actually awake right now. About to anchor the morning show.

(Nelson laugh)

i was at the top of my class. and definitely not affluent. i think it’s a great idea. the only problem i can see is that education is no the same across all schools, so some the underperforming schools might turn out kids that aren’t ready for college, even if they’re in the top quarter of their class. i’d hope that’s not the case, and that those kids are smart enough to do just fine their first year. i also want a rebate–can’t they make this rule retroactive??

If this program truly would give the top 1/4 in each school a college education, I think it’s the best idea that Pawlenty has ever come up with (of course, that’s not saying much). Both sides of the isle should get behind this wholeheartedly because after about 10 years of this program, Minnesota would be an economic juggernaut.

the only problem i can see is that education is no the same across all schools, so some the underperforming schools might turn out kids that aren’t ready for college, even if they’re in the top quarter of their class.

The results in Georgia and Texas where similar programs exist show that about 50% of the kids don’t make it through their second year. My guess is that that 50% is from the substandard high schools. But what the hey, at least the kidsa get a shot at it. It’s up to them to come through. I went to a “substandard” ghetto high school and we had kids go on to Harvard and Yale etc., and become doctors and judges and such, so it can be done.

Here’s an idea. Why not take that money and use it to cut tuition so everybody can afford to go if they want? Its a nice idea to give to the top 25%, but as everyone here has noticed not all 25% are equal. Like the Twins and A’s have almost the same record and look at where they stand in their respective divisions… How many would transfer to a lesser school in their senior year just for free college?

Anybody who’d say “just for free college” obviously can’t relate to poor kids who’d give anything for just a chance to go to school.

Lets be clear about this. Suppose you were at the 26% percentile of the best school in the state. Would you transfer to the worst school in the state for free college? Thus, depriving said “poor kid” from said free education…

If this goes through, I’m happy for the kids who benefit (as I beat down the envy recalling hours of filling out paperwork in hopes of a grant etc. which, if received, still required my working those two jobs while attending college full time).

If I’m remembering correctly (yes, a lazy fact checker) Nevada has or had free public college – the upside of legal gambling and prostitution.

I graduated high school in the top of my class and am about to graduate in December from the U with over $40,000 in debt because my family falls into that wonderful middle class tax bracket that doesn’t receive any help from wonderful educational programs such as FAFSA. I’m with Dane, when will my rebate check be here? I would have put college off for a deal like getting two years for free! I’m finding this plan unfair…

You can also qualify for the program if you have a similar ACT score to that 25 percent… Pawlenty estimated that would be in the 25-26 range. Just thought I would clarify since I doubt people would really move schools just to get free college if they have a decent ACT score.

But I still don’t think it completely makes sense. Is Pawlenty going to continue to allow the U tuition to rise and provide free tuition? In four years, you might still be paying what you are now for school despite two free years. Wouldn’t it make more sense to drop tuition and keep it low instead?

minvolved weighs in

minvolved weighs in

doh.

I think this is a fantastic idea! It rewards academic excellence and keeps the money linked to state schools. Increasing grant/financial aid awards only winds up plumping the pockets of the private schools, which is unfair to our state institutions. It doesn’t solve the problems of accountability or address the reasons why students are not choosing math or science regularly, so it won’t solve every problem. I think its worthwhile anyway because it provides some incentive for high-achieving students to remain in the public educational system and similarly encourages achievement in science and mathematics.