Tagged: Education

The Ohio State University wants to encourage students into taking online-only courses.  The Columbus Dispatch reports that the University recently approved a new fee structure that would allow students to save money on the services they will not use.

In-state students who register for these exclusive online classes would be charged $100 a semester, while out of state students will only pay $5 more.

Ellen Belcher, who's filling in for Emily McCord, interviews Wendy Patton of Policy Matters Ohio about a recent survey that the liberal-leaning think tank did of Ohio's schools. The state's 600-plus school districts have been hit with a two-year $1.8 billion cut in funding. That means their state aid has dropped to 2003 levels. Policy Matters estimates that Ohio has 2,500 fewer teachers in the classroom as a result. Districts are reluctant to ask for more local money from voters and instead are cutting their budgets in unprecedented ways.

Vice President Joe Biden plans to call attention to the high cost of college and the Obama administration's efforts to make it more affordable when he visits Ohio today.

Biden and Education Secretary Arne Duncan are scheduled to visit Lincoln High School in the Columbus suburb of Gahanna.

The trip is Biden and Duncan's second stop to a presidential battleground state in as many months to talk about college affordability. Both visited Florida last month. And Biden plans to travel to Pennsylvania tomorrow to discuss the issue.