Students’ Right to Know can bring transparency to Oklahoma education
- BY FGA
The student debt crisis is out of control. In Oklahoma, student debt averages nearly $28,000 per student. Yet college is too often sold as the only option to young adults. Students have a right to know all of their options—from four-year degrees, to vocational programs, to the most in-demand jobs.
Businesses across Oklahoma struggle to find skilled workers as students drown in debt. With thousands of jobs available, reform is needed that better aligns higher education with the needs of the workforce.
The Foundation for Government Accountability’s Students’ Right to Know reform bridges the gap between higher education and the workforce by providing students with additional information. The reform will provide young people and their families the information they need to make the best decisions for the future, such as:
- The most in-demand jobs in the state, including starting salary and education level required
- The average monthly student loan payment for individuals attending major colleges and vocational schools in the state, by institution
- The average starting salary for individuals who have completed college, vocational programs, apprenticeships, or a technical program
State Representative Rhonda Baker has long been a champion for students in Oklahoma. She knows the importance of this reform and has co-sponsored a Students’ Right to Know bill in Oklahoma. We thank her for her commitment to students and commonsense reform in a time when many graduates and businesses are struggling.
Bringing transparency and information on student loan costs and other educational opportunities will not only empower students to make informed decisions, but it will also help fill open jobs across the state and encourage young people to start their lives in Oklahoma.
