The Federal Pell Grant program, authorized by Title IV-A-1 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, (HEA; P.L. 89-329), as amended, is the single largest source of federal grant aid supporting undergraduate students. The program provided approximately $26 billion in aid to approximately 6.1 million undergraduate students in FY2021. Pell Grants are…

This brief describes the components found in magnet schools that are both racially diverse and educationally effective. It also outlines four evidence-based policy recommendations that can inform federal, state, and local efforts to help design, implement, and sustain effective magnet schools that foster integrated learning and positive student…

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Congress created the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund to help support K-12 public schools in emergency situations. These funds were essential in helping schools to better adapt to students' needs. This report explains how public charter schools allocated the…

Few people in the U.S. have adequate finances for college tuition. Many scholarships, grants, federal loans, and work study funds are connected to students through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA also connects students to free tuition in the form of Promise programs offered in some U.S. states. Many students of varying…

Funding for community colleges varies significantly, even within the same state. Several factors account for these differences, including more generous funding for smaller institutions to compensate for their higher costs per student, unequal local funding from property tax revenues, and political forces. In theory, this variation could lead to…

For students that enroll in community colleges with the aspiration to transfer to a 4-year institution and earn a bachelor's degree, navigating the complexities of the transfer process can stymie their ability to achieve their educational goals. One solution implemented by community colleges and universities to support transfer students through…

Despite high prices, many college students do not re-file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or file late, making college less affordable. Low-cost technological interventions delivering personalized information and/or advising may improve refiling and academic outcomes, but questions remain regarding the efficacy of this…

With fewer individuals entering the education profession, particularly via traditional routes, and increased attrition, the educator workforce has declined. In response, states, districts, and educator preparation programs (EPPs) are leveraging alternative pathways to establish a pipeline of teachers to fill the nation's classrooms. One such…

Research shows the economic benefits of postsecondary degree attainment, including higher earnings and lifetime wages. However, the full cost of college attendance is too high for most students even after receiving tuition assistance, such as grants and scholarships, making access to college inequitable, especially for low-income students and…

This report contains the testimony of Preston Cooper, a senior fellow focusing on the economics of higher education at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), to the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies concerning the federal role in postsecondary education, and the…

The gainful employment (GE) rule aims to hold career-focused training programs accountable for student outcomes. The rule includes an earnings threshold that requires programs to result in graduates' earnings being at least as high as earnings of a typical high school graduate in their state. The GE rule's focus on postcompletion earnings does not…

Background: School health services improve health and academic outcomes; however, sustainable funding for these services is an ongoing struggle. In December 2014, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services clarified how Medicaid will reimburse school health services. School districts, once restricted to reimbursement for services delivered…

Purpose: The paper compares two government-sponsored education programs for agricultural entrepreneurs: a Leadership program and a Lean program. Methodology: The paper takes both a qualitative and a quantitative approach in its collection and analysis of data from 54 semi-structured interviews and from a survey with 109 participants. Findings: The…

This article provides remarks delivered by Gen. Mark Brown, Chief Operating Officer for Federal Student Aid on September 19, 2019 at the 2019 National College Access Network (NCAN) Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. Gen. Brown granted JCA permission to reprint his remarks.

Should religious schools be an option? Should they receive public funding? Are they bad for community cohesion? What should we make of the charge that they indoctrinate? How should they be regulated? People disagree on the answers to these questions. Some maintain that religious schools should not be permitted. If parents want to raise their…