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Why tuition costs are skyrocketing
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A new report by Demos, a liberal think-tank that focuses on economic justice issues, explores the crisis of high tuition costs. - photo by JJ Feinauer
It's no secret that tuition costs are skyrocketing to unsettling levels.

"Increases in college tuition at public colleges, particularly in recent years, have really been unacceptable," the Urban Institute's Sandy Baum told NPR's Claudio Sanchez last year. "And there's no question that that is a much higher percentage of median [family] incomes than it used to be."

More controversial than the basic idea that costs are out of control are the explanations for why it's happening.

According to The New York Times' Paul F. Campos, tuition rates are more the victim of "the constant expansion of university administration" than state-funded budget cuts.

But a new report by Demos, a liberal think-tank that focuses on economic justice issues, begs to differ. According their assessment, state funding is exactly the problem.

"Because education and related expenses are funded nearly entirely by tuition and state monies," the study says, "declining state support has caused a dramatic shift in the share of these expenses paid for by students and the government."

Demos provides two charts to drive home this point:

One showing that state funding has dropped dramatically since 2001.

And one that shows the "size of the contribution" of all the different factors in increasing college costs. Decreased state support comes in first place by a large margin.

You can read the rest of the report at Demos.
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BI hosts LCSS Gala
LibertyCountySchools

Bradwell Institute’s Friends Helping Friends will host the 3rdAnnual Liberty County School System Special Needs Gala Saturday at 7p.m.

The dance portion of the gala is free and open to the public.

FHF was started three years ago by BI special needs teacher Charlie Moon. FHF is comprised of a large group of general education students that connect special needs students with their general education peers. They have raised $20,000 in the last 30 months, for events like this, a new sensory room, music therapy equipment, and many other fun events. 

“FHF does so much for the special needs students. It really brings them out in their social skills. They become so much more comfortable around us all,” FHF Junior Danielle Hennessee said. 

FHF Junior Jada Naftzinger said it’s a two-way street. “It not only helps them, but us as well. It brings us out of our own shells and comfort zones.” 

Moon added, “For us, the Gala is not our calling card. I’ve told the students from day one, unless they truly know these special needs students, we won’t do the Gala at all. We’ll throw a big pizza party instead. The point is, we want the kids to really focus on the one-on-one, in-class work, hanging out in the halls, really talking to them. That’s the only way this program truly reaches its potential. Our motto is, “Changing lives, one friend at a time.”

During a private dinner which precedes the public dance, district office personnel, representatives from Congressman Buddy Carter’s office, district SPED staff, BI Football players and FHF members, parents and the honored guests – 50 special needs students from around the district will be in attendance.

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