Higher Education Task Force

As federal student loan debt grows past $1.6 trillion, it is becoming increasingly apparent that tens, if not hundreds, of billions of student debt will never be repaid. The federal loan program has revealed deficiencies in the patchwork of policies that make up the state-federal partnership in higher education. College costs continue to rise while many students take on debt but never graduate or graduate with a credential that has little or no value.

The NCSL Task Force on Higher Education Affordability and Student Outcomes will explore state and federal strategies to make college more affordable for students and taxpayers, improve completion rates, and reduce rates of unrepayable student debt. The task force will examine the state-federal partnership in higher education and provide guidance on the federal role to inform the next reauthorization of the federal Higher Education Act.