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ERIC Number: ED672439
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Apr
Pages: 52
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Get a Skill, Get a Job, Get Ahead? Evaluating the Effects of Virginia's Workforce-Targeted Free College Program. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1167
Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
Tuition-free college programs are gaining momentum as policymakers address rising college costs and workforce readiness. Despite their growing adoption, limited research examines how workforce-focused eligibility criteria impact student outcomes beyond enrollment. This pre-registered study employs two within-study quasi-experimental designs--regression discontinuity and difference-in-differences--to estimate the causal impact of Virginia's Get a Skill, Get a Job, Get Ahead (G3) initiative on financial aid and academic outcomes for community college students. Launched as a pandemic recovery effort, G3 aimed to reverse enrollment declines and address labor shortages by leveraging simplified 'free college' messaging and offering last-dollar scholarships and additional advising support for students in high-demand workforce programs. The initiative increased total financial aid and grant aid, with gains concentrated among middle-income students. While certificate completion rose by 2 to 6.6 percentage points, these effects were not robust across specifications. Similar to other tuition-free programs, G3 significantly increased FAFSA completion and enrollment in aid-eligible workforce programs. These findings offer valuable insights into how targeted tuition-free programs can expand financial aid access, promote educational attainment, and align higher education with workforce demands.
Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Authoring Institution: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
Identifiers - Location: Virginia
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: R305X220024
Department of Education Funded: Yes
Author Affiliations: N/A