Today, Ed FitzGerald launched the nation’s largest college affordability plan of its kind in Cuyahoga County. Here’s a look at what Governor Kasich has done for Ohio’s college students and their families:
State Budget Spending on Higher Education Hits Fifteen Year Low: “In fiscal 2015, which begins July 1, 9.9 percent of the state budget will be allocated to higher education funding — the first time that figure has dropped below 10 percent in at least 40 years. Despite the colossal increase in the cost of a college education, Ohio’s general fund budget will spend less money on higher education in fiscal 2015 than it did in fiscal 2000.” [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 3/28/2014]
More Than Half of Ohio’s Public Colleges Will Increase Tuition in 2014: “Eight of Ohio’s 14 public universities have imposed or proposed tuition increases for next school year, despite a push from students to keep costs down. University of Akron leaders agreed to raise tuition by 2 percent last week, following increases that have been approved at the University of Cincinnati, Youngstown State University and Shawnee State University. Four other schools have proposed increases: Ohio University, Miami University, Wright State University and the University of Toledo.” [Columbus Dispatch, 4/28/2014]
What others are saying about: COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY PLAN
NBC 3: Cuyahoga County first to announce college savings accounts for all
ABC 5: Cuyahoga County launches college savings accounts for kindergarteners
Fox 8: We all know college can get expensive, and now, Cuyahoga County is hoping to help with that.
WKYC-TV: Cuyahoga County first to announce college savings accounts for all: Cuyahoga County is the only county in the country that has established a college savings account for every new kindergarten student and will announce this at a news conference Tuesday. The legislation was signed in to law last year by county Executive Ed FitzGerald. Each student entering kindergarten in Cuyahoga County will have a $100 college savings account set up.
ABC 5: Cuyahoga County launches college savings accounts for kindergarteners: Thousands of Cuyahoga County kindergarten students now have $100 in a special savings account for college. In this first-of-its-kind program, the county is investing $100 for every child who enters kindergarten each year as a way of promoting higher education.
AP: County seeds college accounts for 10,000 students: The county that includes Cleveland has put $100 into bank accounts for 10,000 public school kindergartners to encourage them and their parents to save for college. Cuyahoga (ky-uh-HOH’-guh) County Executive Ed FitzGerald says it is the largest such program in the country.
Plain Dealer: Ed FitzGerald’s $100 college savings account program launches this week for Cuyahoga County kindergartners: Thousands of parents of Cuyahoga County kindergartners enrolled in public schools soon will receive notices informing them a $100 savings account for educational expenses has been opened in their child’s name. The mailings will mark the official beginning of County Executive Ed FitzGerald’s long-discussed, taxpayer-financed universal college savings account program.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/05/27/4141344/county-seeds-college-accounts.html#storylink=cpy
WTAM: Cuyahoga County kids receiving college saving accounts: Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald held a press conference at Campus International at CSU today to roll out the new College Savings Account program. Accounts are being established for all public school students who began kindergarten during the 2013-2014 school year. Each student is receiving $100 dollars to start the account. FitzGerald said the money is from funds saved in the streamlining of county government.
NPR: State Impact Ohio: FitzGerald Announces Cuyahoga County College Savings Account Program: On Tuesday, the chatter at Cleveland’s Campus International School was all about piggy banks. “How many of you had piggy banks where you save money,” Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald asked a crowd of seven kindergarteners at Cleveland’s Campus International School. Sitting on a round rainbow rug, the majority nodded, and a few raised their hands. “When I was a kid, I had one that was in the shape of a piggy bank,” FitzGerald continued. “Do you have one in the shape of a piggy bank?