tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3471471289744825428.post8668233399992942157..comments2024-03-11T00:31:41.186-07:00Comments on The Oregon Economics Blog: Should Community College Be Free to All?Patrick Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17242234148546323374noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3471471289744825428.post-21571815997602173742014-02-06T09:18:38.351-08:002014-02-06T09:18:38.351-08:00The research on "social returns to education&...The research on "social returns to education" is mixed and controversial. Most economists, I would posit, are willing to consider it a reasonable theory but there is still little good evidence and certainly not enough to accurately understand the marginal social returns to individual community college investment. <br /><br />Enrico Moretti at Berkeley has the most credible evidence of social returns in my view. http://emlab.berkeley.edu/~moretti/papers.htmlPatrick Emersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17242234148546323374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3471471289744825428.post-1490603473413335332014-02-06T08:46:43.855-08:002014-02-06T08:46:43.855-08:00Has anyone (1) determined that there is a positive...Has anyone (1) determined that there is a positive externality associated with higher education and (2) quantified that externality so that the optimal level of subsidy can be applied? If we don't do this kind of analysis, aren't we just guessing about whether this is a good idea?Doug Gabbardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08004276724238866340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3471471289744825428.post-56603434914367834742014-02-05T13:34:59.084-08:002014-02-05T13:34:59.084-08:00The cost is essentially negligible--$100 million i...The cost is essentially negligible--$100 million if every student in Oregon used it. I think it's a great idea and would easily pay for itself. I can't really see much cause for worry about abuse. Wealthier students wouldn't choose it as a cost-saver if they're strivers--they'd go to a local four-year school. <br /><br />Furthermore, it would encourage more students to pursue education that could lead to careers with low salaries--a definite boon for the state.Jeff Alworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02930119177544342495noreply@blogger.com