Pursuing a college degree--and the open future for young adults it is believed to secure--anchors what it means to be middle class in the United States today. Acting on the conviction that the rising generation can and should do better than their parents is a middle-class inheritance, and getting young adults to and through college is at the heart…

In October 2019, New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) called together a group of economists and higher education leaders for a meeting at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston to discuss the future of higher education ("Preparing for Another Recession?"). No one suspected that just months later, a global pandemic would turn the…

In "Whatever It Is, I'm Against It," president emeritus of Macalester College Brian Rosenberg draws on decades of higher education experience to expose the entrenched structures, practices, and cultures that inhibit meaningful postsecondary reform, even as institutions face serious challenges to their financial and educational models. A…

After an active election season, State of the State addresses offer time for new and incumbent governors to outline policy priorities and celebrate state accomplishments. Since 2005, we've tracked, analyzed and identified education policy trends in governors' State of the State addresses to help you understand trending education issues across…

In the latest addition to the National College Attainment Network's (NCAN) state policy resource library, we present a new report about how to simplify state financial aid programs. While maximum award amounts tend to grab headlines, the fine print can make all the difference in whether students can access and retain state aid. Those most impacted…

The student debt crisis is particularly dire for Black borrowers. Black degree-seekers are more likely to take out student loans to pay for higher education than white students, and they carry the largest average student loan debt of all racial demographics in the nation. The COVID-19 pandemic has created even more barriers to both postsecondary…

This report provides descriptions of key elements of the Pell Grant program and information on recipient demographics, award levels, award value, program costs, and program funding prior to the effective date of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Simplification Act (FSA). For information on key changes authorized by the FSA that…

Through the higher education act (HEA) reauthorization, congress has several opportunities to improve and simplify student loan repayment for borrowers. To address the challenges students face when repaying their loans, congress should simplify the existing federal loan repayment plans, strengthen public service loan forgiveness, eliminate loan…

State financial aid is a critical piece of college affordability for students from low-income backgrounds. Nearly three quarters of all students attend college in their home state - which is typically a requirement for state-based financial aid - and first-generation and students from low-income backgrounds are even more likely than their peers to…

Small private colleges depend on tuition dollars to survive. To attract students, they lower the initial price tags, instead of offering discount rates, which, according to the National Association of College and University Business Officers, have cruised past 52 percent nationally. More than 40 colleges in the past 20 years have reduced tuition…

Due to the impact of COVID-19, current and incoming students will be facing unprecedented struggles when starting the new academic year -- and, likely, for years to come -- and many students will need significant additional support to pay for college. It is critical to protect and strengthen the Pell Grant program to reduce students' need to…

The financial challenges facing college students in the U.S. are daunting. The majority of these students are incurring substantial debt during their studies. For many this likely debt level is sufficient to cause them to forgo college, while for others it leads them to drop out before completing a degree. This financial strain places a premium on…

This brief is one in a series aimed at providing K-12 education decision makers and advocates with an evidence base to ground discussions about how to best serve students during and following the novel coronavirus pandemic. It addresses one central question: How can schools and districts help students make well-informed choices about college? In…

Each year, more than a million young people in the United States experience homelessness; some of these young people, known as unaccompanied homeless youth, will face the challenges of homelessness while living on their own without the support of a caring adult. Unaccompanied homeless youth face the same struggles as other young people: trying to…

U.S. legislators recently brought back thirty-four tax programs from legislative limbo, extending them for three years. This includes the tuition and fee deduction, used by taxpayers to save on college expenses. This regressive tax policy flows heavily towards higher-income levels, with almost a third of the deduction going to those with incomes…