Whose Side Are You On?
Take our quiz to see which candidate holds views on education that align the most with your own views. While you may agree with more than one statement for each question, choose the answer that fits your beliefs best. After the quiz, you’ll learn more about the issues and where the candidates stand on them.
1 What is the best way for students to pay off their student loans?
2Should K-12 education be subject to national standards such as Common Core?
3How should we make college more affordable?
4Should people be able to receive financial support from the government, in the form of vouchers or tax credits, to send their children to private school?
5Is early childhood education, for children younger than the age of 5, important?
6 Should the U.S. Department of Education be disbanded?
7Should K-12 public schools be held accountable to the federal government for student outcomes?
8Should America invest in job and vocational training for those who don’t attend college?
9Are charter schools a good thing?
Comparing the Candidates on Education
Issues surrounding education receive top billing in candidate debates, and for good reason. With numerous differences of opinion on primary, secondary and higher education, it’s important for voters to understand where all the candidates stand on the main topics. Use the table below to get a feel for the educational stances of this cycle’s presidential hopefuls.
| Issue | Bernie Sanders (D) | Hillary Clinton (D) | Donald Trump (R) | Marco Rubio (R) | Ted Cruz (R) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student Loan Debt |
Proposes tripling work-study programs, allowing students to work for aid/develop skills; reduced interest rate on existing student loans |
Create federal grants allowing states to help students at public colleges attend with a wage-based contribution and no debt; existing loans would have decreased interest rates and a better income-dependent repayment plan |
Lower student loan interest rates; continue with loan forgiveness programs; create more jobs in the private sector |
Require schools to provide information regarding return on investment for different majors; allow private entities to invest directly in a student with an income-based repayment plan |
Unclear; he supports economic growth to allow students to find jobs and pay off their debt |
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| College Education Affordability |
Free public higher education at both two and four-year schools for lowest-income students |
Supports free community colleges; advocates tax breaks for oil/pharmaceutical companies be reduced, with the excess used to fund student aid |
Hasn’t spoken toward lowering the cost of college; instead favors a robust private sector |
Introduce free online courses |
Abolish the Department of Education, allowing individual states to distribute student aid |
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| Technical Schools & On-the-Job Training |
Believes more investments need to be made in schools providing technical and scientific educations; should be free |
Proposes allowing Title IV funds to be used to fund career and technical programs with proven track records, allowing them to be accredited |
Unclear |
Wants to establish a new accrediting body to ensure programs at these schools offer quality coursework, are eligible for student aid, and transfer to other schools |
More autonomy should be given to the states to accredit training and apprenticeship programs. |
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| Common Core |
Opposes repealing Common Core standards |
Pro-Common Core; argues that it’s important for America to catch up with other countries in K-12 academics, particularly in STEM topics |
Advocates for the abolishment of Common Core, putting power back into the hands of the state |
Repeal Common Core standards; allow states to opt out and create their own curriculum but still receive federal funding |
Opposed to Common Core, or any federal involvement in primary education |
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| School Accountability |
States that accountability should be based on multiple measures of effectiveness instead of just standardized tests |
Believes educators must be transparent about where the students stand academically, and how they compare to other schools |
Unclear |
Believes information about school accountability should be made more easily accessible |
Advocates allowing states to opt out of any federal accountability requirements |
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| School Choice |
Opposed to vouchers sending public education dollars to private schools; believes charter schools need to be held to the same accountability standards as public schools |
Supporter of charter schools, with a demonstrable record of supporting their growth; opposed to vouchers for private and religious schools |
Pro-school choice and the use of public voucher funds at private schools |
Pro-charter schools; believes school choice tax credits should be created alongside a school choice scholarship program |
Very pro-school choice; advocates for giving low-income children the same opportunities as other children |
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| Education Spending/Department of Education |
Believes it is the federal government’s responsibility to ensure both access and accountability in education |
While Clinton hasn’t made a specific statement about the DOE, her voting record shows support for federal education involvement in K-12 |
Has voiced opinions that the Department of Education should be cut, either significantly or completely |
Advocates for the abolishment of the Department of Education |
Wants to abolish the Department of Education and place authority in the hands of individual states. |
Examining the Education Issues of Election 2016
Whether you’re a professional working to pay off student loans or the parent of a young child, you’re affected by the issues surrounding education. The following section provides an overview of topics circulating in the presidential debates during this election cycle.
With the current cumulative student loan debt sitting at just under $1.4 trillion dollars, this issue sits at the heart of the current presidential election. Hot-button topics include both the crushing student loan interest rates and viable options for repayment, forgiveness and/or deferment of student loans.
The average annual costs for college range from $32,405 at private colleges, to $9,410 and $23,893 for resident and out-of-state students, respectively. As of 2015, seven out of 10 graduating students leave school with an average student debt of $28,950.
With numerous other countries allowing students to attend public colleges and universities at no cost, the topic of free college at two or four-year institutions is a powerful idea being debated from both sides. The goal is to ensure every young person, regardless of their family’s income, doesn’t have to worry about being able to afford higher education.
With ever-expanding class sizes and fewer full-time professors, ensuring key resources are available in higher education is an important issue. Given the percentage of college-aged and young voters versus older Americans, this topic is an area that current students and recent graduates should monitor closely.
While teaching standards remain mostly decentralized throughout the country, Common Core was created to set a bar for what students should understand in English and math in specific grades. The overarching goal of the program is to maintain consistency in learning and achievement.
Created to address the ineffective components of No Child Left Behind, the Every Student Succeeds Act requires states to test students in reading and math between grades three and eight, but allows them to categorize data based on different types of student learners (e.g. special education, English as a Second Language). Beyond these requirements, states receive leeway in setting goals and maintaining accountability for performance.
These measures allow parents who can’t afford private school choose an option outside their local public school. In 42 states, the most popular option is increasingly becoming charter schools. These educational providers operate outside traditional governance and exercise high levels of independence in exchange for tougher accountability requirements.
At the heart of this issue is a discussion on the level of federal involvement that should be allowed in local classrooms. Both sides feel strongly about the issue and have debated passionately about the need (or lack thereof) for a reform in this area.
With support from both parties, investing into children aged four and younger is one of the more bipartisan issues of the election, though each side has particular ways of ensuring it happens. Both democratic candidates support universal pre-k education, while Cruz, Rubio and Trump have been less specific about their views.
Get to Know the Candidates
With the presidential election set to be held in November 2016, there are still numerous candidates running on the Republican side, alongside candidates from smaller political groups such as the Libertarian party. This guide focuses on the frontrunners of the main parties, including:
Bernard Sanders was born in Brooklyn, New York and holds a bachelor’s in political science from the University of Chicago. As a politician, Sanders served as the Mayor of Burlington, Vermont for two terms before serving the state in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1991 to 2007. Sanders has been a member of the U.S. Senate since 2007.
“As President, I will: make tuition free at public colleges and universities, lower student loan interest rates for current and future borrowers, ensure all children have access to a quality education by fighting to ensure equal access to educational resources, and make childcare and pre-K universal and affordable.”
Hilary Rodham Clinton was born outside Chicago and raised attending a Methodist church. She completed an undergraduate degree in political science at Wellesley College before receiving a Juris Doctorate from Yale University. She served as the First Lady of Arkansas and the United States during Bill Clinton’s tenures in the Governor’s Mansion and the White House. She also served as a U.S. Senator from New York between 2001 and 2009 before being confirmed as Secretary of State under Barack Obama.
"I think everyone who goes to a public college or university should be able to do that without having to borrow a penny to pay tuition. I'm a little different from those who say ‘free for everybody.’ I'm not in favor of making college free for Donald Trump's kids. I'm in favor of making college free for your grandson by having no-debt tuition."
Gary Earl Johnson served two terms as the Governor of New Mexico between 1995 and 2003 and is currently running as the Libertarian Party nominee. Prior to serving in office, Johnson worked as the founder and president of one of New Mexico’s largest construction firms. He completed a bachelor’s degree in political science at the University of New Mexico.
"I think the best thing the federal government can do when it comes to education K-12 is to abolish the Federal Department of Education."
Donald John Trump was born in Queens, New York and currently maintains homes in Manhattan, New York and Palm Beach, Florida. He is best known for being a real estate investor, reality television show host, entrepreneur and author. Trump, who considers himself a Presbyterian, received a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania. He has no prior political experience.
“Student loans are probably one of the only things that the government shouldn't make money from and yet it does.”
Marco Antonio Rubio was born and currently resides in Miami, Florida. He served in the Florida House of Representatives between 2000 and 2009 and is currently a first-term U.S. Senator. He received a bachelor of science from the University of Florida before graduating with a Juris Doctor from the University of Miami. He is a Roman Catholic.
“For the life of me I don't know why we stigmatize vocational education. Welders make more money than philosophers. We need more welders and less philosophers.”
Rafael Edward Cruz is a Southern Baptist U.S. Senator from Texas currently in his first term. He received his bachelor’s degree from Princeton before graduating from Harvard with a Juris Doctor in 1991.
“Right now, today, over one million children are on waiting lists for charter schools all over this country. We shouldn’t put our future on a waiting list.”
The Importance of Fact Checking: Resources
While following political debates is an essential part of becoming an informed voter, it’s just as vital to gain a holistic view of each issue to understand it from all sides. It’s also important to research the historical stances of presidential candidates to see if they’ve maintained their views throughout their prior political or public careers. The following section of resources helps voters familiarize themselves with some of the top issues in education this election cycle.
- Hillary Clinton
Official website of Democratic Presidential Candidate Hilary Clinton.
- Ted Cruz
Official website of Republican Presidential Candidate Ted Cruz.
- Gary Johnson
Official website of Libertarian Presidential Candidate Gary Johnson.
- Marco Rubio
Official website of Republican Presidential Candidate Marco Rubio.
- Bernie Sanders
Official website of Democratic Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders.
- Donald Trump
Official website of Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump.
- Federal Student Aid
An office of the U.S. Department of Education, FSA provides a checklist for students to financially and academically prepare for college.
- Fedloan Servicing
This organization, which operates as a Department of Education servicer, provides information on the spectrum of loan forgiveness and discharge programs.
- National Council of State Legislatures
NCSL provides a range of information and data about the current state of higher education in regards to debt, affordability and current legislation.
- The Institute for College Access & Success
TICAS provides insightful research about current student loan debt and tracks current legislation.
- The White House Briefing Room
The White House provides a whole section on making college affordable, exploring and explaining the costs of higher education.
- A Guide to Common Core
U.S. News & World Report provides a hub of information about Common Core, including a body of recently published pieces.
- Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
This professional body offers the perspective of educators implementing the Common Core.
- Common Core State Standards Initiative
The official website of Common Core, this page details exactly what the CC means and how it affects students and their families.
- Standardized Tests: Pros & Cons
Learn about the hot-topic issues surrounding Common Core, and what leading authorities see as the pros and cons of the system.
- Parents for Public Schools
This nonprofit shares a variety of resources, including a parent’s perspective on the Common Core initiative.
- Education Commission of the States
This nonprofit provides a variety of insightful data about, including a 50-state comparison on school accountability.
- Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice
The Friedman Foundation acts as a voice for educators and parents seeking more choice when it comes to a child’s education.
- National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
NAPCS advocates for the expansion of high-quality charter schools throughout the nation.
- National Education Association
The NEA was founded with the mission of creating and sustaining great public schools for every student.
- School Voucher Laws: State-by-State Comparison
The National Conference of State Legislators allows voters to see how vouchers are appropriated in their state.
- Center for Public Education
The CPE covers numerous topics relevant to federal education funding, including a primer on K-12 school funding.
- Fiscal Years 2015-2017 State Tables for the Department of Education
The DOE budgets are provided and explained in this helpful guide.
- History of Federal Government in Public Education
In addition to providing information on voting issues that resonate with women, the League of Women Voters provides a handy and expansive history of how federal funding has been used in public education.
- The Pew Charitable Trust
This research body compiled data on federal and state funding of higher education.
- U.S. Department of Education
The official website for this federal department charged with overseeing education in America.