The Big Ideas Project

BRING BACK THE DRAFT! I knew that would get your attention. Reinstitute the four-year tuition plan in the G.I. bill. Then give our youth another option: Offer them the same tuition deal if they spend two or three years (make the time commitment the same as the military) working in an organization like AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps. It would give more people the opportunity to get a college education. SEE LINK BELOW FOR MORE DETAIL & other ideas!

Submitted by BobbyD in Education Dec. 10, 2014, 2:39 p.m.

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#1139

133 votes

Student Loan relief/reform for current and future Parent Plus College Loans.

Submitted by Lori McFarland in Education Dec. 10, 2014, 9:27 a.m.

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#1156

131 votes

Funnel more funds into teacher education - both initial education and on going inservice.

Submitted by Margaret C. from CA in Education Dec. 10, 2014, 3:33 p.m.

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#1167

129 votes

Restore bankruptcy protection rights for student loan borrowers. Student loans should be treated no different than medical expenses. Total discharge with NO possibility of reinstatement at a later date.

Submitted by Lincoln98 in Education Dec. 18, 2014, 9:03 a.m.

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#1167

129 votes

Our education system should be free and nationally uniform. A student moving from one state to another should be as informed on all subjects as the students in the school he/she is moving to. Finland, albeit a much smaller country, has a uniform school system with exceptionally trained teachers in all schools, and far less administrators. They have almost no dropouts, and students actually enjoy school.

Submitted by Marsha S. from FL in Education Dec. 11, 2014, 12:18 a.m.

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#1173

128 votes

We need to bring a quality public education to every single child in the U.S. We need to realize that teachers are not glorified baby sitters but self-less people who dedicate their entire lives to educating our country's future. Teachers - in every state - need to receive comparable salaries to other professional fields. It is reprehensible to learn that - in some states - single-parent teachers qualify for food stamps. We need to - once again - value quality education for all.

Submitted by Tanglover in Education Dec. 17, 2014, 9:47 p.m.

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#1189

126 votes

Free sabbatical training (in one's 40s-50s); it can be done under college legislation OR under socialSecurity. Up to a year (2 might be better) to train, renew skills, change direction if desired with low to modest support. Can be taken in full or in parts. It would be like the universal family leave we don't have for parents. It would result in an invigorated workforce; a path (a type of emersion), no matter what your income to embrace and be part of new ideas that have evolved.

Submitted by G H. from GA in Education Nov. 6, 2014, 6:48 a.m.

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#1189

126 votes

Apply the same 15% income tax rate to teachers and their salaries that we apply to hedge fund managers and carried interest ... teachers after all increase the value of human capital ... and that's of far more social benefit than Wall Street gambling ...

Submitted by Brian G. from CA in Education Jan. 12, 2015, 4:43 p.m.

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#1211

123 votes

Make public colleges and universities show how they spend the tuition money they receive from students. These reports should be given to prospective students each year and should show how much tuition money goes to professor salaries, teaching supplies, and the football/basketball team.

Submitted by MattA in Education Dec. 10, 2014, 9:55 p.m.

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#1216

122 votes

Put all taxpayer funded scientific, technical, engineering and medical research papers online, free to the public. There is no reason we should pay the for the research and then pay exorbitant fees to a private publisher for access to it, which only serves to restrict access to the few who can afford it rather than making it available to and for the greater benefit of all.

Submitted by Y. Sam in Education Jan. 9, 2015, 9:20 a.m.

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#1239

119 votes

Make State Universities, Colleges, VoTech's and Community Colleges FREE.

Submitted by deegee in Education Dec. 11, 2014, 12:59 p.m.

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#1245

118 votes

Expand education budget to include early childhood education (pre-K). All the research points to the importance of beginning schooling earlier.

Submitted by Nancy M. from WA in Education Dec. 10, 2014, 11:17 p.m.

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#1245

118 votes

The average college graduate pays about $5800 more a year in federal taxes than the average high school graduate and is less likely to ever need unemployment or welfare. They will also enrich the SS and medicare systems. Even at a time of high unemployment, jobs requiring higher education go unfilled. We would come out ahead to make all education free.

Submitted by DLee4144 in Education Dec. 10, 2014, 1:41 p.m.

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#1245

118 votes

Require a minimum of 1 year of public service of all able-bodied young people, male or female, rich or poor. Also, to improve the quality of our voters and workers, we should allow all citizens to earn a year of free quality college education for every year they volunteer for public service, with 2 years as a minimum.

Submitted by Ronald D. from NM in Education Dec. 10, 2014, 8:47 p.m.

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#1298

110 votes

Forgive at least 75% of student debt across the board for anyone having such debt and the lower interest rate to no more than 3% interest on the balance on debt accrued before January 2015.

Submitted by Shauna Jones in Education Dec. 10, 2014, 5:25 p.m.

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#1298

110 votes

Return standard consumer protections to all student loans, both public and private, without a waiting period or other prohibitive conditions. Return statutes of limitations to all student loans. Allow reasonable settlements for all student loans, as is possible with other forms of consumer debt. Stop ruining people with student loans.

Submitted by Linda C. from NV in Education Dec. 11, 2014, 12:10 p.m.

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#1298

110 votes

Modernize and operate all public school buildings so that they are respectful and conducive to learning, for example air conditioning, operating lavatories, large classroom space and small class size... just to name a few

Submitted by LORA B. from MI in Education Jan. 8, 2015, 3:52 p.m.

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#1308

109 votes

We need to push for a Canadian school year of at least 195 days or even year around school for all kids in the U.S. We should have the last two years of high school in a good vocational or technical trade program for our non-college bound students that leads directly to a paid apprenticeship. Ontario has great success emphasizing literacy, math, and high school graduation. We must do the same here with year around school.

Submitted by Rex_in_Minnesota in Education Dec. 10, 2014, 5:57 p.m.

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#1308

109 votes

GED obtained by prisoners as requirement of release from prison. Term for non-violent offenders may be shortened as incentive. Too many prisoners are getting out with no job prospects.

Submitted by Shar in Education Dec. 10, 2014, 5:03 p.m.

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#1319

108 votes

Free higher education at public universities

Submitted by MIProgressive in Education Dec. 11, 2014, 10:13 a.m.

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#1334

106 votes

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