Education Controlled by the States Works : Wisconsin Is Proof

If you are concerned about our university systems in this country, and education in general, that are out of control with cost soaring and ideological corruption running wild, look no further then the state of Wisconsin. Governor Scott Walker has brought reforms to the University of Wisconsin and other aspects of education in that state with his new budget.

Imagine a university that has to take responsibility of producing a program to educate the students that works, and at the same time the options to make it happen without over reaching politicians.

Want something that works to take back control of education from the corruption of federal and state bureaucrats without having to start from scratch, follow Scott Walker's lead. He's done it and it works!

State Controlled Education: Still A Good Idea
Source: Lindsey Burke, "What Congress and States Can Do to Reform Education Policy," Heritage Foundation, February 18, 2015.

February 24, 2015

If the new Republican-led Congress wants to help repair the broken American education system, they should take a good look at some of the proposals made by the last Congress.  The Higher Education Reform and Opportunity (HERO) Act and the Academic Partnerships Lead Us to Success (A-PLUS) Act each aim to return control over education to state and local governments.

State-controlled education could give students the opportunity to customize their higher education experience. Several ways this can be accomplished include:

• States could allow businesses, nonprofit and universities the ability to accredit and credential courses, thus giving students an alternative way of receiving college credits.
• State lawmakers could encourage public schools to offer competency-based degrees whereby students would earn credits and degrees based on proficiency rather than for enrolling and completing a predetermined number of courses. 
• Limiting federal loan programs could ease the burden of student debt.

Advancing reforms through the HERO Act and A-PLUS Act will provide freedom to those closest to K-12 and higher education. While the HERO Act separates federal higher education financing from the accreditation process, which gives states the freedom to establish a new system, the A-PLUS Act reclaims state authority in determining K-12 education priorities.