Robert Hildreth
Founder of @InversantTweets & @hi_Hildreth. Challenging the college finance system to work for all.
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Articles by Robert Hildreth
Healey should opt out of education tax credit
Robert Hildreth is the founder of La Vida Scholars and Hildreth Institute. Goveror Maura Healey has to make a choice about school choice. The Educational Choice for Children Act contained in the Big Beautiful Bill creates a federal tax credit for donations to scholarship granting organizations, which can then provide families with scholarships for private school tuition and other eligible K–12 expenses, including tutoring, special-needs services, and certain costs for public school students.
Why are we looking to deport ambition? - CommonWealth Beacon
Sign up for The Saturday Send, CommonWealth Beacon's weekly newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on essential Massachusetts news. RECENTLY, theBoston Globereported that enrollment in the Chelsea Public Schools is down roughly 350 students from last year, a decrease that school leaders say is driven in part by fear of immigration enforcement and deportation. Years of real strides made by the district in improving attendance have been shaken by raids and by the rumors that follow them.
Free College only pays off if students know about it
NOW THAT THE STATE has created Mass Educate, or Free College for All, the hard part begins: messaging—so that low-income students will actually apply for the aid. A good model was the rollout of Mass Reconnect this past year (aid for students over 25), which set aside funds for outreach. But the issue now is more complicated. Mass Educate operates in its own silo yet must integrate with other financial aid for students to receive the full benefits.
Restore the endowment match for community colleges
FIVE YEARS AGO, I campaigned to fund the endowment match for our state colleges and universities. Since then, the program has successfully raised a total of $200 million for our public higher education institutions, with two-thirds of the contributions coming from private donors. The current conference committee budget has funded the program for UMASS and state universities but it drops community colleges. This is both disappointing and curious. A supplemental budget should restore this funding.
Searching for college funding with a simple click
THE STATE SCHOLARSHIPS of Massachusetts are a hodgepodge. Each one was created separately over decades. Together, scholarships, grants, and waivers amount to at least 40 programs each with their own eligibility, due dates, and benefits. This has created a road block for students, especially low income students, to earn vital financial aid. Up until recently, the total aid provided by these state programs was small enough not to influence a student’s college decision.
Transfers between state colleges should be automatic
ONE OF THE SIGNIFICANT challenges hindering low-income students from attaining a bachelor’s degree is navigating the transfer process from community colleges to four-year institutions. Unlike their wealthier peers who typically apply to four-year colleges directly, these students face the daunting task of undergoing the application process twice—first for community college, then for a university—highlighting a clear issue of inequity.
How Student Loans Turned Private Colleges into Government Dependents
Higher education is a conglomeration of state and private institutions. What unites them all is a dependency on federal government funding. Don’t be fooled by the “student” in student loans. All of the tuition loan money goes directly to colleges to use on whatever way they want. Why is the government subsidizing not only public but also private institutions? Are they really private when the government’s transfer is the biggest component of their tuition revenues?
Taxpayers Subsidize Colleges with Student Loans. A New Bill Would Change That
Nonprofit colleges and universities have long been subsidized by public funds to such an extent that, without this support, many of these institutions would struggle to stay afloat. Each year, students borrow billions of dollars for higher education, with the cumulative student loan debt now nearly $2 trillion. These funds all go to higher education institutions. However, with looming concerns over potential defaults following the , the entire financial foundation of higher education appears shaky.
This Year, Labor Day Will Be Clouded by Student Debt
This Year, Labor Day Will Be Clouded by Student Debt Robert Hildreth Interest started accruing on federal student loans for the first time in three years a few days ago on Sept. 1, with payments due in October. So, on Labor Day, it's important to not only celebrate the labor force but also advocate for their well-being. This includes finding solutions to alleviate the financial pressures caused by student loan debt. We don’t have to guess what , would think about student debt.
Congress Can Slash Student Loan Interest To 0%. Will It Act?
Student debt interest is hard to tame. It has a life of its own, always growing, wrapping itself around the principal like an invidious vine. Who would have guessed that its rate between the start and end of the pandemic repayment pause? Pity the student who fails to make the monthly payments only to see the interest overtake the principal, eventually turning students into debtors for life.
What Ending College Legacy Admissions Means for Equity - And Donations
The Supreme Court decision striking down affirmative action has opened a Pandora’s box of college admission practices. In the 6-to-3 decision in lawsuits involving the University of North Carolina and Harvard University, the court ruled it is unconstitutional for colleges to consider race in their admissions processes, ending the practice known as affirmative action.
Moving Beyond Band-Aid Solutions to Address the Student Debt Crisis
While President Biden is still pursuing debt relief after the Supreme Court struck down his student loan forgiveness plan — and it is an understandable political move ahead of the upcoming elections — it falls short of providing a sustainable solution to the student debt crisis. Biden's rejected student debt plan was designed to forgive $10,000 for many borrowers and up to $20,000 for those who qualified for Pell Grants. The plan would have provided debt relief for as many as 43 million borrowers.
Student Loan Ruling Risks the Stability of the Entire Economy
The Supreme Court ruling striking down President Biden's student loan cancellation plan has dealt a devastating blow to the hopes and aspirations of millions of student borrowers across the nation. This decision is the final nail in the coffin of the already struggling student loan-financed financial aid system. Biden's rejected student debt plan was designed to forgive $10,000 for many borrowers and up to $20,000 for those who qualified for Pell Grants.
After the Supreme Court Ends Affirmative Action, There Is No Justification for Legacy Admissions
In a momentous ruling, the Supreme Court has rendered a solemn decision to bring an end to affirmative action. This will have far-reaching implications for equity in higher education admissions. Policymakers and leaders within higher education institutions and systems are confronted with an intensified urgency to reaffirm the significance of racial diversity and its crucial role in education. We must, therefore, explore all lawful avenues and redouble efforts in promoting racial equity.
Lawmakers target cell phone tracking data in abortion fight
MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATORS are taking a run at improving cell phone data privacy through a timely side door. The current political climate around abortion access leaves people seeking to end a pregnancy, or those who help them to do so, vulnerable to harassment and even legal action. So, maybe, the cell phone in your pocket shouldn't tell your neighbor you visited a clinic.
Cape Cod residents voice concerns on offshore wind transmission lines
Most of the initial wind farms off the coast of Martha's Vineyard plan to bring their electricity ashore on Cape Cod, but some residents are starting to ask why. "There are better sites," said Dave Buzanoski, president of the Falmouth Heights-Maravista Neighborhood Association, on The Codcast . "This power is needed basically on the mainland and there is no reason for it to come via Cape Cod." About Bruce Mohl Bruce Mohl is the editor of CommonWealth magazine.
Follow New York's lead on matching university gifts
STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY, part of the New York higher education system, just got some joyous news, in fact half a billion dollars of joy. Jim and Marylyn Simmons donated what is possibly the largest gift ever made to a public university. The donors credited their choice to contribute such a generous gift to the in New York that matches private contributions for the endowment of SUNY's four university centers.
Campbell at odds with Healey on offshore wind
ATTORNEY GENERAL Andrea Campbell and Gov. Maura Healey are the closest of political allies, but they are staking out very different positions on the state's next offshore wind procurement. The Healey administration is proposing a very large procurement of up to 3,600 megawatts to not only make up for 2,400 megawatts worth of projects that were previously approved and now on the verge of being terminated but also push ahead with 1,200 megawatts of new wind.
Students Need Help When the Loan Pause Ends
Regardless of how the Supreme Court rules on student loan forgiveness, in three months, more than 40 million student borrowers must begin to repay the remainder of their student loans after a three-year hiatus. But what if they don’t? The loan servicers paid by the government to collect payments are not equipped to handle massive noncompliance. Although a federal program, what happens with student loan repayment will affect the economy of all states.
Medicaid redetermination process off to fast start
A top state official says 9,000 residents have transferred from MassHealth to the Massachusetts Health Connector since April as part of the post-COVID Medicaid redetermination process. "That's a little bit more than we were even expecting for this time," said Audrey Morse Gasteier, executive director of the Massachusetts Health Connector, on The Codcast. "The topline is it's early days but we are seeing strong activity.
Department of Education Needs Creative Thinking: Invest Student Loan Payments
One of the targets of the debt ceiling deal recently signed into law was the Department of Education. The deal leveled its budget for next year and gave it no outs for any further delays in the pause in student loan payments, which will cost the department a lot of time and money. The Department of Education budget this year is $194.42 billion. The largest expense faced by the department is student financial aid.
Washington to Student Borrowers: Pay Up
The recent deal to avert a U.S. debt default, reached between House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and President Joe Biden, makes it clear that the freebie granted to student loan borrowers is over. In August, the three-year pause in principal payments and grace on interest will end. Yet, actually roping in students to make those payments will be another story. The Department of Education fears defaults and delayed payments could increase dramatically.
A creative imagining of the Emancipation Group statue
IN THE SUMMER of 2021, I wrote an opinion piece for CommonWealth with suggestions on what to do with the city's Emancipation Group statue, the one showing Abraham Lincoln with arm outstretched over a kneeling enslaved Black American that had been removed from Boston's Park Square the year before.
Student loan ombudsperson is working, let's fund it
IN TODAY'S UNPREDICTABLE economy, the future of nearly 1 million student loan borrowers in Massachusetts is particularly precarious. Combined, they owe a whopping $31.7 billion in student loans. Their fate lies in the hands of the nine Supreme Court justices who are expected to rule on President Biden's student loan cancellation in a few months. Many observers expect the conservative court will strike down the president's plan.
Cancel Debt and Send Students Back to School
There are many ways that an anticipated Supreme Court rejection of student debt cancellation will affect students, especially those who have had to leave school. Many of these students aspire to complete their studies but are unable to do so due to the high cost involved. For many, cancellation would eliminate their financial burden and enable them to resume their studies with a clean slate. Those in the business community should recognize that this outcome is necessary and most efficient.
Colleges have a big stake in the Supreme Court decision on student debt
Colleges have a lot at stake in the Supreme Court’s decision on student loan cancellation. If the court grants cancellation, colleges will know that student loans will continue uninterrupted as a key source of their income. If it denies students’ cancellations, it could lead to a whirlwind of defaults threatening the entire system.
Treat the price of college more like a car showroom Original
I bought a new car last month. It struck me how similar car pricing is to college pricing. Both start with a sticker price so high it shocks people. Then it is quickly followed by a list of discounts and options to make the purchase more attractive. Finally, the buyer is offered financing to ease the pain. Each walks away with a different price, a bit stunned and happy it’s over. But there is a big difference.
It’s the tuition, stupid Original
Not until President Biden and our nation’s parents can agree on what’s really driving up the cost of college will be impossible to solve the tuition crisis millions of American families are confronting. The President appears to believe it is the nefarious for-profit colleges that are robbing students of their education. But many parents say it is the traditional non-profits colleges and their high prices that are sending them in to debt. Washington thinks for-profit colleges make it look bad.
Summer jobs for youth pay off
WHEN THE TOPIC of the achievement gap comes up, the conversation invariably veers to all the out-of-school factors facing low-income students and students of color that are correlated with poorer outcomes on academic performance, high school graduation, and other measures. New research evidence among Boston high school students points to an out-of-school factor that can help close those gaps: a job.
House declares Scarsdale winner of disputed race
DEMOCRAT MARGARET Scarsdale of Pepperell is expected to be sworn in Wednesday as a state representative after a special House committee of two Democrats and one Republican upheld her seven-vote victory over Republican Andrew Shepherd of Townsend.
Dealing with the fallout of sudden college closures
TO JUDGE the Boston Globe’s op-ed page, public officials, environmental advocates, and business leaders all seek permitting reform, some for protection of a warming planet, and others for provision of a hot meal downtown. Rather than advocating for a third category of favored cause or constituency, I suggest some principles for regulatory reform that can work for all.
Encore posts record-high gambling revenues
THE ENCORE BOSTON HARBOR casino in Everett posted record-high gambling revenues in December, propelled by money spent at the facility's gaming tables. The large haul at Encore, combined with fairly strong revenues at MGM Springfield and Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville, yielded nearly $28.8 million in state tax revenues for December - $138,000 more than the previous record in March.
Candidates line up to take on Jim Lyons
A SLEW OF candidates are lining up to oust Massachusetts Republican Party chair Jim Lyons, in a sign of deep unease with the turmoil that has been roiling the state party for years. Some view the January 31 election for chair as a final opportunity to revive the troubled organization, even as others question whether it is too late. Janet Leombruno, a Republican State Committeewoman from Framingham and close ally of former Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov.
Dealing with the fallout of sudden college closures
IN 2018, I helped finance a class action lawsuit by a group of former Mount Ida College students who were effectively kicked out of school as a result of the college's sudden bankruptcy. The students and their families were caught completely off guard, and given little guidance on how to navigate the management of their financial aid, scholarships, or academic credit.
Why college early admissions make affirmative action so crucial Original
This week, high school seniors across the nation are putting the finishing touches on their college essays, filling in the final sections of their college applications and scrolling through photos of what they hope will be their future campus home. But unbeknownst to these students, a growing number of selective colleges have largely shut their doors to applicants who follow the traditional college application timeline, through their overuse of the “Early Decision” program.
Drug pricing program spiraling out of control
MANY AMERICANS are unfamiliar with the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program, which has grown to become the second largest national drug program, behind only Medicare Part D. While 340B is intended to serve the neediest patients by providing treatments at little-to-no-cost, it has in practice spiraled into a profit-center for bad actors in the healthcare system.
At least that confusing rideshare question isn't on the ballot
IN NOVEMBER, voters will have to sift through complicated issues in the form of ballot questions like a tax surcharge on high earners and more arcane matters such as one about dental insurance. But they can thank the state Supreme Judicial Court for having one less complex issue to deal with. The SJC declared a question on whether app-based rideshare and delivery drivers were independent contractors or employees unconstitutional, knocking it off the November ballot.
For safety and fairness, vote yes on Question 4
OPPONENTS OF DRIVER'S licenses for undocumented immigrants are hammering one message - fear. Yet, every day we all drive safely next to undocumented workers who legally travel to Massachusetts from neighboring states. Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York have all passed laws giving their undocumented residents the ability to pass a driving test and earn a driver's license. Sixteen states and the District of Columbia have enacted similar laws.
Student debt forgiveness is finally here
President Biden’s announcement today forgives $10,000 for millions of borrowers and up to $20,000 for recipients of the Federal Pell Grant program, which provides grants to students who have demonstrated significant financial need. Before the different rates for Pell Recipients was added to the equation, this plan was estimated to cost about $300 billion. The Biden administration deserves much credit for targeting debt forgiveness for the neediest students.
Student debt forgiveness is finally here
Everything about student debt is big. There are more than 40 million borrowers and they owe an astronomical $1.6 trillion. By comparison, the major increase in military aid to Ukraine announced this week will cost only $3 billion. President Biden's announcement today forgives $10,000 for millions of borrowers and up to $20,000 for recipients of the Federal Pell Grant program, which provides grants to students who have demonstrated significant financial need.
Student debt cancelation vs. postponement
Education In his poem, Robert Frost only gave us two roads to choose from: the road not taken, and the road less traveled by. When applied to national student debt policy Frost’s road not taken clearly represents comprehensive debt cancellation. Instead, policymakers, like Frost, have stumbled down the road less travelled by, for over two years opting for postponement again and again and forgiving all the interest in their haste.
The sounds of silence: Comprehensive student debt forgiveness goes nowhere
The recent State of the Union address made it very clear: Student loan forgiveness isn’t going to happen at least not now. It’s like a car stuck in first gear — cancel, cancel, cancel it sputters. If it is ever going to get students on the road to college, it needs higher octane. Forgiveness, yes — but also additives that will lighten the burden on future students permanently and empower families to negotiate costs with colleges. The people demanding forgiveness focus on both principal and interest.
Student debt: It's the interest, stupid
The constant, unrelenting, day-by-day buildup of interest is the beating heart of student debt. Its time Congress put a stake in it. Borrowers will repay more than $240 billion in interest over the next 10 years. Getting rid of it would mean a lot of forgiveness. The COVID-19 moratorium on interest payments has provided borrowers with more than $100 billion in relief or about $4 billion to $5 billion a month, although the relief is set to end this May (maybe).
Student debt: It’s the interest, stupid
The constant, unrelenting, day-by-day buildup of interest is the beating heart of student debt. Its time Congress put a stake in it. Borrowers will repay more than $240 billion in interest over the next 10 years. Getting rid of it would mean a lot of forgiveness. The COVID-19 moratorium on interest payments has provided borrowers with more than $100 billion in relief or about $4 billion to $5 billion a month, although the relief is set to end this May (maybe).
Ohio State is about to score a financial aid touchdown
The Buckeyes have grabbed the ball again. Ohio State has just announced it will use its endowment to eliminate student loans within the decade. If no-loan degrees are a national priority, then colleges have to step up. Those that have the money should use it to get rid of them on their campus starting now. Once praised as the “great equalizers,” nearly all state flagship institutions have become unaffordable to low- and middle-income students.
Ohio State is about to score a financial aid touchdown
The Buckeyes have grabbed the ball again. Ohio State has just announced it will use its endowment to eliminate student loans within the decade. If no-loan degrees are a national priority, then colleges have to step up. Those that have the money should use it to get rid of them on their campus starting now. Once praised as the "great equalizers," nearly all state flagship institutions have become unaffordable to low- and middle-income students.
It's time to revamp the student loan system - CommonWealth Magazine
books graduation college mortarboard Education/ Opinion Biden's repayment delays are no substitute for a real policy By Robert Hildreth Jan 14, 2022 WHEN IT COMES to student loans, President Biden is acting like Lucy removing the football just as naïve Charlie Brown is persuaded to kick it. Every time the president sets a new date to resume student payments, he takes it away.
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