Democratic Presidential hopeful Chris Dodd unveiled his education policy today in Manchester, where he met with students and educators.
Connecticut Senator Dodd says with the average cost of public higher education at $13,000 a year, and private institutions $30,000 a year, low and moderate income families are struggling to afford college costs.
Dodd says his plan calls for increases in Pell Grants, lower interest rates on college loans and federal assistance at community colleges.
"My goal is to make public community colleges tuition-free, by offering that the federal government will match up to 50 percent of the cost of tuition. If the state will do ten percent, we'll do ten percent. If they'll do 50 percent, we'll do 50 percent. And that's tuition at public community institutions."
Dodd says his plan would cost about $54 billion over eight years.
He says he would pay for it by ending corporate subsidies to banks.
