Cancel Student Debt

Education should be a path to opportunity, not a sentence to lifelong debt. Yet millions of Americans are shackled to loans that stifle dreams, delay families, and drain the economy. A generation should not be punished for seeking knowledge.

The solution is clear: Cancel student debt. Wipe the slate clean and make higher education truly accessible. Free people to buy homes, start businesses, and contribute fully to society. An educated nation is a prosperous one.

This is not a handout—it is a correction. Wall Street was bailed out. Corporations receive tax breaks. But students, who invested in their future, are left to struggle. The government should serve its people, not profit from their ambition.

Action must follow conviction. Demand debt relief. Push for tuition-free public colleges. Elect leaders who believe education should uplift, not ensnare.

A nation that burdens its scholars burdens its future. Cancel student debt—because knowledge should liberate, not imprison.

Key Stats

1. Trillions in Burden: U.S. student loan debt now totals approximately $1.7 trillion, representing a colossal financial burden on millions and signaling a systemic crisis in higher education financing.

2. Average Debt Shock: The average borrower leaves college with around $30,000 in debt, a figure that not only undermines individual financial stability but also stifles broader economic opportunity.

3. Delayed Life Milestones: Research shows that over 40% of millennials delay homeownership, starting a family, or other major life decisions because student debt forces them into long-term financial insecurity.

4. Economic Growth Impeded: Studies estimate that canceling student debt could boost the U.S. GDP by 1–2%, as freed-up income would spur consumer spending, entrepreneurship, and investment in local communities.

5. Widespread Public Support: Polls indicate that nearly 60–70% of Americans believe canceling student debt is essential, reflecting a broad consensus that the current system unfairly penalizes those who invest in their future.

Our Allies

1. The Debt Collective
   A student-led activist group that uses direct action, organizing, and innovative legal strategies to advocate for debt cancellation and systemic reform of student lending practices.

2. Student Borrower Protection Center
   Focused on defending the rights of borrowers, this organization pushes for greater transparency, accountability, and reforms—including debt cancellation measures—in federal student loan programs.

3. Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS)
   TICAS conducts research and policy advocacy to make higher education more affordable, campaigning for measures such as debt cancellation and increased financial protections for students.

4. National Consumer Law Center (NCLC)
   With a focus on consumer financial protection, NCLC provides legal expertise and advocates for reforms in student lending practices, including efforts aimed at reducing or canceling burdensome debt.

5. Center for Responsible Lending (CRL)
   CRL works to end predatory lending practices and has been active in pushing for reforms in student loan programs that include the potential for debt cancellation as part of broader consumer protections.

10 Steps

1. Conduct a Comprehensive Education Finance Audit
   Leverage data from the U.S. Department of Education, the Federal Reserve, and the Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS) to document the current landscape of student loan debt. For example, total student debt now exceeds $1.7 trillion with the average borrower owing around $30,000, and research shows that high debt burdens delay home ownership and family formation. This audit will identify key financial pain points and provide a data-driven baseline to guide policy reform.

2. Build a Multi-Stakeholder Education Reform Coalition
   Assemble a coalition that includes student advocacy groups, higher education institutions, labor organizations, economists, and consumer rights organizations. Drawing on successful models from past debt relief campaigns, convene an inaugural summit with representatives from at least 40 organizations nationwide. This unified coalition will consolidate resources, share strategic insights, and amplify the call for transformative education finance reform.

3. Develop a Detailed Legislative and Policy Agenda
   Craft a comprehensive policy blueprint that mandates the cancellation of existing student debt, establishes tuition-free public colleges, and reforms future funding models. Incorporate specific benchmarks—such as eliminating 100% of federal student loan debt within three years and reducing college tuition costs by at least 50% within five years—backed by studies indicating that lower debt levels correlate with higher consumer spending and economic mobility.

4. Launch a Data-Driven Public Awareness Campaign
   Utilize compelling statistics and personal narratives to reshape public perceptions of student debt. Surveys indicate that over 60% of Americans support debt cancellation, yet many remain unaware of its broader economic benefits. Deploy a multi-platform media strategy—including social media, interactive webinars, and town hall meetings—with targets like reaching 2 million individuals and increasing public support for debt cancellation by 20% over the next year.

5. Implement Targeted Lobbying and Policy Advocacy
   Organize strategic meetings, policy briefings, and public hearings with key legislators, especially on committees related to education and finance. Present the legislative agenda alongside hard data—such as the estimated boost of $86 billion annually in consumer spending following debt cancellation—and personal testimonies from impacted borrowers. Aim to secure commitments from at least 25 influential policymakers to champion debt relief legislation.

6. Mobilize Grassroots and Community Action
   Coordinate with student groups, alumni networks, and local advocacy organizations to launch protests, petition drives, and digital campaigns demanding debt cancellation. Distribute advocacy toolkits—including sample letters, social media graphics, and guidelines for contacting elected officials—to empower citizens. Set measurable targets such as increasing grassroots participation events by 40% and collecting over 500,000 petition signatures within 18 months.

7. Establish a Legal Support and Rapid Response Team
   Form a dedicated legal unit drawing on expertise from organizations like the ACLU and public interest law firms to challenge policies that perpetuate student debt injustice. This team will be on call to respond to legal obstacles and enforce new debt relief measures, with a target response time of 48 hours for urgent cases. Historical evidence shows that swift legal action can significantly accelerate policy implementation.

8. Implement Robust Monitoring and Accountability Mechanisms
   Create an independent oversight board composed of experts from educational institutions, consumer rights advocates, and government watchdog agencies. Develop a publicly accessible dashboard—updated quarterly—with key performance indicators such as progress on debt cancellation, reductions in tuition costs, and improvements in economic outcomes for borrowers. This transparency will ensure continuous evaluation and timely policy adjustments.

9. Engage in Strategic Electoral Politics
   Identify and support political candidates with a proven record of advocating for affordable education and debt relief. Organize targeted voter registration drives and issue-focused campaigns in key swing districts, using data from organizations like the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE) to focus efforts. The goal is to add tens of thousands of new, education-focused voters before the next election cycle, reshaping the political landscape toward debt-free education.

10. Institutionalize Education Finance Reform for Long-Term Impact
    Partner with universities, think tanks, and policy institutes to develop standardized training programs and policy manuals that embed student debt reform into long-term federal and state frameworks. Establish permanent commissions—such as a National Commission on Affordable Education—to review and update education finance policies every two years. Commission longitudinal studies to assess the impacts of debt cancellation on economic mobility, homeownership, and overall national prosperity, ensuring that reform efforts evolve alongside societal needs.