Our Voice: Providing two free years of college a worthy goal

The national drive to make the first two years of higher education free for those attending community colleges and technical schools is gaining momentum.

And while some are balking at the program’s billion dollar price tag, the goal of the plan is worthwhile and should be pursued.

There was a time when a high school diploma was enough to find a good job and start on the path to a middle-class lifestyle. Those days are long gone, however, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Now economists predict that by 2020, nearly two-thirds of jobs in the United States will require some type of higher education or specialized training beyond high school.

But getting that degree or certificate is out of reach for too many hard working students because they can’t afford to pay for it.

That’s why Columbia Basin College President Rich Cummins is supporting America’s College Promise program, which was launched by President Obama earlier this year.

Last month the College Promise Campaign began asking community college administrators and others in higher education to start promoting the idea of reducing the financial burden for the first two years of college.

Cummins said it is “important to have these conversations because it’s about prosperity in our community.”

We agree.

The U.S. Department of Education called the plan a way for the country to “skill-up” its workforce. In short, it would make the first two years of college as free and accessible for qualified students as the first 12 years of primary and secondary school.

Federal legislation has been introduced and the program is expected to cost $80 billion over 10 years if it is implemented. That kind of increase in spending will be tough to get through a Republican-controlled Congress, but at least the idea is on paper.

Students who are accepted into the program would have to maintain academic and other requirements to qualify. Federal officials estimate it could help 9 million students get the education they need.

Tennessee and Oregon lawmakers already have started their own state programs, which could be a model for others around the country. This show’s it is doable if higher education is deemed a priority.

And it should be.

A well-educated and highly skilled population is a benefit to society. People need help getting trained for jobs that will help them support their families, and employers need qualified workers who can do those jobs.

This program helps bridge that gap. It comes with a cost, but so does keeping people priced out of a higher education.

This story was originally published November 2, 2015 at 5:58 PM with the headline "Our Voice: Providing two free years of college a worthy goal."