Higher education in America is the
final stage of formal learning that comes after secondary school and is
optional. Higher education in the country has made significant strides over the
years but has a substantial room for improvement. However, the domestic policy
adopted by the federal government over the cause of time has resulted in
stagnation in K-12 education with the costs of colleges on the rise due to the
ballooned federal subsidies. The federal control of higher education has
limited the state and local control and imposed various compliance burdens on
the local institutions. With the increased efforts to impose an education,
policy that fits the national standards and tests makes it difficult for higher
education to change at the local level. By the year 2014, taxpayers pay
$140,000 b y the time a child goes through education from kindergarten to high
school. It is even more expensive for any child to get a tertiary education
leading to difficulty in the majority of individuals getting opportunities to
get a critical education (National Conference of State
Legislatures). It is
because of the adopted domestic policy that puts the control on the federal
government. It is essential that the families get more control of the
investment and have the empowerment to choose schools and education options of
their children and not just complying with federal policies that are largely
limiting in most instances. Therefore, it is the time that the domestic policy
on higher education is separated from the control of the federal to the local
authority to keep up with the dynamics that exists in society and the unique
realities of given areas.
Higher education has come a long way
from its colonial roots. Over time, a college education has evolved from an
elite privilege to an essential part of every career source. The dynamic
domestic policy on education is because of developments that have spun over the
last century and beyond. The curriculum of the university started as based on
liberal arts aimed at educating young Puritan ministers. However, with time it
has grown to accommodate other fields with such as business, sciences, and
technology to suit the changing needs of the society. In the 17th century,
Harvard University graduated over 70% clergymen by the 18th Century it had
dropped to 45% and in the 19th Century there was just 10% of clergymen
f=graduates. The curriculum changed to accommodate a broad array of courses and
fields (Thelin, 421).
The Second World War, the academic
field available had changed the higher education curriculum and hence the need
to amend the domestic policy on it to suit the available needs. However, the
demography of higher education remained highly unchanged. Although more
colleges were established for women and minorities, higher education remained a
reserve of the upper-class white male. However, two developments revolutionized
higher education. Bo, the G.I Bill, and the affirmative action policies during
the Civil rights period, changed a lot in the higher education arena. The G.I bill
aimed at aiding the post-war economy back to normalcy and hence the need for
increased graduates (Eisenmann, 304). The federal government adopted a policy
to paid college for 8 million returning GIs. The bill provided the necessary
bridge between the social classes reducing the gap through the creation of a
middle class. It also put higher education on the road map for a better life in
the United States. It emphasized the importance of higher education opening up
opportunities for all individuals despite the social class. The civil rights
era also shaped the education policy in the United States. It pushed for
equality of opportunity for all the Americans to get access to higher
education. It resulted in policies on equal representation and opportunities for
all (Eisenmann, 304). The education policy, therefore, established criteria for
joining a college that was fair to all. The affirmative action to ensure that
more women and a minority member of society got an education also shaped higher
education. Policies such as scholarships for women and minority groups
revolutionized education.
The domestic policy on higher education
under the firm grip of the federal government has experienced a period of
stagnation. Despite the efforts and changes adopted over time, it has not yet
enabled the country to achieve its objectives with higher education.
Achievement gaps between low-income students and their more affluent peers are
still visible, and the higher education in some areas remains a reserve for
those that are economically able. It is a consequence of generalized federal
policies. For example, what is accepted as affordable in New York City or
Washington may not be the reality in Texas or California. There is a need to
have policies that are custom made to the public depending on their facts and
that is only possible if the federal government allows the states to run the
higher education. The policies should be made at the local level where
individuals enjoy more control and influence on what should be adopted or
otherwise (National Conference of State
Legislatures, 2012).
In conclusion, higher education
policies in the United States have made tremendous advancements over the course
of time. The changes in domestic policies have led to visible change. However,
they are yet to keep up with the changes that the society is experiencing and
hence the failure to attain the ultimate goals of making higher education
affordable, accessible and a first choice for the majority of Americans. It is
because the policies are made in Washington and not at the grassroots level
where the realities of those affected are put into consideration. Therefore,
the domestic policy on higher education should be state controlled and not
under the federal government.
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