NPR surveyed experts on Biden's education legacy, finding mixed reviews. While acknowledging successes in guiding schools through the pandemic and improving access to existing loan forgiveness programs, critics point to the troubled rollout of the FAFSA and unfulfilled promises of broad student loan forgiveness as significant shortcomings.
We asked more than a dozen educators, researchers, advocates, and experts how they would grade Biden's education legacy. He got two F's, no A's, and lots of votes in the middle. The Biden-era U.S. Education Department, under Secretary Miguel Cardona, endured more than its fair share of crises over the past four years.
Some were beyond the department's control (COVID-19), while others were the result of its own decisions (the troubled rollout of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA). NPR spoke with more than a dozen educators, researchers, advocates, and policy experts, including two former U.S. secretaries of education, to find out how they would assess Biden's education legacy. The results varied depending on the politics of the evaluator, with conservatives being harsher in their assessments. But there was some agreement: for example, that Biden's greatest success was in guiding schools out of the COVID-19 era. Most observers also agreed that, when it comes to education overall, Biden will most likely be remembered for a pair of high-profile failures: the FAFSA rollout and his unkept promise to provide broad student loan forgiveness. Of the 14 experts NPR consulted for this wholly unscientific poll, the Biden administration got no A's, a bunch of B's, two hedgie B-/C+'s, two C's, two D's, two F's, and one 'incomplete' for work left unfinished. President Barack Obama's last education secretary, John B. King Jr., gave Cardona and his team one of those B's, 'with still much to be determined because there are a number of things that are still being litigated.' An 'incomplete' came from Margaret Spellings, a former education secretary under President George W. Bush. 'There've been some real misses, but also some room for praise.' 'I want to give them a C,' says Denise Forte, who runs the liberal-leaning Education Trust, though she makes clear, it's not a C+. An F,' says Lindsey Burke, of the conservative-leaning Heritage Foundation. 'There is just very little, if anything, you can point to in terms of success.' 'It's hard for me to think how it could have gone worse,' says Rick Hess at the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute (AEI), who likewise gives Biden an F. When Biden was inaugurated, in January 2021, only about a third of K-12 students had returned to full, in-classroom instruction after widespread pandemic closures. The nation's schools were nearly a year into COVID's unprecedented disruptions, and Congress, under President Donald Trump, had already voted to send them nearly to send even more money to schools, saying reopening 'can only be achieved if Congress provides states and communities with the resources they need to get it done safely.' On March 11, 2021, Biden signed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, sending schools another $122 billion and focusing it specifically in lower-income communities. This move offered a lifeline to many schools, and Congress included a requirement that local districts set aside at least 20% of their funding to pay for services to address pandemic-related learning loss. 'It was done efficiently. I think they rightly put a focus on learning loss and afterschool programs and intensive tutoring and those sorts of things that we know help students catch up,' says Spellings. For King, the key to success wasn't just those ARP dollars. 'Secretary Cardona came in with the task of trying to make sure that kids got back in school and that educators could be hopeful again. And he was, in some ways, the exact right person.' At the time, the debate over the return to school had become bitterly political, with then-President Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. King says Cardona, as a Democrat, former teacher, and school administrator, used his credibility 'to rally people around the return to school. … I think that was a great service to the country.' Ironically, one of their successes,' says Karen McCarthy with the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), 'is in the area of loan forgiveness. And I feel like, to a lot of other people, they see loan forgiveness as one of failures.' McCarthy is one of several experts in our poll to highlight that Biden pursued two different strategies to achieve federal student loan forgiveness: an ambitious, high-profile strategy that failed (more on that in a minute) and a lower-profile, bureaucratic strategy that succeeded. forgiveness programs that Congress had already created, including one for borrowers who work a decade in public service and another that promised relief for borrowers with a severe disability. When Biden was elected, both programs were difficult to navigate, with thousands of qualified borrowers left on the outside looking in because of technicalities and mismanagement by loan servicers and the Education Department itself
EDUCATION POLICY STUDENT LOANS COVID-19 EDUCATION FAFSA HIGHER EDUCATION
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Joe Biden's Legacy: A Mixed Bag of Triumphs and ChallengesJoe Biden's presidency concludes with a legacy marked by both substantial achievements and notable shortcomings. His economic policies have yielded impressive results, including robust job growth, low unemployment, and wage increases.
Read more »
Biden's Legacy: A Mixed Bag of Triumphs and DisastersThis article examines Biden's presidency, highlighting both its successes and failures. While acknowledging the potential for Trump to reverse some of Biden's policies, the author emphasizes the lasting impact of certain achievements, particularly in the realm of international relations.
Read more »
Biden's Legacy: A Mixed Bag as Trump ReturnsWhile Biden's final year in office faced criticism for contributing to the Democrats' political struggles, he achieved significant accomplishments, particularly in his strong response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Trump has vowed to reverse many of Biden's policies, but some, like the international support for Ukraine, may prove difficult to undo.
Read more »
Biden's Legacy: Poll Shows Mixed Reception as Term EndsA recent poll reveals a divided public opinion on President Biden's legacy as his term comes to a close. While some respondents view him favorably, a significant majority anticipate him being remembered as a below-average president.
Read more »
Biden's Foreign Policy Legacy: A Mixed BagA look at Joe Biden's foreign policy record, highlighting both his successes and failures in navigating global challenges.
Read more »
Biden's Legacy: Mixed Reviews as Presidency Nears its EndA new Gallup poll reveals that President Biden's approval ratings remain low, with only 19% of Americans anticipating a positive historical assessment of his presidency. While some experts suggest he may receive greater recognition for his accomplishments over time, partisan views remain deeply divided.
Read more »