President takes tougher stance on education

PHOTOGRAPHER: The Associated Press

Access to college has been the driving force in federal higher education policy for decades. But the Obama administration is pushing a fundamental agenda shift that aggressively brings a new question into the debate: What are people getting for their money?

Students with loans are graduating on average with more than $25,000 in debt. The federal government pours $140 billion annually into federal grants and loans. Unemployment remains high, yet there are projected shortages in many industries with some high-tech companies already complaining about a lack of trained workers.

Obama wants to slightly reduce federal aid for institutions that don’t control tuition costs. He’s also proposed an $8 billion program to train community college students for high-growth industries that would provide financial incentives to programs that ensure trainees find work.