Higher Education and Careers

Tags: American Indian ELL Students; Asian ELL Students; Bilingual Instruction; Bilingualism / Biliteracy; Books and Other Reading Materials; Curriculum; Differentiated Instruction; Instructional Programs; Language of Instruction; Latino ELL Students; Motivation; Other ELL Students (Middle Eastern, African, European, etc.); Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA;

Target Population: Middle and high school students, parents, teachers, administrators, and guidance counselors.

Research Questions the Report Poses: This article questions how important it is for higher education institutions, schools, states, and the federal government to help students prepare for post-secondary education and graduate successfully.

Findings:

• For many students, the decision not to apply for college does not reflect a lack of higher education aspirations; instead, many students are discouraged by the application process and tuition rates.
• There is a growing consensus that high schools should be accountable for what their students' outcomes are after high graduation and that high schools and governments at all levels to increase the academic readiness.
• Proper guidance and easy access to available programs of financial aid and college admission application need to be highly promoted in all states, especially for low-income students.

Policy Recommendations:

The report authors identify three strategies that the federal government and states can potentially pursue in order to help all students enter and suceed in higher education:

• Create data systems that track college readiness and attainment and build accountability.
• Support and build the capacity of high school and college educators.
• Develop strong signals and clear incentives to students about the path to college.

The federal government is encouraged to take note of the recommendations made in this article on the economic, social, and academic factors that can prevent students from attending college. In addition, policymakers at the state and federal level are encouraged to create programs that facilitate the transition from high school to college by promoting students current and future college aspirations.

• Read the Full Report

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
Center for American Progress 1333 H Street, NW, 10th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20005

Nagaoka, Jenny; Roderick, Melissa; Coca, Vanessa. (2009). Barriers to College Attainment: Lessons from Chicago. Washington, D.C. Center for American Progress.

Tags: Instructional Programs; Intervention; Latino ELL Students; Motivation;

Target Population: Post-Secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: What are ways to increase the number of Latino STEM graduates?

Findings:

• The U.S. Department of Education reports that nearly 60% of Latinos in the American higher education system are enrolled in a community college. Of these students, 56% attend Hispanic-serving community colleges.
• Recent data from NSF shows that nearly 44% of all STEM B.S. degree holders attend community college at some point in their career.

• Read The Full Report

Dowd, A.C., Malcom, L.E., & Bensimon, E.M. (2009). Benchmarking the success of Latino and Latina students in STEM to achieve national graduation goals. Los Angeles, CA: University of Southern California.

Tags: Intervention; Motivation;

Target Population: High School, Post-secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: What are some of the challenges Latino students face in graduating from high school, enrolling in college, completing a college education, and advancing in the workforce?

Findings:

• 86% of Escalera students from the 2008 cohort graduated from high school or obtained a General Equivalency Diploma (GED).
• 95% of eligible Escalera students from the 2009 cohort enrolled in college.
• 99% of Escalera graduates from the 2008 cohort persist in college past year one.
• Escalera students have more work experience and career knowledge than their non-Escalera peers.
• Students who have access to college and career exploration activities have a greater knowledge of career paths and associated academic requirements.

• Read the Full Report

Mirabal, F.A., Lucero, S. (2010). Beyond the Classroom: Creating Pathways to College and Careers for Latino Youth. Washington, DC: National Council of La Raza.

Tags: Intervention; Motivation; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA; Transfer of Literacy Skills;

Target Population: Post-secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: What are the promising practices for transferring students from two-year to four-year institutions?

Findings:
A Structured Academic Pathway:

• Institutional Articulation Agreements
• Dual Enrollment
• Developmental coursework initiatives
• Active learning

• Customer service forums
• Trio Student Support Services (SSS)
• Specialized advising
• Flexible scheduling
• First-year Seminar
• Learning communities
• Student engagement in campus life

• Staff and faculty role modeling
• Strategic planning
• Outreach

• Read the Full Report

Smith, C.T., Miller, A., & Bermeo, C.A. (2009). Bridging the Gaps to Success-Promising Practices for Promoting Transfer Among Low-Income and First-Generation Students. The Pell Institute. Retrieved January 10, 2011 from: http://www.pellinstitute.org/pdf/COE_Pell_Report_layout_3.pdf

Tags: Comprehension; Intervention; Language Proficiency; Struggling Readers;

Target Population: Post-secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: What policies are practices exist/should be developed to ensure to success of adolescent second-language learners?

Findings:

• Building Human Capital: Providing Educators with Tools to Support ELLs
• Meeting the Demand for ESL Specialists
• The Role of Partnerships and Cross-Systems Collaboration
• Recognizing the Diversity of the ELL Population and Differentiating Support
• College Access for ELL Students

Policy Recommendations:

• Build the capacity of all educators, including content-area teachers, to provide effective instruction for ELLs
• Support programs that develop a pipeline of educators who are trained and certified to specialize in ESL instruction
• Promote institutional partnerships and cross-systems collaboration
• Ensure that policies are responsive to the diversity of the ELL population.
• Support opportunities for postsecondary education and careers for immigrant students.

• Read the Full Report

Building Capacity to Promote College- and Career Readiness for Secondary English Language Learners: Policy Briefing featuring Austin, Texas. (2010.) Washington, DC: American Youth Policy Forum. Retrieved August 2, 2010 from: http://www.aypf.org/tripreports/2010/documents/Austin%20Building%20Capacity%20for%20ELLs%20Iss

Tags: Intervention; Motivation; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA;

Target Population: Post-secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: What are the ways immigrant workers educate themselves/get themselves to college/post-secondary opportunities?

Findings:

• A clear pathway to employment and/or job advancement is a critical part of the process;
• Employer investments are essential, although they may take different forms;
• Community college innovation is important, but "reinventing" the college is not required;
• Community partnerships are necessary to expand the boundaries of the program, a key element for recruitment and retention; and
• A clear and focused commitment to harness the potential of working Hispanic immigrants is required.

• Read the Full Report

Gershwin, M., Coxen, T., Kelley, B., & Yakimov. G. (2007, March). Building Tomorrow’s Workforce: Promoting the Education & Advancement of Hispanic Immigrant Workers in America. Corporation for a Skilled Workforce. Retrieved January, 4, 2011 from: http://www.skilledwork.org/sites/default/files/Lumina_Jan809.pdf

Tags: Intervention; Motivation; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA; Rights, Students;

Target Population: All

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• In what ways and to what extent are today's children underserved by parents and adults in general?
• What are the essential resources children require that will assure their success in the future?
• How can parents and communities work to provide these resources to all children?

Findings:

• Children who enjoy the sustained and cumulative benefit of having at least four of the Five Promises across various contexts of their lives are much more likely to be academically successful, civically engaged and socially competent, regardless of their race or family income.
• Having enough of the Five Promises helps to mitigate the disparities among our nation's young people, for instance those based on race/ ethnicity or family income. Though access to these resources remains deeply unequal in America, their presence in critical mass can be a great equalizer. Regardless of race, gender or family income level, children who enjoy at least four of these five core resources are more likely to thrive.
• Only 31% of young people today are receiving enough of the developmental resources that will give them genuine reason for confidence about their success as adults.
• 21% —or over 10 million 6–to–17–year&ndash'olds— have a very low chance of success.
• The stereotype of children and teens as slackers with a weak work ethic is a myth. Young people are looking for more help from adults, but not a handout. They are willing to work hard to reach their goals.
• The greatest returns to society result from a balanced investment strategy throughout childhood, not just in early childhood. The biggest economic benefits result from targeting interventions toward underserved youth. These returns take the form of increased high school graduation rates and college enrollment, reduced involvement with the criminal justice system and reduced welfare dependency, which in turn provide direct and indirect economic benefits to our nation.
• Some of the areas that access to the 5 Promises positively effects are: overall health, grade and school attendance, drug use, social competence, school dropout rates, crime.

Policy Recommendations:

• The bottom–line implication from this research is clear: For maximum return, start investing in young people at an early age—and don't stop.
• Consider the "Whole Child" ie educational reforms should go beyond the school.
• Engage all sectors of society.
• View investments as more than programs—without minimizing their role: Cost–effective, targeted programs may offer the best strategy for mitigating the risk factors otherwise working against children placed at major disadvantages.
• Focus attention on the young people who are most underserved.

• Read the Full Report

"Every Child Every Promise: Turning Failure Into Action." Washington, DC: America's Promise Alliance. Retrieved from http://www.americaspromise.org/Resources/Research-and-Reports/~/media/Files/About/ECEP%20-%20Full%20Report.aspx

Tags: Intervention; Latino ELL Students; Motivation; Rights, Students;

Target Population: Post-Secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• How does the educational attainment vary among subgroups of immigrants?
• What factors account for these differences?
• What barriers do some immigrant students face? What is the payoff to postsecondary education in U.S. society?

Findings:

• Mexican and Latin American immigrants have, on average, relatively low rates of participation and success in postsecondary education.
• Language barriers and lack of familiarity with U.S. social institutions create difficulties, but it is not immigrant status per se that explains the unsatisfactory outcomes for these immigrant populations.
• Overall, immigrants and their children are actually more likely than natives (of the same countries of origin) to earn college degrees.
• The gaps among groups from different countries of origin are large. Those from China, Japan, and many African countries have high success rates. Those from Mexico, Guatemala, Haiti, Laos, and Cambodia fare less well.
• The children of immigrants who benefited from postsecondary education in their countries of origin are likely to succeed in the United States. The children of parents who are not in a position to help them prepare for and navigate the postsecondary system are likely to struggle.

Policy Recommendations:

• Because immigration has become such a divisive political issue in the United States, focusing on the benefits to society of opening doors to higher education for all is the most promising strategy.
• Sometimes, changes in motivation and behavior resulting from financial incentives, rather than the extra funds themselves, can be central to improved postsecondary success. Judith Scott–Clayton, for example, found that West Virginia's state grant program increases college completion rates by establishing clear academic goals and providing incentives to meet them.
• Policies to improve the elementary and secondary school experiences of all children are likely the most important components of a strategy to improve the postsecondary success of immigrant children.

• Read the Full Report

Baum, S., Flores, S.M. (2011.) "Higher Education and Children in Immigrant Families." Immigrant Children 21 (1). The Future of Children. Retrieved from: http://www.futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=74&articleid=545.

Tags: Intervention; Language Proficiency;

Target Population: Post-secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• What are the opportunities and challenges that immigrant children present to community colleges?
• What strategies can community colleges use to serve the rapidly growing population of immigrants more effectively?

Findings:

• Immigrant students experience different challenges based on when they arrived in the country and consequently how academically prepared they are (either in their home country or U.S.)
• College participation varies greatly among immigrant students based on ethnic background.
• For all high school graduates, immigrants were more likely than native–born students of the same racial or ethnic group to enroll in any form of postsecondary education.
• Immigrant college students are at higher risk of dropping out of college than native–born students. Some of the risk factors for dropping out are: enrolling at age 24 and up, having dependents, working part– or full–time, and familial obligations.
• Many immigrant students are not well prepared academically for college coursework, so they frequently need remedial education, often as a result of deficient English proficiency, before they can enroll in college–level courses.
• One of the greatest needs of immigrant students is to improve their English–language skills.
• Many immigrant students have great financial need but often lack information about how to finance college costs, and consequently they underuse financial aid resources.

Policy Recommendations:

• Outreach programs to assists students and families with academic and financial planning, help students complete college applications, and conduct college visits and educational field trips.
• Accelerated "pathways to college" programs that combine high–intensity instruction with curricular and precollege efforts aim to improve academic preparation for immigrant students during high school while strengthening their postsecondary aspirations and expectations.
• Aside from legislation and federal aid, community colleges themselves can assist students: by conducting fundraising campaigns for scholarships, and by providing services such as transportation and child care.
• Reform is needed so that federal and state aid can cover tuition for English as a Second Language (ESL) courses and remediation. The use of Pell grants to finance ESL instruction should be broadened.
• Within community colleges themselves, high-intensity language programs can extend students' learning outside the classroom by using different curricula to meet the needs of various types of immigrant students (ie seeking immediate job marketability vs. planning for eventual transfer to academic courses.
• Community colleges should also take action to hire more ESL faculty and to improve their preparation for teaching English to immigrant students.
• Community colleges should provide counseling, orientation, and academic planning tailored to the needs of immigrant students.

• Read the Full Report

Teranishi, R.T., Suarez–Orozco, C., Suarez–Orozco, M. (2011) "Immigrants in Community Colleges." Immigrant Children 21 (1). The Future of Children. Retrieved from: http://www.futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=74&articleid=544.

Tags: American Indian ELL Students; Asian ELL Students; Curriculum; Instructional Programs; Latino ELL Students; Motivation; Other ELL Students (Middle Eastern, African, European, etc.);

Target Population: This article targets the general population, especially those Latino and minority groups in high school or first year in college.

Research Questions the Report Poses: This article raises the question of students' academic preparation to transition from high school to postsecondary education.

Findings:

• Poor academic performance during high school due to poor academic preparation for college can predetermine the failure of students during college.
• Current research shows that to make a different in academic preparation, school administrations and teachers have to create a rigorous academic program that needs to be continuous and based on rich coursework.
• Organizations like Achieve, ACT, and the Education Policy Improvement Center are providing feedbacks for students to better their transition from high school to college.

Policy Recommendations:

• Policymakers should begin to address the importance of academic preparation for students, especially in high school, entering college.
• The federal government should be responsible of distributing and communicating the general public the steps to take to gain greater academic preparation and skills in schools.
• Policymakers should propose and manage the strategies implemented to guarantee the success of the programs.

• Read the report

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
Center for American Progress 1333 H Street, NW, 10th Floor, Washington, DC 20005

Chait, Robin and Andrea Venezia. (2009). Improving Academic Preparation for College: What We Know and How State and Federal Policy Can Help. Washington, D.C.: Center for American Progress.

Tags: American Indian ELL Students; Asian ELL Students; Intervention; Latino ELL Students; Motivation; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA;

Target Population: High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: How do female high school Latina students overcome obstacles in order to graduate from high school?

Findings:

Latinas have high aspirations and goals but often are unable to reach them because of academic and social barriers such as:

• Poverty
• Immigration status
• Language barriers
• Lack of parental involvement
• Teenage pregnancy

Policy Recommendations:

• Invest in the future of Latinas. Congress should put more money into providing child care, early childhood education, health care, nutrition assistance, and tax benefits.
• Provide Latina girls with role models and set up programs that help them reach their goals. More money should be put into mentoring programs, school counseling, and college access programs.
• Make sure that all Latina girls are prepared for any post-secondary education opportunity.
• Ensure that schools are free of racial and gender discrimination. Schools should also make sure that they enforce and promote dual language programs for ELLs.
• Aid in gaining more Latino parental involvement. The government and schools should fund more programs to help parents become more active in schools.
• Fund more efforts to prevent teenage pregnancy, including implementing sex education programs.
• Support students who are pregnant or who are currently parenting.
• Schools should require better data collection and promote school accountability.

• Read the Full Report

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
MALDEF: http://maldef.org/contact/

National Women’'s Law Center & Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund. Listening to Latinas: barriers to high school graduation. (2009, August). Retrieved from: http://maldef.org/assets/pdf/ListeningtoLatinas.pdf

Tags: Language Proficiency; Latino ELL Students; Motivation; Reading; Transfer of Literacy Skills; Vocabulary; Writing;

Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• Who are immigrant students and students who do not speak English well?
• Where are they from, and what is their family background (social, economic, linguistic, etc.)?
• How well do they do in school?
• Do their literacy levels prepare them to take part in higher education and a skilled workforce?"

Findings:

• ELL populations are growing faster than general student populations
• The growth of ELL populations in different states varies widely
• Students in California are more likely to be "linguistically isolated" than students across the country or in the other three states studied
• 57% of ELLs across the country were born in the United States
• 70% of ELLs in grades 6-12 speak Spanish
• NAEP data examined for 8th grade ELLs shows that only 4% and 6% of ELLs scored proficient in reading and math, respectively
• ELLs performed radically different on state math and reading assessments from state to state
• There is a wide achievement gap between ELL and non-ELL students on the 8th grade NAEP as well as state standardized tests
• Former ELL students and non-ELL students scored roughly the same on NAEP and state assessments

Policy Recommendations:

• "Reexamine whether Census data accurately capture the [ELL] population"
• "Examine how varying state exclusion rates for ELL students affect NAEP results"
• "Explore the literacy trajectories of former [ELL] students"
• "Document how states vary in their testing and monitoring practices for ELL students who parents opt out of language instruction services"
• "Leverage the research opportunities that multi-state English proficiency tests offer for analyzing ELL outcomes"

• Read the Full Report

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
http://www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/index.php

Batalova, J., Fix, M., and Murray, J. (2007). Measures of Change: The Demography and Literacy of Adolescent English Learners. Migration Policy Institute, Carnegie Corporation of New York: New York, NY.

Target Population: Post-Secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• How and why have public research-extensive universities become less and less representative of the high school graduates in their states, particularly low-income and minority students?
• How have steps like making a financial aid pledge allowed some flagship universities to buck this trend?

Findings:

• Today, among dependent students, those from families earning less than $30,000 per year comprise 20 percent of college students but only 13 percent of students in public research-extensive universities.
• Though these institutions were created to provide excellence to students who couldn't afford to attend high-quality private institutions, their student populations have come to resemble the student population their private counterparts serve.
• While access to high-quality high school may be a factor some low-income and minority students, there are significant numbers of low-income and minority students who are well prepared to enter selective colleges but don't have the chance to attend.
• In many states, minority student enrollment is higher in private institutions.
• Underrepresentation of minority and low income students may be due, in part, to funding disparities; decreased coverage by Pell Grants; and tax credits and deductions that are aimed towards middle-class families.
• Merely 7% of minority students who begin in a two-year college earn a bachelor's degree, which may be linked to the lower per pupil funding/spending.
• Flagship universities increased the average institutional grant award per recipient by 18%, with even greater increases for lower income brackets. However, a large portion of aid still is granted to students with no financial need.
• Low-income students tend to undermatch their postsecondary options by opting for less selective institutions at a higher rate than high-income students.

Policy Recommendations:
N/A

• Read the Full Report

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
1250 H. Street, NW, Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20005 P 202/293-1217

Hayock, K., Lynch, M., & Engle, J. (2010). Opportunity adrift: Our flagship universities straying from their public mission. The Education Trust.

Tags: Latino ELL Students; Motivation; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA; Rights, Parents; Rights, Students;

Target Population: Post-Secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: Are Hispanic students well-informed about their financial aid options for higher education? How does knowledge about financial aid affect Hispanic students' choices to pursue higher education?

Findings:

• 98% of respondents in the survey said that they felt it was important to have a college education
• 38% of respondents did not feel the benefits of college outweigh the costs
• Not being able to work and incurring debt were the opportunity costs associated with going to college
• The opportunity costs associated with going to college were not being able to work and incurring debt
• More than 50% of the respondents incorrectly thought students have to be U.S. citizens to apply for college financial aid
• Few respondents could accurately estimate the cost of attending either the University of California or California State University
• Overall, respondents demonstrated a lack of familiarity with government grants for education

Policy Recommendations:

• Students need to be better informed about the "less tangible, but real, social status differences that exist between the college-educated and the non-college educated" so that they feel that the opportunity costs of attending college are worth paying
• Because of misperceptions about how much college actually costs, Latino students may continue to be underrepresented on college campuses. To this end, perceptions must be corrected by presenting students with information about the realistic costs of attending college.
• Latino students need to be better informed about Cal Grants and Pell Grants, as well as other grant and loan opportunities available through state and federal government.
• Students and their parents both need to be educated about the system of college finances, including scholarships, loans, grants, and government guaranteed loans.
• Student perceptions about the significance of legal residency status vs. U.S. citizenship status need to be corrected, especially given the citizenship status of many students' parents

• Read the Full Report

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
n/a

Zarate, E.Z., and Pachon, H.P. (2006). Perceptions of College Financial Aid Among California Latino Youth. Tomas Rivera Policy Institute: Los Angeles, CA.

Tags: Curriculum; Intervention; Latino ELL Students;

Target Population: High School, Post-Secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: not specified

Findings:

• 158,000 Hispanic students took the ACT in 2010, an increase of 84% since 2006. Hispanic students represent 10% of the ACT-tested graduates.
• 68% of ACT-tested Hispanic high school graduates took at least a minimum core high school curriculum to prepare them for college, compared to 74% of whites and 81% of Asian American/Pacific Islander ACT-tested high school graduates.
• Average ACT Composite scores for Hispanic graduates' remained the same while American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian American/Pacific Islander, and White graduates increased between 2006 and 2010.
• None of the College Readiness Benchmarks were met by at least 50% of Hispanic graduates. While 39% of Asian American graduates and 30% of White graduates met benchmarks in all four subjects, only 11% of Hispanic graduates attained such.
• 77% of Hispanic graduates aspired to attain either a graduate/professional or a bachelor's degree, compared to 85% of white graduates.

Policy Recommendations:

• States should adopt fewer-but essential-learning standards as their new high school graduation standards, and those they adopt must lead to college and career readiness.
• States should adopt a rigorous core curriculum for all high school students whether they are bound for college or work.
• States must define "how good is good enough" for college and career readiness.
• Having appropriate and aligned standards, coupled with a core curriculum, will adequately prepare high school students only if the courses are truly challenging.
• States should begin monitoring student academic performance early to make sure younger students are on target to be ready for college and career.
• States need to establish longitudinal P-16 data systems.

• Read the Full Report

ACT Inc. (2010). The condition of college & career readiness: 2010. ACT Inc. Retrieved from: http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/cccr10/pdf/ConditionofCollegeandCareerReadiness2010.pdf

Tags: Intervention; Motivation; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA; Rights, Students;

Target Population: Post-Secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: How can community colleges increase the number of students who apply for financial aid?

Findings:
It is not the lack of available information on filing for FAFSA to blame for the lower percentages of community college students applying for financial aid, but rather the failure of community colleges to disseminate information and reach out to students individually and proactively. Because community colleges face funding limitations themselves, they must use more creative methods to reach students. Community colleges must consider their respective circumstances and student populations; however the most consistently applicable strategies are initiating personal interactions and suggesting practical solutions.

Policy Recommendations:
Short-Term:

• Increase student access to financial aid information (ie bilingual services and materials; evening and weekend office hours; multimedia.)
• Involve the community (ie inform parents, coordinate with high schools, collaborate with community organizations that provide the same help.)
• Link financial aid application with college registration
• Conduct workshops/information sessions about financial aid geared to specific audiences

• Survey students on how they get their community information.
• Establish a common/statewide system for financial aid administration.
• Establish mentor and then transition programs in high schools.

• Read the Full Report

College Board Advocacy & Policy Center. (2010). The Financial Aid Challenge: Successful Practices that Address the Underutilization of Financial Aid in Community Colleges. New York, New York: College Board.

Tags: Intervention; Rights, Students;

Target Population: Post-secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: How do grant aid limit college assess and persistence among low-income and moderate income graduates?

Findings:

• Large-scale mismatches exist and are growing between the aspirations and qualifications of these high school graduates and where they are able financially to enroll in college.
• Triggered by increasing family financial concerns about college expenses and financial aid, these mismatches are shifting initial enrollment of qualified students away from 4-year colleges.
• Shifts in initial enrollment are consequential because where qualified high school graduates are able to start college (access) largely determines their likelihood of success (persistence).
• Exacerbating the negative impact of enrollment shifts, persistence rates today appear to be lower, especially for qualified high school graduates who are unable financially to start at a 4-year college.
• Maintaining financial access to 4-year public colleges for qualified high school graduates is of paramount policy importance.
• Between 1992 and 2004, initial enrollment rates of academically qualified low- and moderate-income high school graduates in 4-year colleges shifted downward: from 54 percent to 40 percent, and from 59 percent to 53 percent, respectively.
• The cause appears to have been an increase in the importance of college expenses and financial aid to parents and students between 1992 and 2004 (Table 4, page 17). Differences in family financial concerns accounted for 45 percentage points difference in 4-year college enrollment for in 2004.
• High school graduates from low-income families who started at a 4-year college earned a bachelor's degree over three times more often than their peers who started at a 2-year college, 62 percent vs. 20 percent. Their peers from moderate-income income families earned the degree nearly twice as often, 67 percent vs. 34 percent (table 7, page 26). Given current policies, shifts in enrollment from 4-year to 2-year colleges have implications for degree completion.
• Persistence of low-income high school graduates five years after starting at a 4-year college has fallen from 78 percent to 75 percent; for those from moderate-income families, persistence has remained at 81 percent (figure 25, page 27). For those starting at a 2-year college, persistence has fallen significantly .

Policy Recommendations:

• In addition, given steadily rising net prices and cumulative loan burdens, and the considerable impact of parent financial concerns in 10th grade on college enrollment behavior, a national experiment is required. Its purpose would be to determine the impact on family financial concerns of current features of the federal student loan programs - in particular, the income-contingency and forgiveness provisions. This study should determine how the programs might be improved to offset the negative effects of financial concerns on students taking the steps of testing, applying, and enrolling in a 4-year college (exhibit five, page 35).
• Improving academic preparation alone might raise the rates to only 27 percent and 39 percent, respectively (table 13, page 37).
• Improving access (enrollment) alone might raise the rates to only 33 percent and 42 percent, respectively (table 14, page 38).
• Improving persistence alone might raise the rates to only 34 percent and 45 percent, respectively (table 15, page 39).
• Conduct a National Loan Experiment.
• Implement a Comprehensive Federal Strategy.

• Read the Full Report

“The Rising Price of Inequality: How Inadequate Grant Aid Limits College Access and Persistence”. (2010). Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance. Retrieved August 3, 2010 from: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2010/2010015.pdf