A report issued this week by a nonpartisan think tank suggests that states considering “free college” policies should avoid unfair cost-containment strategies, communicate with students and families and make bolder investments in higher education.
The Century Foundation also found that the handful of states that have enacted so-called “promise” programs since 2014 have imposed significant eligibility requirements.
Jen Mishory, a senior fellow at The Century Foundation, has completed extensive research on issues related to workforce and higher education. Mishory said she is concerned about whether promise programs, already implemented in 16 states, “are serving students who need support the most” and whether those students “are able to benefit from the state programs.”
She recommends states skip merit requirements such as GPA or ACT/SAT cutoffs and include nontraditional and undocumented students
“Programs open only to recent high school graduates or full-time students leave behind students who work, who have caregiving responsibilities and who are more likely to be low-income,” the report states. “Programs should cover the prorated cost of attendance or tuition, depending on the program, and ensure that any bonuses provided to students for enrolling in more credits makes converting to full-time enrollment more feasible for a significant portion of working students.”
The report states that undocumented students have no access to federal financial aid and limited access to in-state tuition or existing state financial aid programs.
“There is a lot of momentum in a variety of states,” Mishory said, referencing 36 states and three U.S. territories with gubernatorial elections in 2018. “I expect this idea will be talked about during gubernatorial campaigns.”
