By CEO Burck Smith, CEO of StraighterLine, BfA Member

The Hill, 1/18/10

With the economy stuck in neutral, improving skills and increasing educational attainment remain keys to our economic recovery and long-term national health. But with tuition rising faster than inflation, getting a college degree or securing the skills needed for a 21st century job is as hard as it’s ever been.

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With policy changes and a commitment to expanding broadband access to everyone, students and taxpayers can solve the annual complaint of ever-rising college prices and the crippling burden of student debt. Not only will this save money, but it will dramatically increase the use of distance education and quicken the pace of higher education innovation. The only way we, as a nation, are going to provide 21st century skills at a price we can afford is to create a technical and regulatory environment that allows us to innovate in ways that higher education hasn’t done in centuries.

Click here to read the full op-ed.

Broadband for America (BfA), a growing coalition of over 130 members ranging from independent consumer advocacy groups, to content and application providers, to the companies which build and maintain the Internet. The complete BfA membership list is available at: http://www.broadbandforamerica.com/about/members