Candidates take stand on education

All you have to do is watch a little television to see the tremendous number of political campaign ads and know it’s almost election time.

Being college students, I thought it would be relevant to look at the two major-party presidential candidate’s views on education, particularly higher education. Each candidate has some good ideas for reforming and making education more affordable to more people.

The following views on higher education come from each candidate’s Web site and offer college students something to think about before visiting the polls.

Gore supports the College Opportunity Tax Cut, which would provide a choice between a tax deduction or a 28 percent tax credit on up to $10,000 in tuition. He also proposes new 401(j) accounts that allow employers and individuals to put money away to save for job training and education and let those savings grow tax-free. Along with this, he proposes a National Tuition Savings Plan to allow families to save inflation- and tax-free. This is a great incentive for everyone to start saving early.

Bush proposes benefits based on merit. He wants to establish a $1.5 billion “College Challenge” grant to cover one-third of state costs to establish a merit scholarship program, rewarding students who take advanced curricula in high school. He supports enhanced Pell grants for students who take rigorous math and science courses in high school.

Low-income Pell grant recipients who either passed Advanced Placement math and science exams or college math and science courses while in high school would be eligible for an additional $1,000 for college.

 I think benefits to individuals based on merit are appropriate, but other individuals shouldn’t be entirely disregarded. An equal amount of incentives should be offered to those who aren’t as academically advanced.

Bush also wants to fully fund the Pell grant for first-year students by increasing the grant amount from $3,300 to $5,100. Along with this, he wants to grant complete tax exemption to all qualified pre-paid and tuition savings plans and extend coverage to individual pre-paid tuition plans so parents can choose either a state or private college.

Finally, he wants to expand education savings accounts to allow families or individuals to contribute up to $5,000 annually per child into accounts and withdraw funds tax-free.

Again, both candidates have some good ideas; what each student thinks is best probably depends on his or her academic and financial standing. Anyone who wants to offer a proposal on something they want to see happen for higher education, please e-mail your ideas to me via campus e-mail at jhawker7825.