Report: Community colleges good for taxpayers
By Katherine Mangan, Chronicle of Higher Education
Community-college graduates receive nearly $5 in benefits for every dollar they spend on their education, while the return to taxpayers is almost six to one, according to a report released on Tuesday that measures not only graduates’ higher earning power but also their healthier lifestyles.
The report, “Where Value Meets Values: The Economic Impact of Community Colleges,” seeks to quantify what happens when community colleges provide employers with skilled workers, the economy with consumers, and graduates with jobs along with better health and well-being.
The 88-page report was prepared by Economic Modeling Specialists International for the American Association of Community Colleges.
What a surprise. The American Association of Community Colleges paid for a study to prove that they should continue to get funding… And several studies paid for by the tobacco industry in the sixties found that cigarettes weren’t unhealthy, in fact, they are good for you.
I fail to see the logical connection between Community Colleges and Tobacco that would make your comment reasonable.
I, too, was wondering what the connection between going to college and smoking cigarettes was.
maybe the theory is that people who go to college are too smart to smoke cigarettes, or these days know the risks because they can read the warning labels. Yes, there are definately benefits to going to college.
The connection is that groups that fund studies are suspect because their conclusions are generally what the funding group wanted from the study. The study was funded by a group that represents Community Colleges. Studies that found cigarettes to be OK were funded by tobacco companies. In both cases the studies’ conclusions were to the benefit of those paying for the study. It doesn’t seem to me to be difficult to see the relationship, but that is just me. I hope that my explanation has helped you to see the connection. I certainly did not imply that there are no benefits to going to college. My point is that when a study is funded by a special interest group, the results and conclusions of the study are often suspect, IMHO.
Thanks for the explaination dumbfounded. Actually I was being sarcastic with my comment, go figure, and actually knew that your connection between the two groups would be explained the way you explained it. You are correct about studies and who funds the studies. Sorta like the studies the city of slt keeps funding and the outcomes being so predictable. I studied some of these things in college, statistics and probable outcome courses were required for masters degree candidates. Anyone with common sense can predict the outcome of these types of topics. Its when you combine noninvolved parties, like people with no financial connection to the topic, that you can trust the results.
Um… Dumbfounded. I believe the report states the obvious benefits of Community Colleges.