Illinois is the Land of Lincoln. In this great state, Lincoln got his start as a lawyer and a politician. In his 1832 Address to the People of Sangamon County, Lincoln outlined his vision for a practical and general education in which "every man may receive at least a moderate education, and thereby be enabled to read the histories of his own…

As part of its Performance Accountability Framework, the Commission analyzed the affordability of public colleges and universities. This report summarizes how the real cost of a college education in California changed between 1996 and 2004 and examines the way students at California's public colleges and universities paid for their education. In…

This program evaluation by the staff of the Illinois Economic and Fiscal Commission seeks to examine the impact and effectiveness of the major student financial aid programs in Illinois. Particular emphasis was placed on public university undergraduate students. In collecting information, a survey was distributed to over 7,800 public university…

Trends over the 1967-1977 period are described, based on four surveys of randomly selected students who received nonrepayable financial aid from the state of Illinois. Data for public and private institutions are compared, and a comparison is offered of what parents could theoretically provide and what they actually did provide. (LBH)

This report examines recent national and Illinois trends in college tuition and fees, instructional costs and state support, indicators of economic conditions and families' ability to pay for colleges, and student financial aid. It also includes general affordability goals for Illinois higher education and recommendations on keeping college costs…