2007 —

As America relies more on minority workers, African-American and Latino students are lagging behind their white peers and dropping out of school at higher rates. This loss of human capital takes a toll on the entire country. The nation's higher education system must be improved with streamlined student aid procedures and increased emphasis on math, science, and language studies.

Related Content

Research and Commentary

Save to My PortfolioFunding Restrictions at Public Universities: Effects and Policy Implications

Peter R. Orszag, The Brookings Institution, 10-Sep-03

Research and Commentary

Save to My PortfolioWhen Learning Has a Limit

Ben Wildavsky, The Wall Street Journal, August 22, 2008

Past Event

Save to My PortfolioStandards-Based Reform and the Poverty Gap: Lessons for No Child Left Behind

Monday, October 22, 2007
10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Washington, DC

More Related Content »

Recommendations
For higher education, the next President should mount a determined effort, in concert with states and local school districts, to boost the academic performance of low achievers by:

  • make college education more attainable for low-income students by simplifying the grants process and reducing inefficiency in the distribution of financial aid
  • encourage universities that receive federal dollars to fashion responsible ways to measure student progress and track college costs
  • create federally funded fellowships in biology, chemistry, and physics that require recipients, after graduation, to teach high school for one to four years
  • create a signature program of federally funded fellowships not only to support students who study critical foreign languages, but also to build much-needed capacity within the Departments of State, Education, and Defense
Download Position Paper (PDF)
Download Fact Sheet (PDF)

Opportunity 08 aims to help 2008 presidential candidates and the public focus on critical issues facing the nation, presenting policy ideas on a wide array of domestic and foreign policy questions. The project is committed to providing both independent policy solutions and background material on issues of concern to voters.