Free college can be just that for students most in financial need, if a program is designed around equity.
The problem is, many “promise” and other so-called free college state programs are inherently inequitable and are not constructed to benefit low-income students, according to a study by The Education Trust (Ed. Trust).
And because the programs are not deliberately race-conscious, Black and Latino college students – who are more likely to be lower-income – tend to be underrepresented in programs that are open to students of all income levels, according to the study.
Titled “A Promise Fulfilled: A Framework for Equitable Free College Programs,” the report presents an analysis of 15 existing statewide programs and 16 programs proposed through 2017 using an equity framework. Ed. Trust designed the rubric with an eye toward how to strengthen free-college programs in ways that help students who struggle the most to pay for school.
Researchers found that none of the 31 programs met all eight criteria:
The most extensive existing and proposed programs were in Indiana, Massachusetts and Washington, each meeting seven of the eight criteria. Legislation proposed last year in Indiana did not cover fees for all recipients, and legislation proposed in Massachusetts did not cover tuition at four-year colleges. College Bound in the state of Washington does not cover adult and returning students.
Among the eight programs for which researchers were able to disaggregate the data by race and income, several key findings emerged:
