Yes, Free Community College Is Major, But Not Just For The Reason You Think

At first glance, the most important number in the proposal might be $0, the tuition to students. It isn't. The most important number is 25 percent. That's the share of costs that the federal government would expect participating states to bear. Picking up just one-fourth of the tab is a modest ask. But it's also a revolutionary one. That's because, to date, the federal government has never had clear expectations for exactly what states must do to support higher education. It's not like K-12 or special education where strict rules require states to maintain certain support or risk facing stiff financial penalties.