A growing body of empirical evidence shows that some financial aid programs increase college enrollment. Puzzlingly, there is little compelling evidence that Pell Grants and Stafford Loans, the primary federal student aid programs, are effective in achieving this goal. In this paper, we provide an in-depth review of this evidence, which taken as a…

The United States Department of Education's "Annual Performance Report" (APR) for fiscal year (FY) 2009 provides detailed information on how the outcomes of the strategic performance measures identified in its "FY 2007-2012 Strategic Plan" and updated in the "Fiscal Year 2008 Performance and Accountability Report"…

Previous reports by the Center for Evaluation & Education Policy (CEEP) on higher education have dealt with topics such as trends in college remediation courses (Plucker, Wongsarpigoon, & Houser, 2003), post-secondary credit-based transition programs (Plucker, Chieu, & Zaman, 2006), university sponsorship of charter schools (Plucker et…

This edition of the PPIC (Public Policy Institute of California) Statewide Survey is the fourth in a series of surveys funded by The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation focusing on higher education. This survey seeks to inform state policymakers, encourage discussion, and raise public awareness about the state's public higher education…

"Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators" is the authoritative source for accurate and relevant information on the state of education around the world. It provides data on the structure, finances, and performance of education systems in more than 40 countries, including OECD members and G20 partners. Featuring more than 100 charts, 200…

This report examines levels of debt incurred by students and families for undergraduate education, and explores the implications significant debt levels may have on access to higher education. Included in the analysis are undergraduate debt levels at California public and private institutions and comparisons of California student debt with student…

This report highlights the affordability gaps faced by California's community colleges. Despite the lowest tuition in the country and tuition waivers for the lowest-income students, many California students struggle to afford the total cost of education, which includes housing, food, health care, and textbooks. And although California students are…

Women's studies programs, multicultural centers, and organizations to support gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students are campus fixtures. Few now question diversity's contribution to the education of all students. Jennifer Duffy suggests that it's time to acknowledge, support, and celebrate one more form of diversity that is mostly…

In 2005, Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings convened a panel of 19 leading educators, educational bureaucrats, and corporate leaders to examine the state of postsecondary education. Members sought solutions to problems in four areas of concern: access, affordability, quality, and accountability. The commission completed a final report, with…

State public policy has been an important tool for improving the educational preparation and opportunity for many communities. However, without concerted statewide efforts it will continue to be difficult to substantially expand opportunities to accelerate higher education attainment and workforce preparation. Over the next 15 years, the states…

Presented in this paper are the top 10 issues most likely to affect public higher education across the 50 states in 2009, in the view of the state policy analysis and research staff at American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). While numerous topics shape state higher education policy, each affecting the issues of…

This item summarizes the Commission's examination of performance measures over the past 18 months. Sustained focus for the period was on four areas of performance: (1) Preparation for college entry and success; (2) Affordability and accessibility; (3) Student success; and (4) Contributions to California's economic, civic, and social development.…

Research suggests that low-income high school students may opt out of preparing for college, because they believe a postsecondary education is more than they or their parents can afford. At the same time, federal agencies and some state agencies have indicated that every year available student aid goes unused. In response to these misconceptions…

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…

Historically, the primary role of financial aid was to increase educational opportunities for those with inadequate resources, yet more recently institutional aid is increasingly becoming based on criteria unrelated to financial need. Various political forces have reinforced the institutional tendency to redirect dollars from the mission of…