Education secretary addresses rising cost of college - Karen Herzog, Journal-Sentinal

Some people think college is just for the rich, but if that becomes the norm, America is in trouble in an increasingly competitive world, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told Madison East High School students gathered in a gymnasium Wednesday. Most of the juniors and seniors raised their hands when Duncan asked if they plan to attend college. Duncan noted the United States has to do a better job of producing college graduates, as America no longer ranks first in the world in percentage of college graduates; it now ranks 16th. Other countries place a higher value on education, he said. Parents and students must stay aware of what's happening with higher education at the federal level, Duncan said. Federal student loan rates are at risk of dramatically rising, he said. Congress must act by June to keep the federal student loan rate at 3.4%, or it will automatically double. Duncan urged students and parents to lobby their congressmen to prevent that from happening.