This Data Point uses data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). HSLS:09 is a national study of more than 23,000 students in ninth grade in 2009. Students answered surveys between 2009 and 2016. College transcripts were collected in 2017-18. This Data Point looks at the connection between views of college affordability in high…

In this brief, the authors explore how state-level decisions in New Hampshire and Vermont manifest in the early childhood education and care sector, through the lens of the interstate Upper Valley region. They demonstrate the significant differences in the reach and adequacy of child care financial assistance programs ("child care…

Differences in socioeconomic status have long been one of the major contributing factors to household educational investment, which is also a key concern in related research. Utilizing Panel Study of Family Dynamics (PSFD) datasets from 2003 to 2004, in this study we examine family investment in children's education in southeast China and Taiwan,…

This essay, shortlisted for the AHUA Dr Jonathan Nicholls Memorial Essay Prize, addresses recent policy attention on student maintenance funding in the United Kingdom. It proposes the establishment of a graduate-funded endowment in lieu of other measures such as increased parental contributions or the imposition of a graduate tax. After discussing…

Researchers interviewed higher education professionals, asking: How do professionals working in higher education equity and access sectors, both public and private, assign responsibility for improving access, and what solutions do they propose? Informed by Kingdon's multiple streams framework and Guajardo et al.'s theory of change in action,…

Affordability looms large as the hurdle most likely to turn away those who could benefit most from pursuing and obtaining a postsecondary degree or credential. Individuals and society at large benefit when educational attainment rises. In the 2018 report, "Shutting Low-Income Students out of Public Four-Year Higher Education" (ED604096),…

Quality pre-primary education is widely recognized as crucial in providing children with the foundation to succeed, but many countries face obstacles in adequately funding scale-up of the pre-primary subsector. A major impediment to the expansion of early childhood education (ECE) is limited data on the cost-effectiveness of existing pre-primary…

The ostensibly free university education in Greece actually has several private costs. A comparative research design was used to compare Greek families' private expenditures for university education in 2014-2015 to families' costs for the same education in the year 2000 to determine whether there have been any changes during ensuring years. Data…

Latinos are one of the fastest growing racial/ethnic groups in postsecondary education. This factsheet provides a summary of how Latinos pay for college to better inform financial aid policy to ensure Latino college access, retention, and success. This summary includes Latino students' participation in federal student aid overall, Pell Grants,…

Within California, there is widespread understanding and consensus that college affordability is a challenge that needs to be addressed. Along with this consensus on the nature and implications of California's college affordability problems, there is also emerging agreement about how to tackle it. While this convergence can form the backbone of a…

Federal free-college policies are now at the center of the Democratic higher education agenda. Sen. Bernie Sanders helped move the idea into the mainstream during the 2016 presidential campaign, and other lawmakers have since worked to advance the policy in Congress. Joe Biden effectively put free college on the ballot in 2020 when he fully…

Student loans have become a social-financial issue in the United States. This study uses a nationally representative dataset to examine the association between financial socialization and student loan borrowing behavior of individuals after controlling a number of different socio-demographic factors. Results show that the financial burdens of…

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is an important tool to help students find financial assistance. Not only do students fill out the FAFSA to apply for federal aid for post-secondary education, but also to be considered for aid by states, institutions, and private funders. Thus, filling out the FAFSA, specifically, and applying…

Parents from all backgrounds and walks of life want to do the best for their children. Unfortunately, for many reasons, this is easier for some more than others. Those with more money, education and confidence are more able to give their children the best possible chance of succeeding in the educational system and beyond. This is a key challenge…

There is a growing national conversation about the role of Children's Savings Accounts (CSAs) in building assets and creating opportunities for the next generation of students, and New England is right in the middle of it. In many respects, New England is leading the way. CSAs are long-term asset-building accounts established for children, as…