Equality of higher education opportunity is in very deep trouble in the United States today. Higher education opportunity is moving backward for those from the bottom quartile of family income, for African Americans, and for most Hispanics. Other groups that are in somewhat less but still serious trouble include the two middle family income quartiles, and males, as well students in many regions of the country affected by high prices but lacking adequate financial aid to finance college.
The public policy dilemma is simply this. On the one hand our country's future depends on our ability to broaden postsecondary education and training opportunities for all Americans. The public interests at stake include reducing poverty, providing constructive paths to equality, and improving labor force productivity. The imperative is to extend postsecondary opportunity to a far broader range of the population, in a greater variety of forms, at higher quality,