A number of states have adopted policies designed to keep students who graduate from colleges and universities within the state from taking jobs elsewhere, by offering various tax inducements. North Carolina does something like this with the policy of offering free tuition at any UNC school to students who graduate from the NC School for Science and Math.
Will such policies work? Can a state lift its economy by trying to bribe college grads not to take jobs out of the state? In this week’s Clarion Call, I argue that this is folly — something akin to thinking that miracle diet pills will cause you to drop unwanted pounds.
On the other hand, if state officials could figure out how to ensure that graduates (high school and college) have good skills in reading, writing, and math, that actually would be an economic benefit.
