It’s no secret that in the twenty-first century, a high school diploma is no longer enough to gain a living wage for a decent quality of life.
Over 110 thousand people have signed up with HeadsUpAmerica.us, saying that they want community college to be free for anyone willing to work for it.
Heads Up America is part of the College Promise Campaign, a national, nonpartisan, local and state-led initiative to build support for free community college education for all responsible students. Just as every American is expected to earn a high school diploma, the idea is that every American should have the opportunity to earn a college credential.
The campaign encourages and supports efforts for the first two years of college education being tuition
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attend one of the more than 1,100 community colleges throughout the country. Many of community college students are the first in their families to attend college.
According to a 2014 report from Georgetown University's Public Policy Institute, by 2020—four short years away—more than three in five jobs will require some form of education beyond high school. At the projections, the U.S. will be short 5 million postsecondary educated workers by 2020. Only forty percent of U.S. adults are adequately prepared for the workforce.
Matt Caffrey, a Heads Up American Field Director, explained that they are “focused on building support across the country and helping similar programs launch in cities and states and communities across the country, because that’s where we think we can really make some progress.” In his 2014 state of the Union address, President Obama announced that his budget would include a “bold new plan to lower the cost of community—to zero.”
“Some are young and starting out. Some are older and looking for a better job. Some are veterans and single parents trying to transition back into the job market,” Obama pointed out, “Whoever you are, this plan is your chance to graduate ready for the new economy, without a load of