ERIC Number: ED573636
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2015-Dec
Pages: 7
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Higher Education in Ohio: High Tuition, Low Aid, Too Little State Investment. Budget
Patton, Wendy; Halbert, Hannah
Policy Matters Ohio
A skilled workforce is one essential component of a prosperous and inclusive state economy. Attaining a degree or other post-secondary credential has obvious benefits to graduates and their families. Higher education insulates against unemployment and can be a pathway out of the low-wage economy. Funding for higher education is correlated with increased productivity, increased wages and a more adaptable labor force for employers. At the height of the recession, the state cut support for public higher education institutions and drastically cut need-based financial aid. Even though the state has made some strides in holding down rising tuition and fees, Ohio remains one of the priciest states for both four-year and two-year public schools. Not surprisingly, the state also has very high levels of student debt. In the 2016-17 budget, Ohio made progress toward reinvesting in higher education, but it is not enough to close the gap. The key findings noted in this report include: (1) Adjusted for inflation, state funding for higher education in FY 2017 will be a half-billion lower than in FY 2008; (2) 2016-17 budget invests $274 million in state share of instruction, a 7.6% boost that turns the trend in the right direction; (3) 2016-17 budget boosts need-based aid by almost 13%, adjusted for inflation, but Ohio remains 61 percent--$309 million--below the level of 2008-09. Ohio has a world-class network of public universities, community colleges and branch campus institutions. Underfunding this public system and keeping financial aid low hampers long-term prosperity for workers and the state as a whole.
Descriptors: Higher Education, Tuition, Student Financial Aid, Investment, State Aid, Funding Formulas, Financial Support, Educational Finance, Budgeting, Resource Allocation
Policy Matters Ohio. 3631 Perkins Avenue Suite 4C East, Cleveland, OH 44114. Tel: 216-361-9801; Fax: 216-361-9817; Web site: http://policymattersohio.org
Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive; Numerical/Quantitative Data
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Policy Matters Ohio
Identifiers - Location: Ohio
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A