Tuition-Free College and Vocational Schools
Education Without Debt
For most of the 20th century, America built the strongest middle class in history by investing in education.
Public universities were affordable. Community colleges expanded opportunity. The GI Bill helped millions of Americans attend college and powered decades of economic growth.
Today that promise has broken down.
Students are forced to borrow tens of thousands of dollars simply to pursue an education. Millions of Americans begin their working lives buried in debt before they earn their first paycheck.
At the same time, our country faces severe shortages of skilled workers across construction, healthcare, manufacturing, and technology.
America must invest in its people again.
My plan guarantees Tuition-Free College and Vocational Schools nationwide, replaces student debt with National School Bonds, and creates the most advanced workforce training system in the world.
The Core Idea
Replace Student Debt with National Investment
Today, students borrow money individually to pay tuition.
Under this plan, the United States will finance education collectively through National School Bonds.
Instead of millions of individual student loans:
• The federal government issues National School Bonds
• Public colleges and vocational schools become tuition-free
• Graduates repay the investment gradually through taxes over their careers
Education becomes a national investment in human infrastructure.
$0 Tuition at Public Colleges and Trade Schools
This plan abolishes tuition and mandatory fees at:
• Public four-year universities
• Community colleges
• Public vocational and technical schools
• Tribal colleges
• Workforce training institutions
Students will graduate with skills and opportunity instead of debt.
Free Vocational and Trade Training
America urgently needs skilled workers.
This plan expands training for careers such as:
• electricians
• plumbers
• welders
• construction workers
• healthcare technicians
• advanced manufacturing specialists
Vocational schools and trade training programs will be completely tuition-free nationwide.
Apprenticeships will expand dramatically so students can earn while they learn.
American Skill Grants
Paid Internships and Apprenticeships
Education does not only happen in classrooms. Many of the most valuable skills are learned through real-world work experience.
The American Skill Grant program provides monthly stipends to individuals participating in internships, apprenticeships, and vocational training placements.
Typical grants:
$800 – $1,500 per month
To prevent fraud and ensure real training value:
• employers must match the grant fully or partially
• only approved training programs qualify
This ensures that employers invest alongside the federal government in workforce development.
The result is a training system where students can earn while they learn instead of taking unpaid internships.
National Scholarship Fund
Public colleges will be tuition-free.
However, private institutions will still charge tuition.
The National Scholarship Fund will provide means-tested scholarships for students attending:
• private colleges and universities
• private vocational schools
• private secondary schools
• private primary schools
The fund will operate as a public-private partnership, allowing additional funding from:
• philanthropic foundations
• private donations
• university endowments
Over time it will grow into a permanent national education endowment.
Ending the Student Debt Crisis
America currently has roughly $1.7 trillion in student loan debt.
This plan ends the system permanently.
The federal government will:
• forgive all federal student loan debt
• phase out federal student loan programs
• eliminate federal tuition grants once tuition is abolished
Instead of financing education through debt, America will finance it through National School Bonds.
National School Bonds
Investing in America's Education System
The federal government will issue approximately $1.25 trillion in National School Bonds to modernize the American education system and eliminate tuition.
National School Bond Investment Plan
| Investment Area | Funding |
|---|---|
| Public college tuition transition | $350B |
| Vocational school expansion | $150B |
| Community college expansion | $150B |
| Secondary school construction | $200B |
| Primary school construction | $150B |
| Public preschool expansion | $100B |
| National Scholarship Fund capitalization | $100B |
| Workforce training expansion | $50B |
Total National School Bonds Issued: $1.25 Trillion
Servicing the Bonds
At long-term Treasury financing rates of roughly 4.75%, servicing $1.25 trillion in National School Bonds requires approximately:
$75–80 billion annually in debt service
This includes both interest and principal repayment.
Land Value Tax and National Investment
A central part of the plan is the creation of a federal Land Value Tax (LVT).
The LVT is projected to raise approximately:
$3 trillion annually
This revenue will be divided into two major purposes.
Land Value Tax Allocation
| Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|
| Deficit reduction and debt repayment | $2.0T |
| National Investment Fund | $1.0T |
The National Investment Fund will finance major national priorities such as:
• healthcare reform
• tuition-free education
• the negative income tax
• workforce training and infrastructure
The debt service for National School Bonds will come from this $1 trillion investment fund.
Education Bond Financing
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| National School Bond Debt Service | ~$78B |
| Share of National Investment Fund | ~7–8% |
This means less than 8% of the national investment fund is required to finance the entire tuition-free education system.
Corporate Workforce Contribution
Businesses benefit enormously from a skilled workforce.
Large corporations will contribute through a Workforce Education Contribution of approximately:
$500 per employee per year for large firms.
Workforce Contribution Revenue
| Source | Annual Revenue |
|---|---|
| Corporate Workforce Contribution | ~$35B |
| Reallocated federal education grants | ~$41B |
This funding supports the ongoing operating costs of tuition-free education and workforce training.
Program Costs Over Time
The program includes a large initial investment followed by stable long-term costs.
Education Investment Timeline
| Phase | Annual Cost |
|---|---|
| Years 1–10 (Expansion Phase) | ~$120B |
| Long-Term Operating Cost | ~$85B |
Early investments will fund:
• school construction
• expansion of trade training programs
• preschool facilities
• apprenticeship infrastructure
Once these investments are completed, the system becomes significantly cheaper to operate.
Implementation Timeline
Phase 1 — Launch (Years 1–2)
• Issue first round of National School Bonds
• Begin student loan forgiveness
• Eliminate tuition at community colleges and vocational schools
• Launch American Skill Grants
Phase 2 — Expansion (Years 3–6)
• Expand tuition-free public universities
• Begin nationwide school construction
• Launch the National Scholarship Fund
Phase 3 — Full System (Years 7–10)
• Fully operational tuition-free education system
• expanded preschool infrastructure
• nationwide apprenticeship network
A Generational Investment
Previous generations of Americans built the strongest middle class in history by investing in education.
They built public universities.
They funded the GI Bill.
They constructed the interstate highway system.
This plan continues that tradition.
Instead of forcing students into debt, America will invest in its people — and allow that investment to be repaid over time as graduates build the future of our country.
Tuition-Free College and Vocational Schools will make America the most skilled nation on Earth.
