Rahm Emanuel, a Possible 2028 Presidential Contender, Calls for Higher Education Reforms

Rahm Emanuel, the former Chicago mayor who is considering a Democratic campaign for president, will outline on Tuesday his plan to make higher education more affordable and accessible, part of what he calls a “grand bargain” between universities, the federal government and American families.

Emanuel’s proposal, which he is scheduled to unveil during an event at Dartmouth College, would reward universities that provide a clear path to earn a four-year degree in three years, offer free tuition to students from households earning less than $200,000 per year and cap tuition increases for everyone else at the rate of inflation.

About 80% of families in the United States earn less than $200,000 per year, according to Census data. Emanuel would allow universities that check those boxes to enroll international students at a share of up to 20% of their student bodies (the Trump administration has proposed capping international students at 15%).

Emanuel would also set a target for the government to cut administrative costs for colleges by 10%, saying that he would support measures such as relaxing income verification for federal loan applicants, which costs colleges about $500 million each year.

Emanuel’s event in Hanover, New Hampshire, was timed to the release of a short campaign-style video highlighting his views on education. In January, he visited Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where he highlighted the state’s dramatic improvement in test scores in K-12 schools. In February, in Howell, Michigan, he promoted a plan to give military veterans a $10,000 tax-free bonus if they took steps to become a carpenter or an electrician or enter another building trade.

In recent years, Republicans have made gains among voters on education issues, criticizing COVID-era policies and diversity initiatives that they say penalize white students and draw resources away from academics. Republicans have also railed against universities for their “woke” politics and costly fees.

But any person who runs for president in 2028 should make education reform a top priority, Emanuel said in an interview. He criticized President Donald Trump for waging political culture wars in the nation’s schools, including Trump’s bid to block transgender women from using women’s bathrooms, and rebuked his own party for not focusing on academic standards.

“Everywhere I go, I am meeting with parents, teachers, principals,” Emanuel said. “It’s the one constant in every trip I do.”

Emanuel considered teaching as a profession, studying early-childhood education as an undergraduate at Sarah Lawrence College and working as a teacher’s assistant at the campus’s early learning center. He entered Democratic politics instead.

Education was a top priority during his eight years as mayor of Chicago, where he closed 50 underperforming schools, largely in Black and Hispanic neighborhoods; pushed to provide free community college for students with a B average; and championed requiring an official post-graduation plan from high school students to receive a diploma. Data from Stanford University during his tenure showed that Chicago’s public school students learned faster than any other of the nation’s largest school districts.

“College isn’t for everybody, but it has to change so it returns to the idea that it’s a way to punch your meal ticket,” Emanuel said. “Right now, it’s a burden.”

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This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

By Michael C. Bender/Jason Andrew
c. 2026 The New York Times Company

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