Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
Big Books & Bold Ideas with Kerri Miller
Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

Is free community college a good idea?

Rows of empty seats in a college classroom setting.
Rows of empty seats in a college classroom setting.
Photo by Pixabay via Pexels

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

In April, President Joe Biden announced his plan for letting Americans attend community college for free. The proposal — part of his $1.8 trillion American Families Plan — would waive tuition for two years of public community college and give qualified students more cash to cover living expenses.

Almost immediately, it ran into opposition. If successful, it could make college accessible to students from low-income families. But critics say it could also be a faux fix that shovels more taxpayer money into a system that some say chronically underperforms.

Host Kerri Miller got two takes on Biden’s plan Wednesday morning. Is free community college the best way to help under-resourced students get ahead?

Guests:

  • Beth Akers is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where she focuses on the economics of higher education.

  • Joshua Wyner is founder and executive director of the College Excellence Program at the Aspen Institute.

To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Kerri Miller podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS