Warning that the steady rise in student loan debt will cause the country's next great economic crisis, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner outlined measures Monday that he said can help students and their families better manage college expenses.

Warner said he's working on legislation in three areas: greater flexibility for borrowers in paying off student loans; stronger rules that require specific, early information about college costs and future earnings for prospective students and their parents; and federal assistance for needy high school students who want to take community college courses.

Speaking at a forum of several dozen public school officials and students at the city's Tidewater Community College campus, Warner indicated that tackling the problem will require school leaders and parents to get involved.

"Student debt now is north of $1 trillion and exceeds credit card debt," Warner said. "I really think we've done a disservice. We made it easier to get student loans, but nobody ever talks about how you're going to pay it off."

The Virginia Democrat said he is considering legislation that would give graduates the ability to refinance at lower interest rates. He also wants to expand a practice, allowed for some loans, to base the monthly loan payment on the size of the graduate's income.

Last year, Warner introduced a bill with Sens. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, and Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, that would change college reporting guidelines so future students could compare schools' graduation rates, college loan debt, and future earnings for particular areas of study. Most schools collect that information but do not make it public, Warner has said.

The "Student Right To Know Before You Go Act" would require the secretary of education to collect and provide that data online. It is still pending.

Warner said he's also considering a proposal with Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, to allow low-income students to obtain Pell Grants to help pay for community college courses while they're still in high school.

"For a lot of students, the cost of taking these courses - even in high school - becomes prohibitive," he said "If you can knock off a semester of college credit in high school, not only are your chances greater of graduating, but you also drive down the cost of education."

At the state level, he said, educators and their supporters have to make a stronger case for top schools, including Virginia Tech, the University of Virginia, and the College of William & Mary, to be more accepting of community college credits. And community colleges must ensure their courses are academically tough enough to meet those schools' requirements, he said.

Johnny Warren, a senior at I.C. Norcom High who is taking courses at TCC, said he would welcome the changes Warner is pushing.

"That would help me a lot," said Warren, who hopes to study civil engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University.