"the reasons that works" is debatable. Now kids in the us frequently start in pre-pre-Kindergarten. And yet we can't teach cursive writing/reading because its

"the reasons that works" is debatable. Now kids in the us frequently start in pre-pre-Kindergarten. And yet we can't teach cursive writing/reading because its too hard. Baltimore City spends more per capita than any other region in the state of MD, yet nobody reads at grade level. There are many factors in play. Throwing money at free college because the 1st 12 nee 14 were free doesn't mean it works. Wanna go to college? Take a test, show you've not frittered away your 1st 12yrs. My employer paid for my MS degree courses and books. If I didn't present a =>3.0 GPA, they didn't reimburse. That provided motivation. But... there was a study in recent years showing some for-profit private colleges that relied heavily on gov't paid students had "watered down" their requirements to achieve the grades necessary to continue on a tax-payer funded basis. So there's that to deal with. Evidently Higher Ed is willing to compromise it scruples when money is involved.