During his seventh address to Congress Tuesday night, President Barack Obama re-upped his free commu...

1. The case for Obama’s State of the Union free college
proposal, in 6Â charts
During his seventh address to Congress Tuesday night, President Barack Obama re-upped his free
community college proposal.
In addressing the nation, President Obama said he would send Congress a "bold new plan to lower
the cost of community--to zero." He noted that 40% of college student choose community college.
"Some are young and starting out. Some are older and looking for a better job. Some are veterans
and single parents trying to transition back into the job market," he said. "Whoever you are, this
plan is your chance to graduate ready for the new economy, without a load of debt.
The President's plan, first announced on January 8, would make two years of community college free
for students of any age who earn a C+ average, attend school at least half-time, and are making
"steady progress" toward their degree. The program would be available at community colleges with
academic programs whose credits transfer to local public four-year college and universities.
President Obama's proposal comes after a period in which state governments--during and after the
Great Recession--decreased their total direct support of public higher education institutions. In an
October 2014 study, the Center for American Progress reported that between fiscal years 2008 and
2012, state funding across the entire higher education system declined from 29.1% of total revenue
to 22.3%.
A report from The College Board shows a steady decline in state support of higher education as
measured by funding per $1,000 in individual residents' personal income.
The Center for American Progress says the dip in education spending has been the "primary driver"
of the increasing net price of college. "Decreases in state funding have led to increases in tuition,

2. with families carrying the cost," the Center wrote in its report.

3. Likewise, The College Board reports that the inflation-adjusted sticker price of tuition and fees at
public two-year community colleges is 2.5 times as much as it was 30 years ago.
It should be noted that since 2008-2009 students who attend public two-year colleges have received
enough grant aid and tax benefits to cover published tuition and fees, plus a portion of other
expenses.

4. When grants and aid are accounted for, community college is relatively affordable already. That's
one of the major criticisms of Obama's proposal. And while the plan will cover tuition for two years,
it won't make a dent in community college students' other expenses, like the nearly $8,000 they
must fork over for housing and the $1,700 they pay for transportation.
Still, the realignment of revenue from state funding to tuition is still crushing low- and middle-
income students. In states with the greatest college funding reductions, students are paying the
most at two-year and four-year institutions.

5. The Center's study concludes that, in the last decade, states' disinvestment from public education
and its subsequent fallout have contributed to a dip in public college attendance among students
from low- and middle-class households.

6. President Obama's free community college plan aims to address that dip in attendance. If enacted, it
will reignite state spending on higher education--federal funds will pay for three-quarters of the
average cost of community college but states must cover the rest--with the ultimate goal of making
sure that "community college is accessible for everybody."
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