higher-education

The Issue: Millions of Americans have criminal records, even if they have never been found guilty of a crime. Having a criminal history — whether extensive or minor — can have serious repercussions, oftentimes limiting a person’s options in areas such as employment, housing and education. As it has become easier and less expensive for the public to access criminal justice records, it has become harder for individuals to overcome the stigma associated with being arrested.

Student loan debt has become an increasing problem in recent years. As the New York Federal Reserve notes in a 2013 report, “Over the last eight years, aggregate educational debt outstanding has almost tripled, rising to nearly $1 trillion and becoming the largest consumer liability after mortgages.”

From 1998 to 2008, while enrollment at traditional colleges and universities increased just 20%, the for-profit sector grew dramatically, rising more than 230%. Much of the new institutions’ growth came through minority and low-income students, which make up 37% and 50% of the schools’ enrollments, including many veterans.

Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, known as “Title Nine,” requires funding equity for boys’ and girls’ athletic programs in institutions that receive federal funding. To comply with the act, by 1978 U.S. high schools increased their female sports participation significantly, from 4% in 1972 to 25% four years later. Boys’ participation was stable during this period at about 50%, indicating that female athletic opportunities did not come at the expense of male opportunities in this early period.