ReparationsfortheSystemicDenialofAccesstoHighQuality

EducationalOpportunitiesIntheFormofFullandFreeAccessforAll
BlackPeople(IncludingUndocumented,Currently,andFormerly
IncarceratedPeople)toLifetimeEducationIncluding:FreeAccess
andOpenAdmissionstoAllPublicUniversitiesandColleges,
TechnicalEducation(Technology,Trade,andAgricultural),
EducationalSupportPrograms,RetroactiveForgivenessofStudent
Loans,andSupportforLifetimeLearningPrograms

Whatistheproblem?
EducationintheU.S.hasalwaysbeenasubversiveactforBlackpeople.During
enslavementwewerelegallybarredfromthemostbasicformsofeducationincluding
literacy.PostCivilWar,andevenafterthe
Brownv.BoardofEducation(1954)
decision,
Blackpeoplehavebeenlockedintosegregatedinstitutionsthatareunderfunded,under
resourcedandoftenfaceseverehealthriskbecauseofthedecrepitconditionsoftheir
schoolbuildings.
Thecurrentracialequitygapineducationhasrootsthatdatebacktoenslavement.In
fact,
recentstudies
suggestthatracialeducationalinequalitiesmaybethemost
(measurable)enduringlegacyofslavery.Thesamestudyalsoverifiedongoingincome
inequalitycorrelatedtocountieswhereslaverywasprevalent.
ThecradletocollegepipelinehasbeensystematicallycutoffforBlackcommunities.
AccordingtotheNationalCenterforEducationStatistics,23statesspendmoreperpupil
inaffluentdistrictsthaninhighpovertydistrictsthatcontainahighconcentrationsof
BlackstudentsandtheU.S.DepartmentofEducationsOfficeofCivilRightsshows
persistentandglaringopportunitygapsandracialinequitiesforBlackstudents.Black
studentsarelesslikelytoattendschoolsthatofferadvancedcoursework,lesslikelyto
beplacedingiftedandtalentedprograms,morelikelytoattendschoolswithless
qualifiededucators,andemploylawenforcementofficersbutnocounselors.
Publicuniversities,colleges,andtechnicaleducationremainoutofreachformostinthe
UnitedStatesandpoliciestohelpstudentscovercostscontinuetoshifttowards
benefitingmoreaffluentfamilies.
Fundingcutsacrossthecountryareforcingindividualstudentstuitionandfeestocover
moreoperatingcoststhaneveratpubliccollegesanduniversities.AtCityUniversityof
NewYork(CUNY),thelargestcitypublicuniversitysystemintheU.S.,tuitionandfees
coverover50percentoftheoperatingbudget.Sincerightbeforetherecession,

governmentfundingforhighereducationhassignificantlyfallen.47statesspentlessin
20142015onperstudentfundingthantheydidatthestartoftherecession..
Financialaidisnotsufficientlycoveringthebasicneedsofstudentsattendingpublic
universitiesandcolleges,leavingmanyofthemstrugglingtoeatandpayforhousing,
transportation,daycareandhealthcare.AWisconsinHopeLabsurveyshowedhalfofall
studentssurveyedwerestrugglingwithfoodandhousinginsecurity,20percentdidnt
havemoneytoeatand13percentwerehomeless.
Accesstoeducationfromuniversity,tocollege,tocommunityschools,tocontinuing
adulteducation,toagriculturaltrainingisessentialtoensurethatourcommunitiescan
thrive.Inadditiontocollegeagestudents,theabilitytoaccesslifelongeducationis
essentialtothepolitical,economicandculturalhealthofournation.
Therisingcostsofhighereducationandexploitativeandpredatorylendingpracticesof
privateandforprofitinstitutionsmakeBlackstudentsmorelikelytodropout,andleave
themandtheirfamiliesstuckwithdebilitatingandcripplingdebt.U.S.studentloandebt
nearlytotals$1.3trillion,withcloseto$900billioninfederalstudentloans,andmore
than7millionborrowersindefault.
HistoricallyBlackCollegesandUniversitiescontinuetoplayacriticalroleinoffering
Blackstudents,especiallyfromlowincomecommunities,accesstohighereducationin
anenvironmentwheretheyaresupportedandabletothrive.However,federalandstate
fundingsystematicallyunderfundsHistoricallyBlackCollegesandUniversities(HBCUs)
comparedtoPredominantlyWhiteInstitutions(PWI).Sincetherecession,deepstate
fundingcutshavedisproportionatelyaffectedHBCUs,puttingthefutureofmanyin
jeopardy,andimpairingtheirabilitytoofferhighqualityeducationalopportunitiestotheir
students.

Whatdoesthissolutiondo?
Weseekcompleteopenaccessforalltofreepublicuniversity,collegeandtechnical
educationprograms(includingtechnology,tradeandagricultural)aswellasfullfunding
forlifelonglearningprogramsthatsupportcommunitiesandfamilies.Wealsoseekthe
forgivenessofallfederalstudentloans.Policiesshallapplytoallandshouldfocuson
outreachtocommunitieshistoricallydeniedaccesstoeducationincluding
undocumented,incarceratedandformerlyincarceratedpeople.
Coveralllivingcosts,includingbutnotlimitedtohousing,transportation,childcare,
healthcare,andfoodforstudentsattendingpublicuniversities,colleges,andtechnical
educationalprograms(includingtechnology,trade,andagricultural).
FullyfundandprovideopenaccesstoK12,highereducation,technicaleducational
programs(includingtechnology,trade,andagricultural),educationalsupportprograms

andlifelonglearningprogramstoeveryindividualincarceratedinlocal,state,andfederal
correctionalfacilities(juvenileandadult).
Providefullaccesstoallundocumentedpeopletostateandfederalprogramsthat
provideaidtocoverthefullcosts,includinglivingcosts,toattendpublicuniversities,and
colleges,technicaleducationalprograms,andlifelonglearningprograms.
IncreasedfederalandstateinvestmentsinallHistoricallyBlackColleges(HBCUs).

FederalAction:
Target:Legislative
Process:ThiswouldrequirepassageofabillthroughbothhousesofCongressandbe
signedbythePresident.TheBillwouldprovide$165billion(in2014theDOEprovided
$30billioningrantaid,$36billionintaxcutsand$99billioninfederalstudentloans)per
yeartostatestoeliminateundergraduatetuitionandfeesatallpublicuniversitiesand
colleges,andassiststatestocoverallrelatedlivingcostsforstudents.Additionally,the
billwouldallocatefundingtolifelonglearningandtechnicaleducationprogramsandfund
andprovidecompleteopenaccesstoK12,highereducation,technicaleducational
programs(includingtechnology,trade,andagriculture),educationalsupportprograms
andlifelonglearningprogramstoeveryindividualincarceratedinlocal,state,andfederal
correctionalfacilities(juvenileandadult).Thebillwouldalsoincreaseworkstudy
programsandemploymentopportunitiesforstudentsandexpandeligibilityto
undocumentedstudentsandincarceratedstudents.

Target:Legislative
Process:ThiswouldrequirethepassageofabillthroughbothhousesofCongressand
besignedbythePresident.Thebillwouldallowundocumentedpeopleaccesstofull
stateandfederalaidtocoveralltuition,fees,andlivingcoststoattendpublicuniversities
andcolleges,technicaleducationalprograms(includingtechnology,trade,and
agriculture),andlifelonglearningprograms.

Target:Legislative
Process:Thiswouldrequirepassageofabillthroughthestatelegislaturethatensures
allHBCUsreceiveequitablefundingforoperational,staffing,infrastructure,and
researchneeds,inordertoadequatelyprovidehighqualityeducationalopportunities.In
addition,thebillshouldofferincentivesforHBCUstoattractandsecurestaff,increase
graduateschoolcourseofferings,andsupportgraduateschoolsthattrainteachers,
doctors,lawyers,andsocialscientist.

Target:Executive

Process:ThePresidentcouldissueanexecutiveorderabolishingallcurrentstudent
debt,ArticleI,Section8oftheU.S.Constitution.ThePresidentshouldexpandthe
SecondChancePellGranttoincludeallindividualscurrentlyincarceratedinlocal,state,
andfederalcorrectionalfacilities(juvenileandadult).

StateAction:
Target:Legislative
Process:ThiswouldrequirepassageofabillthroughtheStatelegislaturewhich
providesfundstoeliminateundergraduatetuitionandfeesatallpublicuniversitiesand
collegesandcoverlivingcosts.Additionally,thebillwouldallocatefundingtolifelong
learningandtechnicaleducationprogramsandfundK12,highereducation,technical
educationalprograms(includingtechnology,trade,andagriculture),educationalsupport
programsandlifelonglearningprogramsinallstatecorrectionalfacilities.Thebillwould
alsoincreaseworkstudyprogramsandemploymentopportunitiesforstudentsand
expandeligibilitytoundocumentedstudentsandincarceratedstudents.Thecostofthe
billwouldvarybasedonjurisdiction.

Target:Legislative
Process:ThiswouldrequirethepassageofabillthroughbothhousesofCongressand
besignedbythePresident.Thebillwouldallowundocumentedpeopleaccesstofull
stateandfederalaidtocoveralltuition,fees,andlivingcoststoattendpublicuniversities
andcolleges,technicaleducationalprograms(includingtechnology,trade,and
agriculture),andlifelonglearningprograms.

Target:Legislative
Process:Thiswouldrequirepassageofabillthroughthestatelegislaturethatensures
allHBCUsreceiveequitablefundingforoperational,staffing,infrastructure,and
researchneeds,inordertoadequatelyprovidehighqualityeducationalopportunities.In
addition,thebillshouldofferincentivesforHBCUstoattractandsecurestaff,increase
graduateschoolcourseofferings,andsupportgraduateschoolsthattrainteachers,
doctors,lawyers,andsocialscientist.

LocalAction:
Increaselocalinvestmentsinpublicuniversities,colleges,technicaleducational
programs(technology,trade,andagricultural),educationalsupportprogramsand
lifelonglearningprograms.Increaselocalinvestmentsandensureaccesstoeducation
foralladultsandyouthincarceratedinlocalcorrectionalfacilities.

Howdoesthissolutionaddressthespecificneedsofsomeofthemostmarginalized
Blackpeople?
Thispolicywoulddirectlyimpactundocumentedandincarceratedpeoplebymaking
highereducation,technicaleducation(includingtechnology,trade,andagriculture)and
lifelonglearningprogramseligibletothem.Thepolicywouldalsocovernecessaryliving
costssotheycanpursueeducationalopportunities.
Only32statesoffersometypeofcollegeorpostsecondarycoursestoadultswhoare
incarcerated,but80percentoftheincarceratedpopulationnevergraduatedfromhigh
school.
IntheNationalTransgenderDiscriminationSurvey,83percentofBlacktrans
respondentsreportnothavingacollegedegree.
ACenterforAmericanProgressreportshowedthatamongBlacksamesexcouplesthat
reportedgraduatingfromhighschool,only40percentreportcompletingsomecollege,
comparedto67percentforwhitesamesexcouples

ModelLegislation:
While,nocurrentlegislationprovidesfundingtocoverallcostsrelatedto
highereducation,wecanbuildoffofmodelsthatcoverthecostsoftuitionandfeesand
eliminateourcurrentdebtbasedmodel.
Whilenotideal,andnotinclusiveofallcomponentsoftheabovedemands,Senator
Sanders
CollegeforAllAct
includesfederalfundstoensurefreecollegeanduniversity
foralleligiblestudents.
WashingtonCollegeBoundScholarship
OregonStateLegislature
KentuckyHouseBill626
DEMOSDebtFreeCollege

Resources:
HowBadAreConditionsinDetroitPublicSchools?ThisAppalling
Strauss,Valerie,
WashingtonPost,20January2016.
RacialDisparitiesinK12Education
20132014,CivilRightsDataCollection.
Policiestohelpstudentspayforcollegecontinuetoshifttowardfavoringtherich
Marcus,Jon,HechingerReport,24May2016.
StudentandFacultyHigherEducationPlatform
Studentsnowpaymoreoftheirpublicuniversitytuitionthanstategovernments
DouglasGabriel,Danielle,WashingtonPost,5January2015.

HungrytoLearn:AddressingFood&HousingInsecurityAmongUndergraduates
GoldrickRab,Sara,Broton,Katherine,Eisenberg,Daniel.December2015.
FoodPantriesAddressaGrowingHungerProblematColleges
Saul,Stephanie,New
YorkTimes,22June2016.
TheCaseforDebtFreePublicCollege
,Huelsman,Mark.DEMOS.
FundingatHBCUsContinuestobeSeparateandUnequal
Arnett,Autumn,31May
2015.DiverseIssuesinHigherEducation
FundingU.S.HistoricallyBlackCollegesandUniversities:APolicyRecommendation
Jr.
Mitchell,DonaldFall2013,JEPEJOURNALofEducationPolicy

OrganizationsCurrentlyWorkingonPolicy:
TheDebtCollective
OhioStudentsAssociation
DEMOS
WisconsinHopeLab

Authors&ContributorsofthisPolicyOverview
KesiFoster,UrbanYouthCollaborative
MontagueSimmons,OrganizationForBlackStruggle