US Election 2016 Education Platforms Of Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump: A Comprehensive Comparison

Among the considerations for voting government candidates into office is their policy regarding education. But among the top three contenders for future president - Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump - who has the most sensible plan that will benefit students and their families? Below is a comprehensive comparison of their educational platform.

Hillary Clinton US Election 2016 Education Platform

The Democratic front-runner, Hillary Clinton, proposes a $350-billion college grant, called the College Compact, which will allow for free education in public colleges and universities. The fund will also cover miscellaneous costs like books and room or board. Per Bloomberg, this proposal is similar to President Barack Obama's education agenda and should help students earn their degrees without having any college loans to set them back after graduation.

Clinton would also like to increase all-boys schools in communities considered as high-crime areas across America, per Associated Press. The former first lady plans to improve home visitation programs to boost early education in low-income families. Social workers will hold regular visits to new parents and even pregnant moms to assess their needs and promote positive parenting, per The 74 Million. This is once again similar to the policies that Obama has in place.

Bernie Sanders US Election 2016 Education Platform

Sen. Bernie Sanders also plans to make public colleges free for students, which will include college housing. However, he estimates this to cost at least $750 billion, which should be good for 10 years. The money will come from the high-income earners' taxes and the federal government (67 percent), as well as state governments (33 percent), per Boston Globe.

The beneficiary of Sander's public college plan is broad, while his contender, Clinton, targets low-income families, so this is the main difference to their proposals. Both democratic candidates have not divulged specific plans for K-12 education for now, per Education Writers.

Donald Trump US Election 2016 Education Platform

It is unclear where Donald Trump's education platform lies because the Republican presumptive presidential nominee has not been vocal about his policies. At the Committee for Education Funding presidential forum, Trump's campaign has been largely unreachable. Per Chronicle, it does not look like Trump has any interest in discussing education with his opponents.

However, his campaign has hinted in various media reports of bank-based loans for students and allowing international students to pursue jobs in the United States after graduation. His other pronouncements in the media suggest he might consider shutting down Education Department and reroute their budget elsewhere. He's also not in favor of Common Core.