Spellings Discusses American Education at Institute of Politics Forum

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings spoke at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) on Wednesday, October 1, about the current trials facing American education, ranging from No Child Left Behind to the college application process.

During the event, Educating America: The Will and The Way Forward, cosponsored by the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Spellings addressed the audience and answered questions on the achievement gap, a need for better teachers, as well as the divisive state of American education today. Without missing a beat, the secretary of education also took a moment to reflect on the state of higher education in America and to introduce her revision of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.

While waving the six-page federal financial aid application form in the air, Spellings said, "It's red tape like this that keeps 40 percent of college students from even applying for aid -- that's eight million students. And we believe most would have been eligible for assistance."

The newly proposed FAFSA form would cut down the current form's 102 questions to 27 and would now fit on two pages. It will also provide "real time information" for families regarding "how much to expect from the government versus how much you can pay," Spellings said.

The cost of college not only makes it inaccessible for many people in America, but also affects students' job prospects upon graduating. Spellings noted that the unaffordability of college leaves most students with an average $20,000 debt, one in 10 in $40,000 debt. "This closes opportunities to work in public service and teaching," she said. In closing, Spellings answered questions from the audience and encouraged Harvard students to use their education, status, and experience to make a difference in the future education of America. "You never know where your efforts will lead you," Spellings said. "Maybe you will end up secretary of education."

HGSE Associate Professor Bridget Terry Long, an expert on college affordability, has an ongoing project studying the effectiveness of interventions designed to help low- and middle-income families complete the federal financial aid application form. For Long's impressions on Spellings visit and her opinion of the proposed changes to the FAFSA form, visit - http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/08/10/long-responds-spellings-fafsa-plan