What if, instead of viewing legislators as distant or indirect audiences for public writing, we shifted to engage them as community partners, collaborating in a mutually beneficial relationship to develop fresh policy ideas from voices that are often missing in lawmaking? This article tells the story of a partnership between a college composition…

America's regional comprehensive public institutions of higher education serve a unique role as the portal through which so many of the students and much of the nation's future workforce gain the skills needed to face the economic challenges of the 21st century. In support of the critical role that its members play in the development of their…

This document records testimony from a hearing held to examine on improving outcomes for jobseekers, employers, and taxpayers by strengthening the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Member statements were presented by: (1) Honorable Burgess Owens, Chairman, Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development; and Honorable…

This case study examined how research has been used in the federal higher education rulemaking process, through which the U.S. Department of Education implements programs under the Higher Education Act. Findings indicate that in this high-conflict policymaking process, politics infuses various forms of research use to create several overlapping…

This paper studies the impact of state reproductive rights laws on women's human capital decisions after the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated the constitutional right to abortion in "Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization" (2022). Using data from the Common App, the undergraduate college admission application, I implement a…

We used Critical Discourse Analysis to examine the racial discourse within recent attempts to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. Specifically, we interrogated congressional markup hearings to understand how members frame student debt and the racialized dynamics embedded within. Our findings highlight three types of discourse: "All…

America's regional comprehensive public institutions of higher education (American Association of State Colleges and Universities institutions, AASCU) serve a unique role as the portal through which so many of the students and much of the nation's future workforce gain the skills needed to face the economic challenges of the 21st century. In…

In order to understand our present and future work in planting the seeds of solidarity, we excavate the past, through an exploration of transnational solidarity and the vestiges of U.S. legislative policy and philanthropy. Through life notes and sharing circles, we examine policies (Morrill Act of 1862, Refugee Act of 1980, and the Gates…

This document records testimony from a hearing before the Committee on Education and Labor that was held to examine the policies and priorities of the Office of Federal Student Aid. Member statements were provided by: (1) Honorable Frederica S., Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment; and (2) Honorable Gregory F.…

Although current and former English Learner (EL) or "ever-EL" students comprise one of the fastest-growing K-12 populations, we still know relatively little about the factors that influence their college-going. Using Perna's seminal college-going model as a launching point, we propose a policy-driven empirical approach to explore how…

Pending legislation, regulatory changes, and judicial decisions will require colleges and universities to adapt, perhaps in significant ways. Designed to help governing boards, institutional leaders, and senior staff understand the current policy landscape, this publication summarizes and contextualizes the most pressing federal and state public…

We performed a scoping review of literature on schools' transfer of rights practices under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) with respect to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The review found only limited empirical evidence of how IDEA transfer of rights policies are implemented in schools and affect…

Sexual misconduct remains at crisis levels on American college campuses and is vastly underreported. Most research focuses on individual level risks of assault and perpetration, yet campuses vary significantly in sexual offenses and reporting rates. The current study responds to calls to consider institutional factors that shape campus climates…

The concept of political justice is deeply tied to our professional Code of Ethics. Social workers are well suited to challenge political inequalities that keep clients and communities from political participation. Laws affecting access to voter registration, casting a ballot, and having that ballot counted vary widely across the United States,…

Approximately 3.6 million young Americans ages 18-24 are raising children, and another 900,000 in the same age range are non-custodial parents. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, many young parents faced significant challenges in balancing their jobs and child-rearing responsibilities with efforts to build additional skills and advance in their…