As Ohio makes strides in the economy and job creation, another piece of the puzzle is making sure that those students who are interested in continuing their education can find success in college without going broke.

I had the opportunity of being a member of the House Higher Education Study Committee this last summer. Along with my fellow representatives, we traveled the state to speak with college representatives, members of the public and education experts on how we can reform higher education. We wanted to find out how we can improve our college education system by making it more affordable and more efficient.

According to the College Broad Advocacy and Policy Center, the average college student in Ohio builds up more than $26,000 in debt. It’s interesting to note as well that higher education costs increase 5.2 percent annually. This is a sobering percentage and it’s important to have Ohio students, college representatives, and other experts involved in finding solutions to this, which is why this committee was so important.

Topics that were discussed included, but were not limited to, sustainable funding for co-ops and internships, program accreditation, improved student preparation/reducing remediation rates, financial aid, faculty workloads and mid-life career changes.

Hopefully we can use what we learned to create some initiatives for the state and if needed draft bills that rectify problems. In the budget passed at the end of June, we made sure to focus on higher education by first rewarding universities that graduate students on time. We addressed high college costs by capping tuition at two percent annually for all state schools. The harsh reality is that sometimes students are not able to finish school because they can no longer afford it.

Even with having some of the best colleges and universities in the United States, only one in four Ohio adults have earned a bachelor’s degree, which is lower than the national average. Improving our education system can only benefit our economy and workforce as companies want to be in places with a stable and educated workforce.

I’m glad to have been a part of this study committee and look forward to future discussions about higher education. It’s an important issue for students and parents alike and I know we are on a path to solutions here at the Ohio House of Representatives.