Reading time: Five minutes

As states play an ever-larger role in higher education policy, college access organizations can meaningfully contribute to state-level changes that make it easier for students to access and pay for college. The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) is working to provide resources to support member state-level advocacy and policy work, as well as shine a light on success stories from members.

One recent example comes from Georgia, where a major policy milestone offers a roadmap for organizations pursuing similar change.

Georgia as a Case Study: Achieve Atlanta’s Role

Achieve Atlanta helps students access, pay for, and complete college. The organization is well known for its need-based scholarship, created in part because Georgia is one of only two states without a statewide need-based aid program. Beyond scholarships, Achieve Atlanta collaborates with community-based organizations, school districts, and colleges to provide students with college advising and wrap-around supports.

Achieve Atlanta students are progressing and graduating at rates on par with or above peers without financial barriers. Their success demonstrates what targeted aid and support can deliver—not just in Atlanta, but across Georgia. Tens of thousands of people statewide face similar financial barriers that could be addressed through need-based aid.

Most states already provide need-based financial aid:  74% of state aid nationally is need-based. In Georgia, that figure is just 1%. Instead, Georgia directs most of its resources to merit-based programs like the HOPE Scholarship, which covers full tuition at public institutions and partial tuition at private colleges. This imbalance has long made it difficult to advance conversations about affordability for students with financial need.

Last month, in his final State of the State address, Governor Brian Kemp (R) proposed a $325 million investment in need-based scholarships, acknowledging that while Georgia leads the nation in merit aid, need-based support must also be a part of a college affordability solution. 

Policy Change Takes Time

When asked how they went bankrupt, the central character in Hemingway’s, The Sun Also Rises replies, “two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.” That is often how it feels to  change public policy. Weeks, months, and often years, of steady effort can pass, with little concrete progress to show for the work. Then, suddenly everything comes together. Governor Kemp’s announcement may appear sudden on the surface, but it reflects years of careful work.

Sometimes, especially for new or smaller organizations, it is hard to know where to start or know if it is worth engaging in policy work if time and resources are limited. In its early years, Achieve Atlanta faced similar constraints, yet took steps that built credibility such as sharing its model and results with policymakers, writing op-eds in local papers, speaking at legislative hearings, and saying yes to external requests whenever possible.  These early efforts contributed to the passage of a bill in 2018 creating the option of a need-based aid program. The next challenge became funding the program.

A window of opportunity emerged last fall when the Georgia Senate held hearings on college affordability. Achieve Atlanta joined advocates, including fellow NCAN members College Aim and OneGoal, researchers, and students in presenting data and testimony to the Senate Study Committee on Higher Education Affordability. After five months of hearings, the Committee issued a unanimous, bipartisan recommendation to create a state-funded need-based aid program, providing a strong foundation for Governor Kemp’s proposal.

The opportunity to make real change happen was not just good timing, it was made possible by working with dedicated partner organizations, building relationships with policy makers, and combining the stories of Georgia students struggling to pay for college with hard data to lay the groundwork needed for eventual success.

Lessons for College Access Organizations

Every state context has its unique challenges, funding structures, and legislative processes. Even so, there are approaches that work and can be translated to other states whether the goal is a new aid program, lower tuition, or improved college counseling.

1. Change requires allies. Finding good partner organizations to work in coalition is vital. You cannot build those kinds of partnerships overnight; they take time, effort, and a willingness to work to build trust and rapport.
2. Progress is rarely perfect and often incremental. It is important to celebrate progress, even when there is more work needed to get the policy solutions right. Saying yes and being willing to compromise also builds organizational reputation. Policymakers are more likely to champion an issue if they know you will work with them, even if you don’t agree about everything.
3. Find champions! Finding the right policymakers, ones who will listen, and then put in the work to help make change happen is crucial.  Finding the approach that resonates with the champions you need is a key part of getting support.
4. Bring real people and stories with you. Data is essential, but stories give meaning. The stories of real people who will be helped by whatever change you are advocating for need to be married to the data for arguments to resonate.
5. Be patient and tenacious. Change takes time; sometimes you have to say the same thing repeatedly until the ideas stick. Maintaining consistency is one of the things most likely to pay dividends in the end.  

For NCAN members working on state policy change, NCAN’s State Policy Resource Center offers tools, examples, and guidance. We know that many NCAN members are already in the middle of their state policy cycle, and hope that sharing this success story and pulling the curtain back on the work that went into making it happen is helpful and encouraging.

Read More:

• The Outreach Playbook for Direct Admissions: Lessons from Three States
• Indiana Steps Up Student Aid
• Student Aid Transparency Policies Gain Momentum in Ohio, Minnesota, and Congress

As states continue to explore direct admissions as a strategy to expand postsecondary access and reduce friction in the college application process, effective outreach has emerged as a critical determinant of program success. To better understand how direct admissions programs are communicated to students, families, and educators, the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) conducted interviews with state agency and nonprofit leaders in Alabama, Idaho, and North Carolina, all of which have successful direct admissions programs.

These conversations focused on outreach strategies, partnerships, student support, and lessons learned. We have synthesized our findings below; they highlight both shared themes and state-specific approaches to implementing and scaling direct admissions initiatives. NCAN hopes that our members, thought leaders, and policymakers will bear this information in mind when improving or implementing a direct admissions program in their states.

A special thanks to NCAN’s Alessandra Cipriani-Detres, Senior Associate, Strategic Initiatives, for her logistical and project organization support for this piece and to our partners from each state for taking the time to discuss their best practices with us:

Idaho:

• Sara Scudder – College and Career Access Officer, Idaho State Board of Education
• Maria Paluzzi – Pre-Admissions Program Manager, Idaho State Board of Education

Alabama:

• Chandra Scott – Executive Director, Alabama Possible
• Manisha Mishra – Deputy Director, Alabama Possible

North Carolina:

• Paula Langstone Ware, Regional Outreach Director, College for North Carolina
• Toni Blount, Regional Impact Manager, myFutureNC
• Patti Harris, Senior Director for Student Access Initiatives, University of North Carolina System

What are state agencies doing to market the program?

Idaho:
Idaho’s outreach is anchored in mailed communications, particularly direct admissions letters sent to students in mid-to-late September, followed by reminder postcards later in the fall. These postcards inform students about their direct admissions status and encourage them to complete their Idaho common application, Apply Idaho. The state works with third-party vendors to develop letter communications that resemble traditional institutional admissions materials rather than government correspondence. Idaho also provides extensive educator-facing resources, including email templates, slide decks with an associated lesson plan, and posters hosted on its state web site, to ensure consistent messaging across schools. Training for educators occurs in August and September to prepare them to serve as primary messengers for the program.

Alabama:
In Alabama, outreach is led by Alabama Possible, a statewide education nonprofit organization, in coordination with state agencies. The program is promoted through newsletters, counselor outreach, and letters distributed through the state’s FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, portal. A high-profile launch that included the governor generated significant attention and momentum. Outreach to school counselors played a central role, with counselors receiving materials and guidance to support student participation during the school day. All outreach materials and support are provided in collaboration with MATCH, powered by EAB, an education company.

North Carolina:
North Carolina’s approach is a coordinated, multi-agency effort led by the University of North Carolina System in partnership with the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS), North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (NCICU), the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NC DPI), and the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA). Initial outreach relied on mailed letters signed by leaders across the education sector to establish legitimacy. The state leveraged existing branding and infrastructure through the College for North Carolina platform, which serves as the central hub for direct admissions.

What marketing strategies are working best (emails, radio/internet ads, state web site notices)?

Idaho:
Mailed letters have proven to be the most effective strategy in Idaho, particularly when paired with QR codes directing students to the Next Steps Idaho web site. Organic social media is used to supplement outreach, though it is not boosted through paid advertising. The state found that shifting away from letters signed by elected officials toward more student-friendly, institution-style communications increased engagement.

Alabama:
In-school visibility has been especially effective in Alabama. When students received direct admissions offers during the school day, peer excitement drove additional participation. Consistent materials developed with the MATCH team ensured clarity and reduced the burden on counselors, who often lack time to create outreach materials independently.

North Carolina:
North Carolina combines mailed communications with webinars, regional trainings, social media campaigns, and statewide awareness initiatives such as “Countdown to College Month.” An awareness video developed for students and families is used across multiple settings, including financial aid summits and counselor trainings, and is shared on social media.

Are schools helping to advertise the program?

Idaho:
Yes. Educators are considered the primary spokespeople for the program and are provided with ready-to-use materials to share with students in the form of flyers and mailers; templates and a lesson plan are available for educators. The state emphasized the importance of ensuring that educators clearly understand the program to communicate it effectively.

Alabama:
Schools play a central role, particularly through counselors who support students in completing profiles through MATCH, a direct admissions platform, and understanding next steps. Counselors are equipped with dashboards and tools that allow them to monitor student progress and proactively encourage participation.

North Carolina:
School counselors and college access professionals are deeply integrated into outreach efforts. Regional trainings, assemblies, parent nights, and one-on-one advising sessions help reinforce messaging and ensure students receive consistent information about direct admissions opportunities.

What other partnerships have contributed to successfully getting the word out about direct admissions?

Idaho:
Idaho works primarily through school counselors and educators, with additional support from federal programs such as TRIO and GEAR UP. The state has limited philanthropic infrastructure, making school-based partnerships especially important.

Alabama:
Alabama Possible partners with a mix of higher education institutions, community-based organizations, and school districts. The initiative engages both four-year institutions and the community college system, while also collaborating with local organizations such as Birmingham Promise and district-level counseling leaders. This is all possible due to Alabama Possible’s strong partnership with MATCH.

North Carolina:
North Carolina’s program is notable for its breadth, involving public universities, community colleges, independent institutions, state agencies, K–12 systems, and college access organizations. This cross-sector collaboration allows data sharing and coordinated outreach at scale.

Is there a hotline or chat service in place for students to answer their questions and/or provide support?

Idaho:
Students have access to a dedicated email inbox monitored by state staff, while counselors and educators can directly contact program leaders by phone for support.

Alabama:
A centralized helpdesk allows students to call or email with questions, and follow-up emails provide clear guidance on the next steps after completing the application process. The MATCH team also provides support in answering questions that may arise.

North Carolina:
North Carolina leverages existing support infrastructure through the College for North Carolina platform, which includes both a hotline and web chat feature for student assistance.

What other outreach activities have been done or will be implemented in the future?

Idaho:
Earlier outreach included gubernatorial proclamations and in-person events, but recent efforts focus more on administrator webinars and targeted resources for specific student populations, including students in correctional facilities, students with disabilities, English learners, and early graduates.

Alabama:
Future outreach in collaboration with the MATCH team will focus on re-engaging institutions that did not initially participate and build upon momentum created by visible student excitement in schools. The program is also preparing for increased participation among younger cohorts who have observed the process firsthand.

North Carolina:
The state continues to expand counselor training and technical coordination with institutions to ensure application data flows smoothly into campus systems. Parent information sessions and institutional outreach at college fairs further extend program visibility.

Any other to-dos or not-to-dos that you can think of in terms of outreach for a direct admissions program?

Idaho:
Interviewees emphasized the importance of using student-friendly language and avoiding policy-heavy terminology that does not resonate with students. They also highlighted the need to include student voices and practitioner feedback when designing outreach materials. Idaho adapted these materials to use the terms “pre-admissions” and pre-admitted” to ensure students understand that there is an application step that must be done to complete their direct admissions offer.

Alabama:
A key lesson was not to rely solely on system-level communication with higher education institutions. Direct, one-on-one engagement with individual campuses was essential to maintaining momentum and preventing breakdowns in implementation. Trust and perceived neutrality were also identified as critical to institutional buy-in. It is also important to partner with an organization that has the capability and capacity to support the implementation of a direct admissions program.

North Carolina:
North Carolina cautioned against attempting to implement direct admissions in isolation. Coordinating admissions and financial aid messaging, investing in technical infrastructure, and maintaining cross-sector collaboration were all identified as essential to sustaining growth and avoiding student confusion.

Across Alabama, Idaho, and North Carolina, effective direct admissions outreach depends on clarity, coordination, and trust. While each state’s approach reflects its unique governance structures and partnerships, common themes emerge: mailed communications remain powerful, educators are indispensable messengers, and centralized support systems help reduce confusion for students and families. Perhaps most importantly, these states underscore that direct admission is not solely a policy change, but a communication endeavor that requires intentional design, ongoing collaboration, and responsiveness to student experience.

Read More:

• Indiana Steps Up Student Aid
• Student Aid Transparency Policies Gain Momentum in Ohio, Minnesota, and Congress
• Exploring Dual-Enrollment Models: Examples from California, Minnesota, and Texas

Students and adults choosing a college or career pathway often need support, and various states have been providing different types of programs and funding to help those pursuing a postsecondary education and/or training. Indiana has built the mechanisms to help their residents meet their goals, with a clear focus on developing a strong workforce to support the needs of the state.

The 21st Century Scholars program, established in 1990 in Indiana, has maintained bipartisan support over the past three and a half decades and is considered one of the earliest “promise” programs in the country. The program covers up to 100% tuition for Indiana residents who enroll at public institutions or partial grants for those attending private institutions. Originally, students completed an application while in middle school, but legislation in 2023 now automatically enrolls all eligible students (those who meet the criteria for the free/reduced lunch program) by the end of their 8th grade year. This automated process jumped enrollment from around 20,000 to 50,000 students per cohort. Students have milestones to complete while in high school, including completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

The state funding for this program is projected to last until 2031 and at that point they will likely need an increase in dollars to support the additional students being enrolled. Approximately 78% of these scholars attend college, a rate that is nearly 50 percentage points higher than their low-income peers who do not enroll. That rate is also 26 percentage points higher than the average state enrollment. Data also shows these students complete college at a higher rate than their peers.

In 2017, Indiana created Workforce Ready Grants as a pillar of the Next Level Jobs initiative. These last dollar grants cover the tuition and mandatory fees for eligible high-value certificate programs at approved providers. The grant is available for two years and covers up to the number of credits required by the qualifying program. The grant does not cover courses that do not directly apply to the student's certificate program, as well as program-specific fees and equipment. Over 47,000 students have been assisted through this program, and the state allocated $11.5 million for the current biennium. In 2025, the state legislature made a change that allows a student to receive a second grant if they have not completed an associate’s degree or higher. This change demonstrates the state’s focus on developing a strong, highly skilled workforce.

Indiana has had a long history of supporting career and technical education. The state allocation for this biennium has risen to approximately $450 million with an additional $64 million being available through the Perkins program. This effort helps to connect industry, workforce development, and education. Career and technical education (CTE) staff assist with the development and implementation of rigorous and relevant CTE programs of study that prepare students for a wide range of high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand careers.

CTE programs will be an integral part of the Indiana high school redesign program and the new Indiana Diploma with Readiness Seals. There are 70 available programs of study, and almost all programs offer embedded dual credit with Ivy Tech Community College or Vincennes University. Most programs offer the opportunity to earn a credential of value, including postsecondary certificates or industry certifications. (Note: Indiana appropriated an additional $2 million per year to reimburse schools for industry certification exam costs.)

The Indiana Commission for Higher Education oversees all the above-mentioned programs and receives strong state funding support from the legislature. This state can serve as a model for others wanting to provide strong and effective programs for their residents. The people of Indiana are fortunate to have these high-quality programs supporting their college and career pathways.

Read More:

• Student Aid Transparency Policies Gain Momentum in Ohio, Minnesota, and Congress
• Exploring Dual-Enrollment Models: Examples from California, Minnesota, and Texas
• New Data, Deck Explore Dual Enrollment Approaches, Outcomes
  

Reading time: Five minutes

College cost transparency policies have gained traction in recent years at the state and federal level, in an effort to help students and families better understand and plan for the true cost of postsecondary education. Though proposals vary – from standardizing student aid award letters, to creating a universal net price calculator, or publicly displaying the cost of required textbooks and other course materials – the momentum toward providing clearer, more accessible information shows no signs of slowing. 

Minnesota: Standardized Student Aid Offers

In June, state policymakers passed the College Financing Literacy Act, in an effort to bring greater clarity and consistency to the way students receive financial aid information. The bill, which was included as part of the state's Higher Education Omnibus, directs the state’s commissioner of education to develop a standardized financial aid offer form, designed in consultation with key constituencies including students, financial aid administrators, school counselors, and student loan advocates in the Department of Commerce and others. 

The College Financing Literacy Act requires all higher education institutions that receive state grant aid to implement a uniform financial aid offer format, which must clearly outline costs, grants and scholarships, different types of loans and repayment options, Federal Work Study opportunities, and a student’s net price, as well as information on how to accept or decline the available sources of aid. The changes will take effect for the 2028-2029 academic year. The legislation emphasizes the importance of a consumer-friendly design and standardized     terminology, though it allows colleges to include their own branding or include additional information. Minnesota State Senator Clare Oumou Verbeten, who introduced the bill, said at a hearing in March that the legislation was designed as in “important consumer protection measure” for students and families. 

Ohio: Financial Aid and Costs Disclosure

The State of Ohio is also looking to increase transparency related to the cost of college for its students. House Bill 27, passed in 2024, requires public institutions of higher education to provide a detailed financial costs and aid disclosure form to qualifying (defined as newly admitted, fulltime and seeking a degree) students. The new process will take effect for the 2026-27 academic year. Students will receive the new form alongside their initial financial aid awards letters.

To help state colleges and universities meet the requirements set in HB 27, the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) has designed a template form. Colleges and universities can elect to design their own form instead, so long as it contains the information required in the new law. The law states that public universities must include: 

• Attendance costs: Tuition, fees, room and board, and other institutional charges
• Aggregate cost of attendance: The sum of all costs listed above
• Financial aid: All grants, scholarships, work-study, and federal loans the student qualifies for, plus the requirements for eligibility for all aid sources.
• Net cost: Expected cost after applying all aid for which the student is eligible
• Loan repayment: The student’s estimated monthly payment after graduation
• Graduate earnings: Income range (25th–75th percentile) for recent graduates, the five-year cohort, and graduates in the same major or school, if the student has declared.

The requirements for the community college form are the same as those listed for state universities, though the bill text specifies that income and earnings information must be linked in a “readily available page on the college’s website.” 

The requirements in the law are comprehensive and certainly provide transparency. In order to support institutions in accessing the required income and earnings metrics, ODHE has created a public dashboard pulling from the Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes dataset for Ohio graduates. 

Federal Cost Transparency Initiatives

College cost transparency has been an increasingly important topic for policymakers in Congress on both sides of the aisle. In November, Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, announced a request for information on increasing college cost and value transparency, to which NCAN responded. The RFI was followed by a November hearing in the Senate, entitled “Reforming Financial Transparency in Higher Education.” Earlier this year, Senator Cassidy, reintroduced the bipartisan College Transparency Act, alongside Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), which the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) endorsed. 

The House of Representatives Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee also held a hearing earlier this fall focused reforming college pricing and improving transparency. In early December, members of the House introduced new legislation focused on improving financial aid letters and the data available to students as they consider their postsecondary options: the Student Financial Clarity Act (H.R. 6498) and the College Financial Aid Clarity Act (H.R. 6502), both marked up by the House Education and Workforce Committee last week, were reported favorably on votes of 27-6, and 23-10, respectively. The Student Financial Clarity Act would expand the data included in the College Scorecard and establish a Universal Net Price Calculator. The College Financial Aid Clarity Act would require institutions to consumer test their financial aid award letters, and to include certain cost and aid information, as well as standardized terminology, on all awards. While both bills advanced with bipartisan support, Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), reminded the Committee and viewers that a focus on increasing affordability was still necessary, and that “bills that explain the cost [of college] do not reduce the cost.”

Together, these initiatives signal growing recognition that students and families deserve straightforward, reliable information about what they will need to pay to pursue their chosen postsecondary pathways. As more states and federal leaders take up this charge, NCAN will continue to advocate for policies that make college costs clearer and more accessible. 

Questions? Reach out to Louisa Woodhouse, Senior Associate, Policy and Advocacy, at woodhouse@ncan.org. 

• College Costs Continue to Decline, According to Latest Price Report
• NCAN Affordability Gap Analysis
• Exploring Dual Enrollment Models in California, Minnesota, and Texas

Reading time: Eight minutes

In recent years, dual enrollment, or “concurrent enrollment”, programs have rapidly scaled across the nation: during the 2023-24 academic year, an estimated 2.8 million high school students took at least one college course while still in high school, representing an increase of about 12% from the year prior. A growing body of research indicates that dual enrollment increases the likelihood that students enroll in college directly after high school, and newer findings suggest that dual enrollment participation may also improve rates of postsecondary attainment.

Nearly every state has seen growth in dual enrollment offerings and participation, though no two models look alike. California’s College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP), Minnesota’s Concurrent Enrollment Program, and Texas’s Financial Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST) illustrate three effective yet distinct models for improving student outcomes and expanding opportunity. Read on to learn more about how these programs have served as an on-ramp for students in each state, providing the chance to obtain college credit free of charge.

California: College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP)

California’s College and Career Access Pathways program, enacted in 2016 through AB 288 and expanded by AB 30 in 2019, was designed to broaden access to college-level coursework specifically for students “who may not already be college bound or are underrepresented in higher education.” The program is offered at no cost to students and families. Community college districts enter into CCAP agreements with school districts, charter schools, or county offices of education, and classes are taught on high school campuses, during the school day, to only high school students. The state provides funding to school districts through a competitive grant process. Advocates in California, including the community college system and a statewide Dual Enrollment Coalition, are advocating for a $24 million increase in funding to support CCAP expansion - shifting offerings away from a patchwork model, and towards universal access for all students.

A central feature of CCAP is the program’s focus on stackable, pathway-aligned courses. Rather than allowing students to enroll in stand-alone dual-enrollment classes, CCAP sequences courses so students can make progress toward a certificate, associate degree, or successful transfer to a California State University (CSU) or University of California (UC) institution. A student might begin with an introductory Career and Technical Education (CTE) course, advance to a college-level class that fulfills an associate degree requirement, and ultimately apply those credits toward a four-year pathway at an institution within the CSU or UC system. This emphasis on seamless pathways ensures that early college credit translates into a tangible gain for students.

CCAP is California’s fastest-growing dual enrollment program. Nearly 165,000 students - about one-third of the class of 2025 - took dual-enrollment courses statewide, with CCAP accounting for roughly 45% of all dual-enrollment participation. Student outcomes data found that 82% of CCAP students enroll in college after high school compared to 66% of graduates statewide. Within three years of enrollment, 21% of CCAP students earn a certificate or associate degree versus 14% of those who did not participate in dual enrollment.

Minnesota: Concurrent Enrollment

Minnesota’s Concurrent Enrollment program, launched in its initial form in 1985 , is one of the nation’s longest-standing dual enrollment models. The primary objective of the Concurrent Enrollment model, also known as College in the Schools (CIS), is to provide rigorous, college-level coursework to juniors and seniors at public high schools, free of charge. Of the 50,000 Minnesota students participating in a dual enrollment program, more than 60% are enrolled in a CIS program. Colleges and universities partner directly with school districts, and courses are taught on high school campuses during the regular school day by qualified high school instructors. While other dual enrollment models in the state are taught on campus at colleges and universities, the in-school design of the Concurrent Enrollment program is an intentional effort to reduce transportation barriers and increase access and participation for students across the state - especially those in rural communities.

Concurrent Enrollment courses are taught by licensed high school instructors who must meet credentialing requirements set by the partnering college or university. In some cases, concurrent enrollment teachers work closely with college faculty to ensure that courses meet the same standards for content, quality, and assessment as those taught at the institution for higher education.

Generally, students participating in Concurrent Enrollment take courses that are easily transferable for general education credit, such as math, English, or foreign languages. Data from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education suggests that incoming first year college students in the state were able to transfer an average of 19.65 dual enrollment credits towards their degree. While the Concurrent Enrollment program does not require stackable courses, the model seems to contribute to improving postsecondary outcomes for students in the state. A recent study found that Minnesota dual enrollment students were more likely to complete a postsecondary degree or credential within four years of high school graduation compared to those who did not participate in dual enrollment (55% versus 50%). This finding also held true for economically disadvantaged students (50% compared to 43%).

Texas: Financial Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST)

The Financial Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST) program was established in 2023, during the 88^th Texas legislative session, under House Bill (HB) 8. The law provides funding to participating public institutions of higher education, in order to offer dual enrollment, known in Texas as “dual credit”, courses at no cost to eligible students. FAST is designed to increase postsecondary access and affordability for Texas public or charter school students who are “ educationally disadvantaged,” (defined as “eligible to participate in the national free or reduced-price lunch program” currently or at any time during the four school years prior to the student’s enrollment in the dual credit course). Institutions can opt into the FAST program by signing a program partnership agreement with a Texas school district or charter school.

Course delivery varies by agreement – some dual credit offerings are taught at the high school by a qualified instructor, while others are offered on the college’s campus by faculty of the institution. Notably, not all courses are eligible for the program. FAST-eligible dual credit courses must provide students with joint high school and early college credit, or satisfy one of the following criteria: a career and technical education course, a foreign language requirement, a core curriculum requirement, or a field of study curriculum requirement.

The FAST program has implemented an innovative funding strategy. Each fiscal year, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) sets a “FAST tuition rate” (per credit hour). Funds are allocated to institutions to subsidize the cost of eligible students’ participation in the program for each semester credit hour they complete. For FY26, the tuition rate is $58.25. Participating institutions must also cap tuition rates for non-FAST students at the same rate. This requirement helps ensure that all students are better able to access dual credit opportunities.

While the FAST program is still new, early data suggests that the model has dramatically increased participation among educationally disadvantaged students. In its first year of implementation an estimated 250,000 students enrolled in dual credit programs, compared to just over 100,000 in the year prior.

Opportunities for Improvement

Each of these programs - CCAP, Concurrent Enrollment, and FAST - incorporate best practices for expanding access to dual enrollment opportunities. Most notably, they are all offered free of charge to students and families, and focused on stackable or transferable credits. However, there is still work to be done to ensure that dual enrollment programs are designed and implemented in a way that improves access, outcomes, and the affordability of postsecondary education for all students.

Many student groups remain underrepresented in dual enrollment, and certain dual enrollment participants lag behind their peers regarding postsecondary degree completion. In California, only 19% of first-generation CCAP participants earned a degree or credential three years after high school graduation, compared to 27% of those who were not first-generation college-goers. In Minnesota, white students make up 67% of the state’s high school enrollment but 80% of Concurrent Enrollment participants. These findings indicate that the availability of dual enrollment alone is not enough to meaningfully impact gaps in college completion and student success.

Disproportionate participation in dual enrollment may also result from a lack of awareness or understanding about how these programs operate, who is eligible, and how they benefit students long-term. There is little public information about how dual enrollment offerings are promoted, and to whom they are promoted, yet studies indicate that marketing can be challenging for several reasons. First, school counselor shortages mean that students miss out on individualized advising and guidance about dual enrollment options. Secondly, dual enrollment messaging can pose challenges for states, districts, and schools, since programs and partnership agreements vary significantly. As these programs continue to evolve, more work is necessary to ensure that all students receive the information and advising needed to enroll in and benefit from dual enrollment coursework.

Conclusion

These three models demonstrate the varying methods used to improve dual enrollment programs and expand postsecondary opportunity, by reducing costs for students, removing logistical barriers, and aligning coursework with clear pathways into college and careers. California’s focus on streamlined pathways and transferable credit, Minnesota’s emphasis on delivering rigorous courses directly in high schools, and Texas’s targeted investment in low-income students each highlight different strategies for improving access and outcomes. As states look to strengthen early college options, program design and sustained investment will be essential to ensuring that dual-credit experiences are accessible for all students, and that they translate into meaningful progress toward an affordable postsecondary degree or credential.

Read More: 

• New Data and Deck Explore Dual Enrollment Approaches and Outcomes
• Does Direct Admissions Work? What the Research Says
• Five Findings on How (and Whether) Schools Advise Students

Reading time: 12 minutes

The National College Attainment Network’s (NCAN) Affordability Gap research examines the affordability landscape at community colleges and public bachelor’s-granting institutions across the country. This annual analysis reaffirms that for many students, especially those from low- and moderate-income backgrounds, cost remains a major barrier to attaining a degree or credential.

This year’s Midwest spotlight report compares the Great Lakes states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin to identify the scope of unmet financial need for students in the region and to explore how increased funding and policy changes could help put public postsecondary education within reach for students and families.

Key Takeaways

• In every Great Lakes state except Illinois and Minnesota, students face affordability gaps greater than the national average of $1,555.
• Five out of six Great Lakes states have a smaller percentage of affordable public bachelor's-granting institutions than the national average of 35% of postsecondary institutions.
• In two states (Ohio and Wisconsin), the affordability gap for students at public bachelor's-granting institutions is more than twice the national average.
• Still, a subset of states have committed to making community college more affordable. In Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan there is no affordability gap, on average, for students to attend community college.

State level policy and funding choices could impact students’ postsecondary decision-making in future years. If states continue to prioritize investment in the community college sector, low-income students may be incentivized to pursue an associate’s degree over a bachelor’s degree. Because bachelor’s degrees continue to offer a higher earnings premium over the long term, maintaining affordability across both sectors is critical to ensuring access to economic opportunity. Sustained investment in both sectors—and in need-based financial aid—will be essential to closing affordability gaps, supporting degree completion, and ensuring that students across the Midwest can access the full range of postsecondary pathways. Minnesota and Michigan initiated new need-based student aid programs in the past two years, and these investments are likely to improve affordability for students from low-income families in the Midwest going forward.

Context

While affordability varies dramatically between states, the Midwest continues to stand out as a region where students face significant financial burdens when it comes to covering the cost of postsecondary education. NCAN’s Affordability Gap analysis found that for the 2022-23 academic year, students experienced larger average affordability gaps at public bachelor’s-granting institutions in Indiana ($2,071), Michigan ($2,268), Wisconsin ($3,549), and Ohio ($5,138) than nationally ($1,555). NCAN’s model also found that in comparison to the national average ($486), community college students faced greater unmet need in Minnesota ($1,191), Wisconsin ($1,336), and Illinois ($2,063).

These findings are consistent with other analyses of higher education funding in the Midwest, which shine light on the cost barriers documented in NCAN’s annual report. In the Great Lakes region, the affordability landscape is driven primarily by a lack of investment in higher education, and a reliance on tuition pricing to generate revenue for Midwestern states’ public colleges and universities.

On average, Midwestern states depend more heavily on net tuition revenue to fund public higher education than their counterparts in other regions of the country. Net tuition revenue refers to the revenue resulting from the tuition cost paid by students and families, after accounting for student aid. In 2024, nearly half (48.5%) of public higher education funding in the Midwest came from net tuition revenue, compared to around 30% in the West, and closer to 40% in the South, Northeast, and nationally. When states rely on net tuition revenue to fund their higher education budgets, the burden is shifted to students who in turn, face higher costs of tuition and increased unmet need. This “student share” brings in more than half of all funding for public higher education in Indiana (63%), Michigan (59%) and Ohio (57%).

Though students many Midwest states face larger than average financial barriers, the cost of college remains a central concern for many state policymakers. While some Great Lakes states have increased investments in higher education and need-based aid, others have retracted funding in recent years, leading to uneven progress across the region. The following state-level findings from the Affordability Gap report explore differences in college costs and average unmet need across the states, and highlight recent policy developments that may influence the affordability landscape moving forward.

NOTE: Varying sample sizes may impact the statistics seen at the state level. For more details on which institutions were included in the sample, please see our data dashboard.

State-Level Findings

Illinois (n = 52, 11 public bachelor’s-granting institutions, 41 community colleges)

• In 2022-23, 34% of community colleges were affordable.
• The average affordability gap for these institutions was $2,063.
• In Illinois, 55% of public bachelor’s-granting institutions in our sample were affordable.
• The average public bachelor’s-granting institution was affordable by a margin of $90.

Illinois stands out in the Great Lakes region as the only state in the 2022-23 sample where public bachelor’s-granting institutions were, on average, affordable. This finding is a testament to the state’s investment in higher education appropriations: only 27% of funding for public higher education in Illinois comes from net tuition revenue, compared to 48.5% on average for Midwestern states. In NCAN’s analysis, Illinois performed less well when examining community colleges, with the largest average affordability gap among Great Lakes states ($2,063). Just over a third of community colleges were within financial reach for students – a similar proportion as in the national sample.  

The Illinois FY26 budget, signed into law by Governor JD Pritzker (D) over the summer, strengthens investment in public higher education and need-based student aid, providing a $10 million (or 2.9%) increase to the Monetary Award Program (MAP). MAP funding benefits an estimated 145,000 students in Illinois each year, with a maximum award amount of over $8,000. The grant is available to students with demonstrated financial need at public and private colleges and universities in the state – though because the state awards funds on a first-come, first-serve basis, some financially eligible students miss out on grant aid. Continued investment in need-based student aid will help address the existing affordability gap at Illinois public institutions.

Indiana (n = 11, 10 public bachelor’s-granting institutions, one community college)

• In NCAN’s sample, 100% of community colleges were affordable.
• On average, community colleges were affordable by a margin of $518.
• Only 20% of public bachelor’s-granting institutions were affordable.
• The average affordability gap at these institutions was $2,071.

Indiana only had one community college with full data in our sample, which was more affordable than the national average. On average, Indiana’s public bachelor’s-granting institutions demonstrated wider affordability gaps than seen nationally, and a smaller proportion of public bachelor’s-granting institutions (20%) were affordable, as compared to the national average. In Indiana, 68% of funding for public-bachelor’s granting institutions comes from net tuition revenue, likely leading to the high levels of unmet need experienced by students in the state. Due to the relatively small number of Indiana institutions with complete data in NCAN’s sample, these findings may not be representative of the broader cost of public higher education in the state.

Over the summer, Indiana Governor Mike Braun (R) announced that for the first time ever, all public colleges and universities in the state would freeze rates of tuition and mandatory fees for in-state students. The freeze, which will take place during the 2025-26 and 2026-27 academic years, received unanimous support from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. While the policy was enacted in an effort to help more low- and middle-income students access higher education, research suggests that tuition freezes can sometimes lead to increases in prices for non-tuition expenses or increases in tuition pricing for out-of-state and international students. Coupled with recent cuts to education funding in Indiana’s FY25 budget, it is not yet clear how the policy will impact affordability in the state.

Michigan (n = 39, 16 public bachelor’s-granting institutions, 23 community colleges)

• In NCAN’s Michigan sample, 43% of community colleges were affordable.
• On average, these institutions were affordable by a margin of $306.
• Only a quarter (25%) of public bachelor’s-granting institutions were affordable in the state.
• The average affordability gap at these institutions was $2,268.

Michigan community colleges were affordable, on average, in the 2022-23 sample – in contrast to an average gap of $486 among community colleges nationally. In the Great Lakes region, Michigan was one of three states where students experienced an average affordability surplus, rather than a gap, at community colleges. Public bachelor’s-granting institutions in the state exhibited greater affordability gaps, on average, than those nationally, and the second largest in the Great Lakes Region. In Michigan, a smaller percentage of institutions in both the community college and public bachelor’s-granting sectors were affordable than in the NCAN sample overall.

Michigan has made strides in higher education investments over the last few years – most recently, focusing on students at community colleges. The state launched the Community College Guarantee in the Fall of 2024, as a new component of the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, implemented the year prior. In the first year of implementation,15,800 students received Community College Guarantee funds, with an average scholarship of $1,370 per semester. The Guarantee is available to Michigan high school graduates enrolled in a degree or credential program at a local community college or Tribal college, regardless of income. The award also includes a bonus of $1,000 for Pell eligible students to cover the cost of non-tuition expenses, such as transportation or textbooks. Continued investment in need-based grant aid programs will improve Michigan’s affordability outlook, helping students access postsecondary education.

Minnesota (n = 37, 12 public bachelor’s-granting institutions, 25 community colleges)

• In the 2022-23 sample, 48% of community colleges in Minnesota were affordable.
• The average affordability gap at these institutions was $1,191.
• In this year’s analysis, 25% of public bachelor’s-granting institutions were affordable.
• The average affordability gap at institutions in this sector was $1,359.

In the Minnesota sample, an equal percentage of community colleges met the NCAN affordability benchmark than those nationally, though students faced more than double the unmet need. Public bachelor’s-granting institutions in the state were more affordable than those nationally, as students in Minnesota experienced smaller affordability gaps than those in NCAN’s sample overall. Among Great Lakes states, Minnesota had the second smallest average affordability gap for public bachelor’s-granting institutions.

Last fall, Minnesota implemented the North Star Promise grant – a need-based tuition-grant for students enrolled at any Minnesota public college or university whose family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is below $80,000. The Minnesota Office of Higher Education reports that in its first year, the program benefited over 53,000 students. The grant is a last-dollar scholarship, meaning funds cover the remaining cost of tuition following the application of other grant aid sources. Students received an average of $1,716. State leaders credit the program for helping contribute to Minnesota’s first college enrollment increase in nearly a decade: enrollment grew at institutions across the Minnesota State and University of Minnesota systems by 2%.

Ohio (n = 30, 16 public bachelor’s-granting institutions, 14 community colleges)

• In the 2023-23 sample, the majority of Ohio community colleges (71%) were affordable.
• On average, these institutions were affordable by a margin of $1,488.
• Zero public bachelor’s-granting institutions met NCAN’s definition for affordable.
• The average affordability at public bachelor’s-granting institutions was $5,138.

In this year’s sample, Ohio performed well when considering the percentage of affordable community colleges in the state. Among its Midwest neighbors, Ohio had the second highest percentage of affordable community colleges after Indiana (where the sample was only one institution.) Public bachelor’s-granting institutions were particularly unaffordable in the Ohio sample, on average. The state exhibited the largest affordability gap in the Great Lakes region – more than three times the national average gap for public bachelor’s-granting institutions.

Ohio’s need-based aid grant program, the Ohio College Opportunity Grant (OCOG), has received increases in state appropriations over the last few fiscal years. The grant is available to Ohio students with high financial need – defined as a Student Aid Index of $3,750 or under and a maximum household income of $96,000. In FY25, the maximum grant amount increased from $3,200 to $4,000 for students and public colleges and universities. The program received a $20 million increase (or 11.8%) in FY26, yet a decrease in funds for the following fiscal year, per Ohio’s biennial budget. A taper in the availability of need based aid will pose a challenge for low-income students, who depend on stable and sufficient funding to afford the cost of a postsecondary degree.

Wisconsin (n = 28, 13 public bachelor’s-granting institutions, 15 community colleges)

• In this year’s sample, only 13% of community colleges were affordable.
• The average affordability gap at Wisconsin community colleges was $1,336.
• There were zero affordable public bachelor’s-granting institutions in the state.
• The average affordability gap for institutions in this sector was $3,549.

Community colleges and public bachelor’s-granting institutions were, on average, unaffordable for students in Wisconsin in 2022-23. The state exhibited the second largest affordability gap at public bachelor’s-granting institutions in the Great Lakes states, and a gap of almost three times the national average for community colleges. In this year’s analysis, Wisconsin had the smallest percentage of affordable community colleges among Great Lakes states – and no affordable public bachelor’s-granting institutions.

In Wisconsin, need-based tuition grants have helped students cover the cost of attending a public university, though these scholarship programs suffer from a lack of sustained funding. The University of Wisconsin system has re-instated the Wisconsin Tuition Promise program for the 2025-2026 academic year, which will cover tuition prices for students from families earning $55,000 or less, enrolled at one of 11 participating institutions. The Promise program, initially launched in 2023, was unavailable to students last year due to funding challenges in the state. An estimated 1,300 students are expected to benefit from the Promise grants in the 2025-26 cohort – which is supported by funding from Ascendium Education Group and matching investments by participating institutions. Greater investment from the state is needed to continue the Tuition Promise and would contribute to increasing affordability for Wisconsin students.

Conclusion

Across the Midwest, the cost of higher education continues to pose a significant barrier to access and attainment, particularly for students from low- and moderate-income backgrounds. This year’s findings highlight the importance of sustained and strategic investment to reduce unmet financial need and ensure that all students can pursue and complete a postsecondary degree or credential. While affordability gaps remain in the Great Lakes states, recent developments—such as new need-based aid programs in Michigan and Minnesota and continued investment in state grant programs in Illinois and Ohio—offer promising signs of progress toward a more affordable and accessible public higher education landscape in the years ahead.

NCAN’s Affordability Gap report is available here. The accompanying data dashboard can be found here.

Questions? Please contact Louisa Woodhouse, Senior Associate, Policy and Advocacy, at woodhouse@ncan.org. 

Read More:

• 5 Lessons in Advocacy: Straight Talk from Chairman Jordan Harris (D-PA)
• Announcing NCAN’s 2025-26 Policy Council
• Compare and Contrast: Tennessee and Alabama Launch Direct Admissions Programs

Reading time: Four minutes

I had the honor of participating in the Philadelphia College Prep Roundtable’s Fall Symposium, New Rules, Real Impact: College Access and Success in Transition. What an inspiring day of hearing from experts in the field about advances in supporting college access and success in Philadelphia! One speaker, Jordan Harris (D-PA), Chair of the Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee, pulled back the curtain on how to influence state legislative and budgetary decisions from his perspective as a powerful decisionmaker in Harrisburg (PA). I found his guidance energizing, and I hope you will too. Below is a summary.

Lesson One: Don’t be intimidated by the process

“It is intentionally set up to be intimidating,” he said. “They've got these beautiful mahogany desks, and you are sitting in a small chair. It's designed for that power dynamic,” Chairman Harris shared.  “But your voice matters and is, in fact, what lawmakers most want to hear,” he continued. The foremost question on the minds of elected officials is how issues affect their area. The biggest mistake advocates make, he said, is to come into his office and talk about an issue without bringing along any constituents. “Why should I care? The first thing about elected officials is the elected part,” he advised. Advocates should be very specific about the local impact. “If you have 100 kids in your program who live in my district, say so!” he said.

Lesson Two: Discuss the economic impact

Chairman Harris implored advocates to do their homework on the issue they want to advance, as well as on the members’ background and priorities. “Every member has different priorities. Describe the specific economic impact on members' constituents and connect it to their personal priorities too. If the representative received [the Pell Grant], for example, mention it! They will remember you for making that connection,” he said.  He often has back-to-back meetings throughout his days and advised people to think about how to make their issue and their meeting memorable with facts about the impact of the policy on the local economy.

Lesson Three: Effective advocacy doesn't always happen in the State House

“A lot of times we don't utilize the tools at our disposal,” Chairman Harris shared. Social media can be particularly powerful, he noted, and elected officials do read their social media, including comments, particularly the comments. “They are looking at the comments. They are looking at what people are saying,” he said. “They read Instagram, they read [X]. They want to know how their policy decisions are going to affect their neighbors,” he said, “Think about how you would want to be engaged and what moves you,” he advised.  Elected officials live in your neighborhoods, they go to your schools. “All of the connection points that you experience, they do too,” he said. If you attended the same high school or university, look for shared connections and values.

Lesson Four: Your voice and your advocacy is needed now more than ever

Chairman Harris strongly advised advocates to reach out to their elected representatives when they are experiencing problems. “No one is reaching out” to explain why the hold on state financial aid funding is hurting students, he said. “They live all over [the state] and need to call [their representatives]” he continued. “How about doing a TikTok about that? We have to reach them and figure out how to channel our creativity into making change,” he concluded.

Lesson Five: You must remove your emotions

Understanding that he was speaking to a room of people who are passionate about college access and success and what it can mean for students’ trajectories, Chairman Harris advised the audience to put themselves in the shoes of the lawmaker. Instead of trying to convince or compel them with our perspective, try to think about what matters to them. “They don’t care about it the way I care about,” he said, but “I need 52 votes in the House, 26 votes in the Senate, and the Governor’s signature, and I don’t give a damn why,” he said.

The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) has many ways you can get involved in both state and federal policy and advocacy. To join NCAN’s Rapid Response team, please contact Louisa Woodhouse at woodhouse@ncan.org. NCAN’s 2026 Leadership Summit is scheduled for April 7-8 of next year in the nation’s capital and is a great opportunity to network, learn, and speak directly to policymakers - register to attend here. Thanks to all the NCAN members who advocate for their students each and every day! 

Read More:

• Announcing NCAN’s 2025-26 Policy Council
• Compare and Contrast: Tennessee and Alabama Launch Direct Admissions Programs
• IL Governor Signs Direct Admissions, Three More Access & Affordability Bills Into Law

Reading time: 10 minutes

The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) is pleased to announce the members of its 2025-26 Policy Council. The Policy Council is composed of state policy and advocacy leaders from NCAN member organizations who are working to advance equal opportunity for all and affordability in postsecondary education.

The Council meets monthly to discuss policy issues and strategy, share ideas, resources, and tools. Members serve as thought leaders for NCAN, advising on the organization’s federal state policy agendas, strategy, and research products. They also surface issues that arise for students and families their organizations’ service, which may require federal action. In exchange for participation, NCAN provides members of the Policy Council with a scholarship to its National Conference, advance information about grant programs, and presentations and conversations with researchers and thought leaders in the higher education policy field.

The Council plays an integral role in NCAN’s policy and advocacy work, helping to keep the organization deeply connected to the needs of students and families as we work to advance policy changes that promote equal opportunity for all and student success in postsecondary access and attainment.

Samantha Alcalá
Assistant Director of Partnerships and Advocacy
The Opportunity Network

Samantha Alcalá, Assistant Director of Partnerships and Advocacy, oversees a portfolio of career fluency partners, providing strategic support to enhance their college and career readiness programming. Alcalá focuses on strengthening postsecondary initiatives and expanding the organization’s advocacy efforts.

Alcalá has primarily worked in education nonprofits focused on the postsecondary readiness and access of youth of color. This includes roles as a Program Consultant for CARA’s (College Access: Research and Action’s) Youth Leader training, Program Manager for iMentor’s mentoring program, and Teaching Fellow for Citizen Schools’ extended learning day program.

Angela Bugayong
Chief Operating Officer
Students Rising Above (SRA)

Angela Bugayong is Chief Operating Officer at SRA where she drives the organization’s mission to support first-generation students in achieving their college and career goals. Previously, Bugayong served as SRA’s Interim CEO, Chief Program Officer, and Senior Director of Program Strategy, where she led the development of student programs, data-driven strategies, and organizational infrastructure to enhance impact. 

Before joining SRA, Bugayong was Associate Director of the Access Learning Lab at the College Board, where she led the development of a data-enhanced advising tool supporting 1,600 high school students. Prior to that, she managed complex programs and partnerships at a nonprofit focused on college access and success for students in Washington, DC’s Wards seven and eight, driving significant outcomes.

Michael Cheever
Executive Vice President, External Relations
College Success Foundation (CSF)

Michael Cheever is the Executive Vice President of CSF, a nonprofit working in Washington state and Washington, DC, to inspire youth that are underserved and from low-income backgrounds to finish high school, graduate from college, and be transformational leaders in society. Being the first in his family to graduate from college, he is passionate about helping to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty through education.

CSF has supported over 12,000 students to graduate from college, has a staff of nearly 200 employees operating across multiple regional sites, and supports students on over 150 college campuses nationwide.

Yvonne Eype
Executive Director
United for College and Career Success (UFCS)

Yvonne Eype is Chief Executive Director of UFCS which provides college enrollment support for economically disadvantaged students in Texas. Eype brings over 15 years of experience in education, workforce development, and nonprofit leadership. At UFCS, she has advanced data-driven, collaborative approaches that strengthen the education-to-career pipeline, improve advising systems, and inform policy change, reaching more than 35,000 students each year across Texas. She has been honored by the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce and The George Foundation as part of the Excellence for Nonprofit Leadership. Prior to joining UFCS, Eype worked as Director of Special Projects for GRADify Go and Program Manager at KIPP Houston Public Schools. Earlier in her career, she served as a speech and debate director and public school teacher in Texas.

Sarah Foster
Policy Analyst
Florida College Access Network (FCAN)

Sarah Foster analyzes Florida education policy with an emphasis on college access, readiness, and workforce initiatives for FCAN. She is focused on legislative efforts that support Florida's SAIL to 60 goal, and how the education sector can be a partner to achieve Florida's economic objectives. Her previous experience working with local and state governments supports FCAN’s mission to expand college access and support student success statewide.

Foster holds a bachelor's degree from the University of South Florida in International Studies and credits internship experiences to shaping her career path. Foster is working towards earning Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.

Jesse Hendrix
Executive Director
College Possible Texas

Jesse Hendrix serves as the Executive Director of College Possible Texas, a vital part of the nationally recognized College Possible network, dedicated to empowering students through near-peer coaching. Under his leadership, College Possible Texas has become a cornerstone in the Texas community, supporting over 5,500 students annually in their pursuit and completion of postsecondary education. Through targeted interventions and personalized coaching, Hendrix and his team are breaking down barriers to college access and success for underserved students, helping to build a more equitable future.

Hendrix has led transformative strategic planning initiatives focused on retention, persistence, and academic progress at both secondary and post-secondary institutions.

Olani LeBeaud
Public Policy and Advocacy Associate
BLU Educational Foundation

Olani LaBeaud is the Public Policy and Advocacy Specialist for BLU Educational Foundation, a nonprofit located in California’s Inland Empire, whose mission is to provide educational and human services programming to youth, adults, and organizations to build healthy, productive communities.

In her organizational role, LaBeaud analyzes education policy in the inland region and state of California in efforts to educate the community on the advocacy methods and the importance of civic engagement. LaBeaud is a passionate social justice advocate personally and professionally, where she provides education, tools, resources, and direct support to address the systemic barriers regarding college access, affordability, and racial equity.

Cyekeia Lee
Executive Director
Detroit College Access Network (DCAN)

Cyekeia Lee oversees college access support for over 50 high schools in Detroit (MI) as DCAN’s Executive Director. In this role, she brings together school districts, community-based organizations, and workforce partners to make postsecondary pathways a reality for all students. Previously, she was the director of community collaboration for The Kalamazoo Promise, an award-winning initiative that provides up to one hundred percent of tuition and fees for students from Kalamazoo Public Schools at any in-state public community college or university, and director of the Learning Network of Greater Kalamazoo. Earlier in her career, Lee served as Director of Higher Education Initiatives for NAEHCY, the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth. Lee started her career as a financial aid administrator.

Marcos Montes
Policy Director and Let’s Go Program Manager
SoCalCAN

Marcos Montes manages SoCal CAN’s (Southern California College Access Network’s) policy agenda, Changemakers Student Advocacy Fellowship, and Let’s Go to College CA. Montes brings a wealth of knowledge around student engagement and student advocacy. With SoCal CAN, Montes represents the network in various state and federal policy coalitions. He has led the network's support of dozens of bills successfully signed into law including SoCalCAN's co-sponsored legislation to ban scholarship displacement in California, reform Satisfactory Academic Progress policies, and extend California's priority financial aid deadline due the faulty rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Kim Nauer
Director, Higher Education Affordability Project
Center for New York City Affairs at The New School

Kim Nauer directs the Higher Education Affordability Project at the Center for New York City Affairs at The New School (New York, NY) and is the founder of UnderstandingFAFSA.org, a web site focused on helping first-generation students and their counselors navigate the FAFSA and financial aid system. Nauer and her student team use design and applied research to develop friendly guides and curriculum materials that strive to explain financial aid in a simple way. Prior to her work on the website, Nauer founded the Center's New York City public education research initiative and published groundbreaking work on chronic absenteeism, school poverty impacts, district management, and college access initiatives.

Bob Obrohta
Executive Director
Tennessee College Access and Success Network

Bob Obrohta is an expert in college access and success for first-generation/low-income students. His 35-year career spans being a practitioner for thousands of students directly, as well as designing numerous scholarships and access programs for colleges, organizations, and communities across the country.

Obrohta began in college admissions and financial aid at Beloit College (WI) and ran Beloit’s TRIO Upward Bound program. In Tennessee, his career spans leading the Ayers Foundation Scholars Program, and founding both Oasis College Connection (Nashville), and the Tennessee College Access and Success Network. His commitment to access has helped bring numerous federal, state, and corporate resources to Tennessee communities.

A low-income/first-gen student himself, Obrohta is a recipient of NCAN's Executive Leadership Award of Excellence.

Dr. Marie Roberts
Assistant Director of Communications, Policy, and Advocacy
Woodward Hines Education Foundation

Dr. Marie Roberts is an education professional with expertise in enrollment, student success, and technology. In her role at Woodward Hines Education Foundation, she drives higher education access and attainment in her home state of Mississippi through strategic communications. Dr. Roberts is passionate about partnership pathways, educational storytelling, and convening groups working to improve education.

Carolina Rodriguez
Director, Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program (EDCAP)
Community Service Society of New York

Carolina Rodriguez is the director of EDCAP, a program that helps student loan debt borrowers in New York state. Prior to this position, Rodriguez was the Associate Supervising Attorney of the Health Initiatives Department at the Community Service Society, where she oversaw a statewide network of community-based organizations and small businesses counseling consumers on health insurance and health care access issues. She also managed the largest health insurance enrollment network in New York state.

Perla Rodríguez
National Director for Education Programs
Hispanic Federation

Perla Rodriguez is a lifelong educator, reader, and writer, currently serving as the Senior Director for Education Programs at the Hispanic Federation, the nation’s premier Latino nonprofit membership organization. With decades of experience in education and community development, Rodríguez is dedicated to empowering Latino communities through innovative educational initiatives. As the Senior Director for Education Programs at the Hispanic Federation, she leads a team committed to enhancing educational opportunities and outcomes for underserved populations.

Rodriguez has successfully launched and managed numerous programs that address educational disparities and promote equity. Her passion for education is matched by her commitment to fostering inclusive environments where all students can thrive.

Chandra C. Scott
Executive Director
Alabama Possible

Chandra C. Scott is the Executive Director of Alabama Possible, a nonprofit based in Birmingham, AL, focused on increasing postsecondary access and addressing poverty through advocacy, education, and collaboration. She leads statewide networks including the Alabama College Attainment Network, and oversees the Alabama Goes to College Campaign to boost FAFSA completion and enrollment. Prior to joining Alabama Possible, Scott served as the Director of Strategic Outcomes for the Mobile Area Education Foundation in Mobile, AL, where she developed and led the state’s first post-secondary attainment goal and blueprint collaborative.

Currently she serves as the board chair for the Alabama Association of Nonprofits, as a board member for the A+ Education Partnership and NCAN; as a task force member for the Alabama School Readiness Alliance, Alabama Coalition for Community Benefits, the Bold Goals Policy Committee. Scott has also been appointed by the Governor to serve on the CTE Course of Study Committee (2021), Alabama Postsecondary Mathematics Task Force (2023), and the Alabama Workforce Board (2024) and featured by Lumina Foundation, IHEP, Higher Learning Advocates, AL.com, uAspire, and NCAN for her advocacy accomplishments.

Korynn Schooley
Vice President, Policy
Achieve Atlanta

As Vice President, Policy, Schooley develops and leads Achieve Atlanta’s policy and advocacy functions, shaping the organization’s approach to influence systemic changes that advance postsecondary enrollment, student success, and upward mobility. Previously, she built the organization’s College Access and Scholarship and Affordability programs, partnering internally and externally to support Atlanta (GA) students to pursue their college aspirations. Prior to Achieve Atlanta, Schooley served as Director of School Governance and Flexibility with Fulton County (GA) Schools, Georgia Afterschool Investment Council’s first Policy and Advocacy Manager, and as Chief of Staff for Massachusetts State Representative Alice K. Wolf.

Chuck Tiernan
Senior Director, Community Connections
Community Foundation of Tampa Bay (CFTB)

Chuck Tiernan has 25 years’ experience in non-profit education leadership, designing and implementing strategies for community and resource development. He joined CFTB in 2016 to lead LEAP Tampa Bay College Access Network, a collaboration of 70+ community partners helping more people attain education and training credentials after high school. Under his leadership, the network was recognized by Lumina Foundation in Indiana as one of just 26 “Talent Hubs” nationwide and in 2021 was named NCAN’s Member of the Year. Tiernan’s role has now broadened to connect the Tampa Bay (FL) region to all CFTB’s impact areas, which include college access, affordability, and attainment, as well as early learning and digital inclusion, among others.

Anika Van Eaton
Vice President of Public Policy
uAspire

Anika Van Eaton is Vice President of Policy for uAspire. In this role, she leads uAspire's policy team, providing strategic direction for policy advocacy in California, Massachusetts, and New York, and driving federal policy programs and advocacy goals. Van Eaton has been with uAspire since 2020, when she started as Massachusetts Policy Director.

Before joining uAspire, Van Eaton was research manager for the Boston Private Industry Council, the city's workforce development board, where she researched and wrote college completion studies, as well as managed and analyzed student data to inform program design and policy for high school and college completion initiatives.

Joanna Warren
Director, Policy and Advocacy
Educate Texas | Communities Foundation of Texas

As Director of Policy and Advocacy for Educate Texas, Warren identifies and advocates for evidence-based policy solutions related to educator effectiveness, college and career readiness, and reforms passed in the last legislative session. She also helps coordinate the Teaching and Learning Council which convenes practitioners and a focused group of diverse stakeholders committed to improving the public education system in Texas.

Kittie Warshawsky
Chief External Affairs Officer
College Now Greater Cleveland

As a critical member of College Now Greater Cleveland’s executive team, Kittie Warshawsky plays a critical role in guiding efforts to increase and further all levels of postsecondary educational attainment to further grow talent pipeline. She leads a team working closely with CEO, CFO, and CIO to ensure highest standards of financial stewardship, transparency, and excellent governance resulting in organization’s earning a coveted four-star rating from Charity Navigator for the last ten years.

Warshawsky works directly with College Now’s 55-person board and staffs three committees: impact (advocacy), executive, and governance. She has worked closely and successfully with colleagues to lead funding efforts for the online mentoring program, which now pairs 1,700 scholarship recipients with 1,700 volunteers, expands an adult learner program, establishes multiple scholarship funds, and creates new funding streams across all service lines.

LaKisha N. Williams
Director of #DegreesNYC
Goddard Riverside Options Center

Williams runs a data-informed collective impact movement co-led by young people and education professionals to move to equitable education pathways and opportunities in New York (NY). She represents Goddard Riverside in numerous professional organizations and coalitions working to strengthen school counseling and improve access to higher education and pathways to success. She also serves on the Steering Committee of the New York State Poor People’s Campaign, as well as on its Regional Coordinating and Faith Committees, where she organizes moral fusion direct action against systemic racism, poverty, militarism, and ecological devastation. 

Read More:

• Compare and Contrast: Tennessee and Alabama Launch Direct Admissions Programs
• IL Governor Signs Direct Admissions, Three More Access & Affordability Bills Into Law
• In-State Tuition Halted for Undocumented Students in Texas; DOJ Challenges KY, MN

Reading time: Four minutes

Direct admissions is a growing strategy aimed at simplifying the college application process and increasing college-going rates. Each direct admissions program varies in the ways students receive their offers, next steps, and information about financial aid packages.  

Most recently, Tennessee and Alabama launched statewide direct admissions programs. Both programs are run differently but have a shared purpose: to show more students that they are wanted by colleges and to simplify the college admissions process. Check out how these two Southern states differ in executing their direct admissions programs below. 

The primary difference between these two programs lies in the steps students have to take before receiving their offers. In Tennessee, students must complete the Tennessee Promise application to participate in direct admissions. After this, offers are extended to students based on existing academic data, and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) submits additional necessary information to the colleges on students’ behalf.

Alabama’s model also requires some upfront effort. Students create a Match profile and submit their transcripts before they can receive a direct admissions offer. While both states require students to complete some steps before offers are made, their approaches still streamline the college admissions process. Having one “application” potentially yield multiple college admissions letters can help reduce undermatching, especially for students who might not have applied to a wide range of colleges to start. 

Incentivizing Enrollment with Financial Aid 

A promising practice from both programs is connecting direct admissions with financial aid. Alabama is incentivizing participation with a $5,000 scholarship drawing for students who complete their Match profiles. Tennessee, while not directly providing scholarships to students through direct admissions, attaches information about financial aid alongside offers that will help students better understand whether and how they may be able to pay for college.  

Elsewhere, other direct admissions programs even guarantee scholarships to students if they accept a direct admissions offer. The University of Utah, for example, promises that any student who enrolls through the Utah Direct program will receive a $3,000 annual scholarship for four years if they maintain a 3.5 GPA and are enrolled full-time. While this is an institution-level direct admissions program, it opens the door for state-level programs to consider similar incentives, which could potentially help states retain more students and strengthen local economies.

A Research Initiative in Tennessee

Tennessee is also launching a research initiative alongside the pilot program to explore whether connecting direct admissions with clear financial aid information can influence students’ college-going behavior. As more states consider direct admissions, Tennessee’s findings will provide valuable insights into what works and what doesn’t in helping students take the next step toward higher education. 

The program and research efforts are led by THEC in partnership with various philanthropies, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Making Care Common at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. 

A Promising Partnership in Alabama 

Match, a technology acquired by EAB, is partnering with Alabama Possible to let students create an online profile and upload their transcripts. These simple steps, done either independently or with the help of a counselor, open the door for colleges to send admissions and scholarship offers. Once students receive their offers, they indicate which ones they’re interested in and then receive their official admission package.  

Match isn’t just for students. High school counselors and administrators can use it to track admissions offers and awarded scholarships, nudge students to respond, and even upload transcripts in bulk for students. By showing which students need follow-up, Match can help optimize counselors' workload and keep the direct admissions process moving. 

Direct Admissions Is Gaining Steam

Alabama and Tennessee are not the only states to launch a direct admissions program. Illinois, North Carolina, Oregon are examples of states that have also recently passed or launched direct admissions programs. There’s no one-size-fits-all model as each state has its own unique needs, priorities, and limitations. By sharing these various approaches, NCAN hopes that your state, institution, or community can formulate a direct admissions program that meets their specific needs. 

Interested in learning about even more direct admissions models? Check out NCAN’s recent webinar recording that highlights direct admissions programs from The Common App, Idaho State Board of Education, and UP Partnership in San Antonio, Texas. 

Read More:

• IL Governor Signs Direct Admissions, Three More Access & Affordability Into Law
• New Study Finds Positive Impacts of High School CCR Curricula
  
• Could Financial Literacy Curricula Promote FAFSA Completion?

Reading time: Five minutes

At the end of June, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (D) signed four pieces of legislation into law that make college more accessible, affordable, and navigable for the state’s students and families. The new laws offer other states new approaches to supporting students to take their next, best step following high school graduation.

The package includes legislation to create a direct admissions program, increase dual credit quality and access, and boost support for Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion. Here’s a brief summary of each new law:

HB 3522: Direct Admissions

The Public University Direct Admission Program simplifies the admissions process and opens the door for many more students to see themselves in college. Students who opt in during their junior year will have their academic information shared with the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). From there, ISAC will determine where those students meet admissions requirements and proactively send to students direct acceptance offers to eligible public universities and community colleges.

Notably, the passage of this bill was near-unanimous in the Illinois General Assembly, passing 100-2 in the House and 57-0 in the Senate.

Illinois joins more than 20 other states with some kind of direct admissions program.

Benefits of these programs include eliminating application fees and administrative friction for students using the program, speeding up the college admissions process, and helping to keep students in-state and bolstering enrollment at public institutions.

HB 3096: A FAFSA Contact at Every High School

In the first of its kind (that I’ve seen, at least), Illinos’ HB 3096 requires every high school in Illinois to designate a staff member as the point of contact for all FAFSA-related support. Students and families will now know exactly who to go to with questions or concerns. Schools need to report this point of contact to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and ISAC and to make students and families aware of this contact.

Professionals designated as FAFSA points of contact are required to complete an initial orientation and are then encouraged to participate in annual briefings. These professionals are also eligible to receive professional development hours for both the initial orientation and subsequent annual briefings.

Incidentally, this legislation amends the section of the Illinois School Code that established universal FAFSA in Illinois. Illinois was the second state to implement universal FAFSA way back for the class of 2021.

HB 3097: In-School Time for FAFSA Completion

Following on the heels of HB 3096 ism a related new law that requires Illinois high schools to provide time during the school day for seniors to complete the FAFSA or receive help doing so. Schools can partner with ISAC for free support to fulfill this requirement.

The specific text of the bill stipulates:

“This support may be offered in a variety of formats, times, and settings and shall include an opportunity for the student to request and receive help during the school day in completing the student's portion of the financial aid application.”

HB 2967: Better Dual Credit Access and Oversight

Dual credit can ramp up a student’s college journey, but access and quality vary widely. HB 2967 aims to strengthen oversight and coordination to make sure that dual credit programs meet consistent quality standards. The bill:

• Requires Illinois high schools offering dual credit to coordinate with local community. Notably, school districts and community colleges must “designate a liaison and begin negotiations to reach a partnership agreement no later than 60 calendar days after the initial request colleges.” Additionally, the bill preferences community colleges as dual credit partners by stipulating that any agreements non-community college partners can’t be set up until school district-community college negotiations occur first.
• Sets expectations for instructor qualifications. Specifically: “The academic credentials required to be a fully qualified instructor shall include either a master's degree in the discipline to be taught or a master's degree in any other discipline and a minimum of, but not more than, 18 graduate hours in the discipline to be taught.”
• Clarifies guidelines for out-of-state dual credit partners by prohibiting “the school district from entering into a contract with an out-of-state postsecondary institution…until the school district has demonstrated to the Illinois Community College Board that the school district has taken appropriate steps to consider the listing of in-state postsecondary institutions and provides a rationale as to why the course can be provided only by an out-of-state postsecondary institution.”
• Lastly, the bill creates the “Dual Credit Committee”  with K-12 and higher education officials and teachers’ union representatives.

While we’re here and on the topic, this state-by-state data dashboard of dual enrollment outcomes from the Community College Research Center is worth exploring.

This legislation package does not just tinker around the edges. It provides meaningful solutions to persistent barriers. Direct admissions reduces uncertainty and paperwork. Expanded dual credit brings early college within reach. FAFSA supports help to ensure that every student has someone to help them access aid.

These new laws hit many of the right notes. They reduce paperwork, save families money, support college and financial aid applications, and reinforce the message from public institutions and systems that every Illinois student deserves a clear and supported path to higher education.

“In order to ensure that every student of every background in every corner of our state gets the education they deserve, we need to leave no stone unturned and no barrier unbroken,” said =Pritzker in a press release. “These bills streamline the application process for college bound seniors in Illinois, enhance support for applicants, and open up new horizons for prospective students. Enacting these laws is what all government work should be about – making life easier for our people.”

Illinois is setting a clear example. These policies recognize that getting to and through college is not just about individual effort. It’s also about the systems and supports we build around students. When those systems work better, students are more likely to succeed. Other states should take note. With strong leadership and cross-sector collaboration, it’s possible to make college-going more affordable, more automatic, and more equitable.

Read More:

• In-State Tuition Halted for Undocumented Students in Texas; DOJ Challenges KY, MN
• New Report Identifies Opportunities to Advance College Affordability in the Great Lakes States
• New Studies Show Impacts of Universal FAFSA on Enrollment

Reading time: Seven minutes

On June 4, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against the state of Texas over its granting of in-state tuition rates to undocumented students attending public institutions. On the same day, US District Court Judge Reed O’Connor granted a permanent injunction that Texas has signaled it will not appeal. The policy change ends a 24-year-old Texas policy that was the first of its kind nationally. On June 24, the National Immigration Law Center (NILC) filed a motion in an effort to overturn the injunction.

33 other states provide for in-state tuition for undocumented students, according to the Higher Ed Immigration Portal. Legal experts, including the National Immigration Law Center (NIL) contend the Section 505 of 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) explicitly allows states to extend these benefits, as long as they are equally available to US citizens who meet the same non-residency-based criteria, such as graduating from an in-state high school.

Earlier this year, Florida eliminated in-state tuition benefits for undocumented students– a move criticized by student and immigration advocates for conflicting with federal law.

Texas’ version of the policy required a student to graduate from a Texas high school or to earn a GED, have resided in Texas for at least three years before their high school graduation date (or the date of GED receipt), and to sign an affidavit that they would apply for permanent residency at the earliest opportunity to do so.

Dr. Ana Acevedo, CEO of the San Antonio Education Partnership, a National College Attainment Network (NCAN) member, in a statement from her organization, noted: “The recent decision by the state of Texas to eliminate access to in-state tuition for students without legal status, a benefit established by the Texas Dream Act in 2001, is devastating. This policy reversal reintroduces significant financial barriers for students who have grown up in our communities, attended our schools, and aspired to pursue higher education in Texas with the desire to work as contributing members in a thriving economy.”

Unfortunately, the DOJ may not be done with this strategy of forcing states to deny in-state tuition rates to undocumented students. Two weeks after filing its lawsuit in Texas, the department filed a similar complaint in the Eastern District of Kentucky. About a week after that, the DOJ filed a similar complaint in Minnesota.

The Impact in Numbers is Substantial

This court decision impacts tens of thousands of students across Texas. The Higher Ed Immigration Portal estimates that there are more than 73,000 undocumented students enrolled in higher education in Texas. This is the second most among states, trailing only California.

The number of undocumented students enrolled in higher education in Texas exceeds the total higher education enrollment of ten states, as the chart below states. This sizeable impact in supporting the postsecondary pathways of these students is likely to ripple outward and affect families, communities, and the state overall.

An Exclusionary Policy That Will Harm Students and Texas

The court’s decision, and Texas’ declining to appeal, resemble other attacks on undocumented and immigrant communities seen across the United States in recent months. Support for the court decision asserts that undocumented individuals and immigrants are a drain on their communities and take resources from American citizens. See, for example, US Attorney General Pam Bondi, “The Justice Department commends Texas leadership…for swiftly working with us to halt a program that was treating Americans like second-class citizens in their own country” and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton: “This law was an insult to our nation's citizens and has now been rightly stopped from being enforced. I will continue to fight for the American people and work swiftly to defeat any policy that puts illegal aliens ahead of our own citizens." Both come from a statement from the DOJ.

However, this view ignores the social and economic contributions undocumented students, and their families, make to Texas. Many pay taxes, work in essential industries, and have deep roots in their communities. The financial impact of allowing these students to pay in-state tuition is minimal compared to the long-term economic gains of a more educated, skilled workforce, see for example NCAN’s Economic Value Profile for Texas, which suggests that each additional postsecondary graduate increases the state’s GDP by more than $160,000 over their lifetime.

This policy change seems less about redistributing funds within public programs and more about exclusion. It targets a young group of Texans, who are part of communities, schools and campuses, and the future of Texas. The policy change tells these students they don’t belong, largely in service to a political agenda that has emphasized disruption, uncertainty, and cruelty in undocumented communities. Beyond that, as the NILC notes, the lawsuit and injunction run “contrary to the demonstrated will of Texas communities and the acts of the Texas legislature, which just two days prior had an opportunity to repeal this law and declined to do so.”

NCAN Members Weigh In

NCAN has more than 500 members across the United States, and 40 of them operate in Texas. This should come as no surprise given the size of the state and its substantial population of students and families who need college access and success services to pursue and complete a postsecondary pathway.

Some NCAN members are expressing concern over Texas’ recent decision to eliminate in-state tuition for undocumented students. They note that the decision undermines efforts to increase postsecondary attainment and creates financial barriers for students who have lived in Texas for most of their lives, preventing them from accessing higher education across Texas’ public institutions.

Jesse Hendrix, Executive Director of College Possible Texas, explained, "Nearly 80% of undocumented students choose to attend public colleges in-state. For undocumented students, many of whom have grown up in Texas, losing access to in-state tuition means their dreams are suddenly unaffordable.” The policy changes have forced undocumented students who are currently enrolled in summer courses and have received in-state tuition and state financial aid through the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) for the upcoming fall semester to rethink their degree-seeking plans due to financial gaps.

Students who were once eligible for in-state tuition may now be forced to pay three to four times more under out-of-state tuition rates, effectively preventing students from obtaining a college degree. This shortsighted decision undermines the state's workforce and higher education goals. Hendrix worries that instead of closing equity gaps, this policy will widen them by intensifying the enrollment cliff (which will impact institutions’ ability to make their classes and make operating more difficult) and undermining progress toward the 60x30TX goal of ensuring 60% of Texans earn a postsecondary certificate or degree.

Hendrix added this encouraging message for students impacted by this court decision and resulting policy change:

“To students and families feeling discouraged: You are not alone, and your dreams are still valid. Before making any big decisions, talk to a trusted counselor, advisor, or college access organization. Make note of registration and drop deadlines, and give yourself time as colleges determine how they’ll respond to this policy. Even now, there are people and programs ready to support you. Reach out. Ask questions. Don’t opt out without exploring every option.”

Acevedo concluded, "This is not just a setback for individual students; it is a loss for our entire community. These students represent future teachers, nurses, doctors, engineers, and community leaders. When we limit opportunities, we also limit the potential of our workforce, our economy, and our shared future. Despite this moment of uncertainty, SAEP remains steadfast in our commitment. We will continue to support all students in navigating their path to and through college.”

What’s Next?

The Attorney General of Texas is declining to appeal the district court judge’s injunction on the Texas Dream Act. NILC is representing Austin Community College District’s Board of Trustees, La Unión del Pueblo Entero (LUPE), and college graduate student, Oscar Silva. While the proceedings are ongoing, the case will ultimately be adjudicated in court, ensuring that all parties have a fair opportunity to present their arguments.

In a statement on their website, NILC notes in part:

Because of the collusive and speedy manner in which the state of Texas and the federal government entered into their agreement, the Court had no opportunity to consider the question of the constitutionality of the law or hear from the people most impacted by its judgment.

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In brokering this hasty agreement, the United States and the Texas Attorney General attempted to impermissibly circumvent the legislative process and abused the judicial process to invalidate the law.

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NCAN and our members remain dedicated to supporting all students on their journey to and through college, and we will offer further updates in Texas, Kentucky, Minnesota, and across the country as warranted.

Resources for Undocumented Students

• NCAN: Access, Affordability for Undocumented Students
• TheDream.US
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund
  

Read More:

• New Report Identifies Opportunities to Advance College Affordability in the Great Lakes States
• Better FAFSA for Mixed-Status Families: Top 10 Things to Know So You Can Prepare
• Undocumented Students are Target in “Cruel and Counterproductive” Changes Under New Florida Proposal

Reading time: Two minutes

Over the last two years, with the support of the Joyce Foundation, the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) has been working closely with our Midwest members to advance college affordability through state policy. Across the country, the cost of college poses a major challenge for many students aiming to pursue and complete a postsecondary degree. This is particularly true in the Great Lakes states, where students, families, and policymakers are grappling with funding challenges, insufficient financial aid, and changing public perceptions of the value of a college degree.

NCAN’s new report, “College Affordability in the Great Lakes States: Challenges, Opportunities, and Directions for Advocacy ,” is the culminating project in this initiative. We are excited to continue advancing policies that promote college affordability with a new grant from the Joyce Foundation, which will allow us to deepen our work in Ohio, Michigan, and Minnesota.

This state-by-state landscape analysis examines the context, challenges, and opportunities for advancing college affordability goals in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. These findings are based on interviews with NCAN-member college access and success (CAS) program leaders in all six states.

Unsurprisingly, barriers to improving the affordability of higher education were shared by organizations across the Great Lakes states. Many programs cited goals to address overarching challenges, including:

• Integrating postsecondary planning in middle and high school curricula, to improve students’ awareness of how to access aid to make college more affordable
• Advocating for increased funding for state and institutional financial aid, which has grown particularly challenging in part due to the negative narratives surrounding the value of higher education
• Combatting the national narrative that college is not worth it or lacks value
• Addressing the aftermath of the rocky FAFSA rollout in 2023-2024 and the resulting distrust of the form and federal student aid application process

Across the board, CAS programs in the Midwest elevated a desire to deepen their engagement in state policy advocacy and coalition building, expand their capacity, and scale their program models.

The analysis highlights four key opportunities for addressing college affordability across the six states, which include:

• Streamlining state financial aid application processes
• Implementing universal FAFSA policies and/or support for FAFSA completion
• Increasing access to school counselors and other advisors to provide support particularly during the financial aid application process, and
• Improving data infrastructure

Curious to learn more about how program leaders and policy advocates in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin are working to make higher education more affordable? Check out the full report here.

Questions? Please reach out to Louisa Woodhouse, Senior Associate, Policy and Advocacy, at woodhouse@ncan.org , or Catherine Brown, Senior Director, Policy and Advocacy, at brownc@ncan.org.

Read More: 

• The Growing Gap: Spotlight on the Midwest
• NCAN's College Affordability State Profiles
• NCAN Receives Grant to Support State Policy Advocacy in the Midwest

Reading time: Five minutes 

The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) has repeatedly highlighted universal FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, policies in recent years as more and more states have considered and adopted them. These policies, which generally require high school seniors to submit or complete the FAFSA as part of high school graduation, serve to raise awareness about available financial aid, increase the salience and expectation of a key college-going milestone in high school, and improve college enrollment rates.

Two recent studies expand the field’s knowledge of universal FAFSA policies and offer valuable insights for practitioners, policymakers, and the public alike. The first, "Mandatory FAFSA Policies Have Had Immediate Impact," comes from The Century Foundation’s (TCF) Peter Granville, Jaime Ramirez-Mendoza, and Jaden Mikoulinksii, released February 19. A week later The Education Trust’s Sayda Martinez-Alvarado released "A Scan of State Universal FAFSA Policies." Both reports provide valuable insights into the effects of these policies.

TCF’s analysis breaks down, broadly into three main areas:

• Effects of universal FAFSA on FAFSA completion and enrollment outcomes
• Insights into successful implementation from California and Illinois; and
• Considerations around universal FAFSA policies and undocumented students and students from mixed-status families.

Notably, TCF’s analysis focus on “mandatory” FAFSA policies, which “place a state-based requirement on the student.” California, the authors note, “technically places the requirement on school districts to confirm that every senior applies for aid, opts out, or receives an exemption,” which for this author is a distinction without much of a practicable difference. Colorado, which unsuccessfully offered financial incentives to districts willing to adopt a FAFSA requirement, and Maryland, which “requires school districts to provide their students with information about the FAFSA but does not mandate any student action” are clearly different.

TCF finds that states with mandatory FAFSA policies experienced notable upticks in FAFSA completion in their first year of implementation, a finding also observed by NCAN's previous analyses. The policies were particularly effective in low-income districts and schools with previously low FAFSA completion rates. This is important because, “Across these states, the policy had its greatest impacts on schools where previously most students did not complete the FAFSA, potentially creating new conversations about college that may not have occurred otherwise.”

Although FAFSA completion rates are often (but not always) correlated with community income, TCF further finds that, “In five of the seven states…the gap between high- and low-income districts narrowed after the policy’s implementation or flipped in favor of low-income districts.”

“In five of the seven states…the gap between high- and low-income districts narrowed after the policy’s implementation or flipped in favor of low-income districts.”

The ultimate goal of universal FAFSA policies, however, should not be to inflate FAFSA completion rates, it should be to drive matriculation. TCF’s brief finds that across Louisiana, Illinois, Alabama, Texas, and California, states that implemented a universal FAFSA policy prior to the class of 2024, the number of Pell Grant recipients “after policy enactment, relative to the rest of the nation, ranges from –0.2 percentage points to +6.7 percentage points. Across all five states, this translates to 27,500 new annual Pell Grant recipients over expectation in one year.”

In terms of undergraduate enrollment, TCF finds, “Three states—Louisiana, Illinois, and California—show overperformance relative to the rest of the country of 3.5 percentage points, 3.8 percentage points, and 5.1 percentage points, respectively, while Texas runs roughly equal to the rest of the country and Alabama trailed behind the rest of the country the same year.”

The Education Trust's report begins by lamenting, “Despite the availability of aid, a lack of clear information about the types of aid available and how the financial aid process works, and insufficient advising and guidance on how to navigate the system and pay for college deters many students — particularly those of color and those from low-income backgrounds — from applying for financial aid and enrolling in college.” This is, unfortunately, a truth NCAN members are all too familiar with.

Ed Trust’s report analyzes 14 states with varying approaches to universal FAFSA policies, highlighting that while the core objective remains consistent, the execution differs based on state and regional contexts. Each state’s profile highlights its mechanisms, opt out policies, state grant aid requirements, and whether the state has an alternative to FAFSA that would satisfy the policy. This is an extremely useful reference that documents the state of play and policy as of February 2025.

Sayda Martinez-Alvarado makes the following recommendations to “state legislators and state boards or departments of education”:

1. Publish data on alternative, state-specific financial aid application completion rates
2. Publish data on opt-out rates and track disparities
3. Address the gap between FAFSA submission and completion rates
4. Partner with college access organizations and local colleges and universities to boost FAFSA completion
5. Adopt universal FAFSA policies into statute
6. Make FAFSA information accessible to all families
7. Make FAFSA submission a graduation requirement but allow the school staff members closest to students to waive the requirement

The Education Trust brief comes to the same statistical conclusions as TCF’s: “Universal FAFSA completion policies have played an important role in boosting FAFSA submission and completion rates in the states that have implemented them. Even during the 2024-25 FAFSA cycle, which was riddled with delays, errors, and complications, states with universal FAFSA completion policies experienced a smaller decrease in submission and completion rates compared to the national average.”

These two new offerings from well-regarded policy organizations help to expand our knowledge of if, when, and how these policies make a big difference. The implementation of mandatory/universal FAFSA policies has shown immediate and positive effects on FAFSA completion rates and postsecondary enrollment, particularly among underserved communities. Practitioners and policymakers should consider these findings when designing strategies to improve college access and affordability. By addressing both procedural and perceptual barriers to financial aid, universal FAFSA policies can play a pivotal role in promoting educational opportunity.

Read More:

• NCAN Convening Highlights Urgent Need for Better Postsecondary Data Sharing
• Virginia Focuses Efforts on Pell-Eligible Students
• Announcing NCAN’s 2024 Policy Council

Reading time: Four minutes

Earlier this month, the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) gathered about 60 agency professionals, access practitioners, and advocates from around the country in Dallas, TX. They were there for an important conversation about how to make sure that K-12 districts and schools have the postsecondary outcomes data they need to advise students. NCAN’s core message was clear: states must ensure timely, detailed, and accessible data reaches schools and districts to guide students effectively into post-high school pathways.

NCAN has long advocated for the improved use of data on postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion data in postsecondary advising (a project on that specific topic is what brought me to NCAN back in 2013). Although bright spots have emerged across NCAN’s membership and the country in the intervening period, systematically we have too little access to too little data.

Imagine relying on weather forecasts from three months ago or student report cards from three years prior to make decisions today. The analogy is absurd and intentionally so. It underscores how challenging it is for counselors and educators who often depend on similarly outdated data to guide students’ postsecondary decisions. NCAN member OneGoal very ably made a similar case in a recent piece in The 74.

The convening featured rich discussions on current practices and challenges. Experts like Dr. LeAnn Fong-Batkin (WestEd), Adrienne Fischer (Education Commission of the States), and Nicholas Armit (Michigan CEPI) provided an overview of the current landscape. They highlighted that while some states have built impressive dashboards and reports, many schools and districts still struggle with data that is not actionable, timely, or sufficiently detailed. The presentation from CEPI, which maintains the MISchoolData was particularly helpful in illustrating the realm of the possible to attendees.

The session highlighted a theme that would repeat throughout the convening: “If we build it, they will come” is a myth. Instead, states and agencies must proactively ensure that data doesn’t just exist—it reaches those who need it most in a usable, timely form. That includes being mindful about communications plans and outreach strategies, neither of which are always natural or obvious partners with state data systems (although they should be!).

Kimberly Hanauer, President and CEO of Unlock Education, walked attendees through how they could empower their school districts with postsecondary outcomes data, specifically that available from the National Student Clearinghouse’s StudentTracker service. Her examples included walkthroughs of four data questions:

• Do students of similar academic levels seamlessly enroll at similar rates across all high schools?
• For the students who enroll at their local community college, do dual enrollers persist and graduate at a higher rate?
• Do all students in our “Highly Academically Prepared” category enrollment, persist, and complete at similar levels?
• We have been tracking postsecondary enrollment, which is higher than our peer schools, but want to use the NSC data to understand if they are completing.

One session, “The Human Side of Data Sharing: Relationships Matter,” drove home the critical importance of collaboration. Dr. Matt Berry (KYSTATS), Julie Sainz (Arizona Board of Regents), and Andrea Glenn ( Arizona Department of Education) shared candid stories about overcoming obstacles through relationship-building. Those relationships aren’t just from the state to the districts and schools, either. They exist both across and within state agencies. Dr. Berry’s fervent advice was to make an agency’s legal counsel a full partner in the data sharing efforts; be transparent with them about what you’re trying to do and why and see how they can facilitate the path to that outcome.

Angela Jubinville (Quality Information Partners) presented case studies illustrating how districts have creatively addressed these barriers by engaging stakeholders early and building trust intentionally. QIP is also running a community of practice of state-level K12 postsecondary data users and partners who collaborate to improve pathways for students (it’s free to join).

North Carolina’s Gina Zhang highlighted innovative county attainment profiles, demonstrating how localized data can empower districts to tailor interventions.

A lively discussion on leveraging state-level agreements with the National Student Clearinghouse provided valuable tips for states looking to maximize resources already in place.

Day two expanded the conversation, with Jon Furr (Strada Education Foundation) discussing the Postsecondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) Coalition and CredLens, a forthcoming clearinghouse for tracking nondegree credential outcomes, both of which reminded attendees that meaningful data isn’t just for college-bound students but for all pathways.

Dr. Kate Shirley Akers of the Data Quality Campaign (DQC) and Dr. Fong-Batkin concluded the convening in a panel (moderated by DQC’s Kyle Lachman) on counsel and considerations for the field. They asked attendees to commit to pursuing one of ten state policy recommendations related to state longitudinal data systems. This seems like a good place to highlight the excellent DQC infographic “Grace’s path to success” which is approaching its fifth birthday but is still incredibly relevant about the different data-related leverage points for students’ decision-making.

In closing, NCAN’s convening made one point emphatically clear: outdated, inaccessible data can no longer be the norm. With stronger relationships, proactive approaches, and a collective commitment, states and districts now have clearer pathways, and clearer state-level models, of making postsecondary outcomes data a powerful tool—not just for accountability, but for meaningful incorporation into postsecondary advising that gives students a better chance of connecting with their next, best step. Stay tuned as NCAN continues to highlight success stories from, and opportunities for, the field to expand their use of postsecondary outcomes data.

Read More:

• New NAEP Data Sound Early Warning for Postsecondary Pipeline
• New Study: Universal FAFSA Increased Completion, (Some) Enrollment in Texas
• Freshman Enrollment Grows 5.5% in Fall 2024 in Encouraging, Surprising Change

The Virginia General Assembly originally passed legislation in 2022 (HB30) that allocated $25 million that provided funding to state-supported postsecondary colleges and universities to expand the enrollment, retention, and degree attainment of Pell Grant-eligible students. This funding allocation has now grown to $112 million for their fiscal year 2026 budget. This effort may be in the category of a state having great foresight or an attempt to reduce the amount of Pell Grant dollars not utilized by Virginia students. The National College Attainment Network's (NCAN) “Pell Dollars Left on the Table” report indicates that the Class of 2023 from Virginia left approximately $85 million dollars in Pell dollars unused. On the other hand, Congress had passed in 2020 FAFSA Simplification, which was projected to make more students than ever eligible for the Pell Grant with a new formula. Whichever the case, NCAN applauds what we see as the first statewide effort to attract, keep and graduate Pell-eligible students at several Virginia colleges.

The program is managed by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) along with consultants. It consists of an institutionally based grant program for public four-year colleges and the Virginia Community College System. The program began in the spring of 2023 with the first round of proposals available. As of September 2024, 16 universities and the community college system have received 50 grants totaling over $73 million dollars. Multiple areas of a university are eligible to apply for and receive a grant. The applicants have to conduct a thorough institution-side review of institution rules, policies, procedures, practices and traditions that could be considered barriers to students eligible for a Pell Grant. Grants should look at ways to reduce or eliminate the barriers without causing any issues for the institution.

The fourth round of Call for Proposals is currently available and due January 6, 2025. Institutions can and will receive multiple rounds of funding to carry out the work and grant periods can range from one to four years. An annual report mandated by the legislature is due each October 1 for the duration of the program. The first annual report is available here and contains some incomplete information as the report due date and some Virginia college census dates do not line up. This program was established just prior to what many consider the “FAFSA Debacle” for the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) rollout. We will need to wait until the second report next fall to see the impact of the FAFSA process on Virginia students at these institutions.

One of the activities funded by these grants will support a statewide data-based assessment for adopting and conducting strategies that will increase attendance and completion by Pell Grant students. The report does lay out the challenges of the initial year of implementation such timing of the grants, recruitment cycles, changing student behavior and inadequate timeframe of the work for determining attainment rates. For the current academic year, the FAFSA challenges which led to delayed timelines by colleges, especially for award notifications, presented tremendous obstacles. However, the report does contain short summaries of activities conducted by the awardees that show promise. Activities conducted by these colleges were done in these various areas:

• Building relationships with high schools
• Providing communication strategies for outreach and recruitment activities
• Recognizing the reality of basic needs support
• Providing enhanced administrative and support services
• Fostering a sense of belonging on campus
• Providing financial aid and scholarships

Data being tracked for these reports include the change in Pell-eligible FAFSAs submitted, change in Pell-eligible first-time, full-time students, and the change in the retention gap of non-Pell to Pell eligible cohorts. 

NCAN plans to closely monitor this work in Virginia in an effort to share with our other state partners effective policies and strategies that can increase the recruitment, retainment, and degrees earned by this critical set up students arriving on college campuses.

Read More:

• Announcing NCAN’s 2024 Policy Council
• Alaska's “FAFSA Raffle” Offers Innovative Approach to FAFSA Completion
• NY Adds Universal FAFSA; IN and NH’s Implementation Yielding Gains

Reading time: 18 minutes

The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) is pleased to announce the members of its 2024-2025 national Policy Council. The Policy Council is composed of state policy and advocacy leaders from NCAN member organizations who are working to advance equity and affordability in postsecondary education. The Council meets monthly to discuss policy issues and strategy, and share ideas, resources, and tools. Members serve as thought leaders for NCAN, advising on the organization’s federal and state policy agendas, strategy, and research products. They also surface issues that arise for the students and families their organizations’ serve that may require federal action. In exchange for participation, NCAN provides members of the Policy Council with a scholarship to its national conference, early information about grant programs, and presentations and conversations with researchers and thought leaders in the higher education policy field. NCAN’s Policy Council plays an integral role in its work, helping to keep the organization deeply connected to the needs of students and families as it works to advance policy change that increases equity and excellence in postsecondary degree access and attainment.

Sam Aleinkoff
Founder and Executive Director
College AIM

Sam Aleinikoff began his career in education teaching math at Towers High School (Belvedere Park, GA) in 2011. His students mastered academic content, but too often, they graduated from high school without postsecondary plans. In partnership with school faculty, Aleinikoff founded College AIM in 2013 to help his students forge paths to and through college.

College AIM has now grown to support more than 1,000 students each year. As the Executive Director of the organization, Aleinikoff works with community partners to expand College AIM's reach and direct the vision of the organization. Simultaneously, Aleinikoff leads College AIM's advocacy work and serves as a college advisor for a cohort of students each year. 

Aleinikoff holds a bachelor's degree from Cornell University (Ithaca, NY). He was a 2019 Civic Innovation Resident and 2018 Civic Innovation Fellow at the Center for Civic Innovation, was named to the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Atlanta's 30 under 30 in 2018, was a member of the Class of 2016 with New Leaders Council in Atlanta and was named Towers High School Teacher of the Year in 2016. 

Michael Cheever
Executive Vice President, External Relations
College Success Foundation

Michael Cheever is the Executive Vice President of College Success Foundation (CSF), a nonprofit inspiring youth that are underserved and from low-income backgrounds to finish high school, graduate from college, and be transformational leaders in society. Being first in his family to graduate from college, he is passionate about helping to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty through education.

CSF has supported over 12,000 students to graduate from college, has a staff of nearly 200 operating across multiple regional sites, and supports students on over 150 college campuses nationwide.

Cheever's entire career has been focused on giving back and serving the community. His career started in the US Navy serving overseas in forward deployed positions. He then transitioned to the nonprofit industry focusing on external affairs. Prior to joining CSF, Cheever's career was concentrated on healthcare working for Bloodworks Northwest and UW Medicine.

His expertise areas include campaign fundraising; organizational and strategic planning; analytics; and change management. He regularly consults pro bono to nonprofit organizations helping to design and implement improvement and turnaround strategies.

Will Davies, M.Ed
Director of Policy and Research
Breakthrough Central Texas

Will Davies is an educator, advocate, and researcher based in Austin, TX. He has experience developing and implementing educational programs from one-on-one learning to multi-district initiatives for various ages, languages, subjects, and geographies. As a researcher and advocate, his experiences as a bilingual classroom teacher and college success advisor drive his focus on strengthening access to high-quality educational opportunities for those students and communities least well served by our schools and institutions. In his role as the Associate Director of Policy and Data with Breakthrough Central Texas, a nonprofit serving first-generation college aspirants and their families, he is responsible for the execution of Breakthrough’s policy advocacy activities and the management and analysis of data to improve the organization’s services. Davies also works as a research analyst on the Building a Green Texas Project. The initiative partners with the University of Texas system, Texas school districts, sustainability professionals, municipal governments, and community-based organizations to strengthen climate resiliency by developing green building pipelines and active environmental education for youth from the communities most impacted by climate change but underrepresented in green careers.

Davies earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Philosophy from Boston University (Boston, MA) and a M. Ed. in Education Policy and Planning from the University of Texas at Austin, where he is currently pursuing a PhD in the same department.

Kierstan Dufour
Director of External Training and Partnerships
Woodward Hines Education Foundation

Kierstan Dufour is the Director of External Training & Partnerships for Get2College, a program of the Woodward Hines Education Foundation. She has led the Foundation’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) scaling efforts and created the training/professional development programming in which thousands of Mississippi educators have participated. Her work on this was recently published in the Foundation Review. She also partnered with the Mississippi Department of Education in creating the curriculum, student workbook materials, and Master Teacher of CCR course for the graduation required College and Career Readiness high school class. Dufour serves on several state and national task forces to support college and career readiness.

Dufour earned her BSBA in Marketing from the University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg, MS) and MS in Higher Education Administration from Mississippi College (Clinton, MS). Raised in Kentucky, she came to Mississippi for college and has called it home ever since. Dufour brings a background in college admissions and FAFSA completion to her work supporting the college access landscape of Mississippi.

Jesse Hendrix
Executive Director
College Possible Texas

Jesse Hendrix serves as the Executive Director of College Possible Texas, a vital part of the nationally recognized College Possible network, dedicated to empowering students through near-peer coaching. Under his leadership, College Possible Texas has become a cornerstone in the Texas community, supporting over 5,500 students annually in their pursuit and completion of postsecondary education. Through targeted interventions and personalized coaching, Hendrix and his team are breaking down barriers to college access and success for underserved students, helping to build a more equitable future.

Hendrix has led transformative strategic planning initiatives focused on retention, persistence, and academic progress at both secondary and post-secondary institutions. His previous roles at KIPP Public Schools, Rice University, and Columbia University have equipped him with the expertise to drive impactful change at College Possible Texas.

Hendrix is a proud graduate of Eastern Washington University (Cheney, WA) and Columbia University (New York, NY). His deep commitment to educational equity and student achievement is at the heart of his work, making a significant difference in the lives of thousands of students across Texas.

Olani LaBeaud
Public Policy and Advocacy Associate
BLU Educational Foundation

Olani LaBeaud is the Public Policy & Advocacy Specialist for BLU Educational Foundation, a nonprofit located in California’s Inland Empire, whose mission is to provide educational and human services programming to youth, adults, and organizations in order to build healthy, productive communities.

In her organizational role, LaBeaud analyzes education policy in the inland region and state of California in efforts to educate the community on the advocacy methods and the importance of civic engagement. LaBeaud is a passionate social justice advocate personally and professionally, where she provides education, tools, resources, and direct support to address the systemic barriers regarding College Access, Affordability, and Racial Equity.

LaBeaud graduated from California State University, Northridge, where she earned her B.S. in Political Science - Law and Society and a Minor in Africana Studies.

Cyekeia Lee
Executive Director
Detroit College Access Network (DCAN)

In her role, Cyekeia Lee oversees college access support for over 50 high schools in Detroit (MI). In this role, she brings together school districts, community-based organizations, and workforce partners to make postsecondary pathways a reality for all students. In her most recent position, she was the director of community collaboration for The Kalamazoo Promise, an award-winning initiative that provides up to 100% of tuition and fees for students from Kalamazoo Public Schools at any in-state public community college, or university.

Before her time with the Kalamazoo Promise, Lee was the director of higher education initiatives with the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY), where she worked to streamline higher education access for students experiencing homelessness in 25 states. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti, MI) and a master’s degree in counseling education from Wayne State University (Detroit, MI).

Deborah Martin
Policy Manager
Florida College Access Network (FCAN)

Deborah Martin joined the FCAN in 2021. She analyzes complex education policy in Florida, specifically to inform various stakeholders of the impact legislative actions have on college access and readiness. Her previous experience working for the Florida Legislature, including her knowledge of the legislative process and the intricacies of public policy, support her current work at FCAN.

Martin holds two bachelor's degrees from the University of South Florida - International Studies and Public Health. She is a proud first-generation college graduate, dedicated to assisting others in achieving that same goal through her role at FCAN. Martin is working towards earning a Master’s of Public Administration. 

Marcos Montes
Policy Director and Let's Go Program Manager
SoCalCAN

For the past five years, Marcos Montes has overseen the implementation of SoCalCAN’s policy agenda, student advocacy programs, and Let’s Go To College CA. He graduated in 2018 from California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Law and Society. He is the first in his family to graduate from a university and a proud product of college success programs. Montes brings a wealth of knowledge around student engagement and student advocacy. He served two years as an executive officer of Cal State LA’s student government and one year as Vice President of Legislative Affairs for the Cal State Student Association (CSSA). He received numerous awards commending his work as a student leader including 2017 CSSA Student Advocate of the Year and a State Resolution from the California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon in May 2018. With SoCal CAN, Marcos represents the network in various state and federal policy coalitions. He has led the network's support of dozens of bills successfully signed into law including SoCalCAN's co-sponsored legislation to ban scholarship displacement in California, reform Satisfactory Academic Progress policies, and extend California's priority financial aid deadline due the faulty rollout of the new FAFSA. 

Kim Nauer
Director, Higher Education Affordability Project
Center for New York City Affairs at The New School

Kim Nauer directs the Higher Education Affordability Project at the Center for New York City Affairs at The New School (New York, NY) and is the founder of UnderstandingFAFSAfafsa.org, a web site focused on helping first-generation students and their counselors navigate the FAFSA and financial aid system. Nauer and her student team use design and applied research to develop friendly guides and curriculum materials that strive to explain financial aid in a simple way. Prior to her work on the website, Nauer founded the Center's New York City public education research initiative and published groundbreaking work on chronic absenteeism, school poverty impacts, district management, and college access initiatives.

Bob Obrohta
Executive Director
Tennessee College Access and Success Network

Bob Obrohta is an expert in college access and success for first-generation and/or low-income students. His 35-year career spans being a practitioner for thousands of students directly, as well as designing numerous scholarships and access programs for colleges, organizations, and communities across the country. Bob began in college admissions and financial aid at Beloit College (WI) and ran Beloit’s TRIO Upward Bound program. In Tennessee, his career spans leading the Ayers Foundation Scholars Program, and founding both Oasis College Connection (Nashville), and the Tennessee College Access and Success Network. His commitment to access has helped bring numerous federal, state, and corporate resources to Tennessee communities.

As a first-generation, low-income student student himself, Obrohta is a recipient of the NCAN Executive Leadership Award of Excellence. He has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of St. Francis (Joliet, IL) and is the recipient of its College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Alumni award.  He has a master’s degree in Higher and Adult Continuing Education from Columbia University, Teachers College (New York, NY).

Francesca Perrone
Senior Policy Analyst
Hispanic Federation

Francesca Perrone is a Senior Policy Analyst for Hispanic Federation, working to elevate the needs of the Latino community through policy and advocacy. She is passionate about equitable access to education and seeks to alleviate disparities through evidence-based policies. Perrone has been a strong advocate for the passage of universal FAFSA, using her voice to ensure that more students have access to financial aid, making higher education more accessible to all.

Perrone got her start in policy at New York (NY) Council Member Ben Kallos' Office, where she supported the Legislative Director in identifying critical concerns in the community and crafting solutions to address them. Francesca holds a BA in Political Science from Barnard College of Columbia University, and received her Master's in Public Health from New York University. She is currently enrolled as a part-time evening student at New York Law School, and seeks to bring a legal perspective to her advocacy work. Recently, she was appointed to the New York City Commission on Racial Equity, where she represents Brooklyn and New Yorker’s under the age of 25.

Adam Seidel
Regional Vice President
OneGoal

As Deputy Director of OneGoal Massachusetts, Adam Seidel is responsible for growth, strategy, and operations in the Massachusetts region. This includes expanding OneGoal's impact through our partnerships with schools, districts, and coalitions across the state. Prior to this role, Seidel led all aspects of OneGoal’s program impact in Massachusetts. During this time, OneGoal grew from two districts to 16 and saw OneGoal Fellows enroll in postsecondary at a rate higher than the state average.

Before joining OneGoal, Seidel had nearly two decades of programmatic and operational experience. He served as the Director of Operations at Roxbury (MA) Preparatory High School as well as the Director of Operations and Head of School at Roxbury (MA) Prep Lucy Stone, a five through eight middle school. Seidel previously worked at Common Cents in New York for nine years, where he served in a variety of roles, including National Program Director.

Chandra C. Scott
Executive Director
Alabama Possible

Chandra C. Scott is the Executive Director of Alabama Possible, a non-profit organization headquartered in Birmingham, AL, whose mission since 1993 is to break down barriers to prosperity in Alabama through advocacy, education, and collaboration.

Under her leadership, Alabama Possible convenes statewide and regional networks and leads campaigns as a strategy to increase FAFSA completion and postsecondary enrollment. Alabama Possible also couples advocacy at the Federal and State level with community-level civic engagement to impact policy and practice. In 2021, Alabama Possible was a critical partner in launching the nation’s and Alabama’s first Predominately Black and Historically Black Community College Network along with making applying to over 60 Historically Black Colleges and Universities free for all high school seniors in Alabama.

Prior to joining Alabama Possible, Scott served as the Director of Strategic Outcomes for the Mobile (AL) Area Education Foundation. Chandra received her certification in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from Michigan State University, and a bachelor’s in Chemistry from Xavier University (New Orleans, LA). She completed America’s Promise Alliance’s Data Leadership at Tufts University (Boston, MA).

Korynn Schooley
Vice President, College Access
Achieve Atlanta

Korynn Schooley is responsible for overall strategy and operations of the College Access and Affordability programs. Prior to Achieve Atlanta, Schooley served as Director of School Governance and Flexibility with Fulton County (GA) Schools. In this role, she was responsible for the district’s implementation of the charter system framework. As a Strategic Data Fellow, she worked with school and district leaders on understanding postsecondary metrics and supporting student transitions from high school to college. In that role, she also co-developed a widely recognized summer melt program.

Schooley brings significant education policy and advocacy experience, having served as the Georgia Afterschool Investment Council’s first Policy and Advocacy Manager and as Chief of Staff for Massachusetts State Representative Alice K. Wolf. Schooley graduated from Duke University (Durham, NC) with BAs in Public Policy and Women’s Studies and earned her Masters in Public Policy from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Dr. Jamia Stokes
Vice President of Postsecondary Programs
Tennessee SCORE

Jamia Stokes leads Tennessee SCORE’s postsecondary strategy, relying on her deep experience in higher education to build relationships in the field to ensure all Tennessee students have access to postsecondary opportunities that prepare them for a career. Stokes joined SCORE in 2022 as Senior Director of Postsecondary Pathways. Prior to that, she served as Dean of Student Success at Rhodes College (Memphis, TN), worked as an admissions counselor at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, and held positions at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in career services, teacher education recruitment/retention, academic advising, and student services. She serves on the advisory board for the University of Memphis K-12 Schools and The Schools of Perea, a Memphis public charter school. A Knoxville (TN) native, she is a proud graduate of Tennessee public schools. Stokes earned a Bachelor’s in Communication and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, and holds a PhD in Higher Education Administration from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Chuck Tiernan
Senior Director, Community Connections
Community Foundation of Tampa Bay (CFTB)

Chuck Tiernan has 25 years’ experience in non-profit education leadership, designing and implementing strategies for community and resource development. He joined CFTB in 2016 to lead LEAP Tampa Bay College Access Network, a collaboration of 70+ community partners helping more people attain education and training credentials after high school. Under his leadership, the network was recognized by Lumina Foundation in Indiana as one of just 26 “Talent Hubs” nationwide and in 2021 was named NCAN’s Member of the Year. Tiernan’s role has now broadened to connect the Tampa Bay region to all CFTB’s impact areas, which include college access, affordability, and attainment, as well as early learning and digital inclusion, among others.

A graduate of the Tampa Bay Chamber’s Leadership Tampa Class of 2018, Tiernan previously served as Development Director for Communities In Schools of Washington State, overseeing collaborative resource development and growth for a statewide network of 12 local dropout prevention affiliates. He spent nine years as the Vice President of Institutional Advancement for Renton (WA) Technical College (Renton, WA)RE and was a founder of the Renton Community Foundation, serving 10 years on its inaugural Board. A University of Washington (Seattle, WA) graduate, he holds a Non-Profit Management Certification from the University of Washington – Tacoma, is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), and holds certifications from the University of South Florida’s Muma College of Business for Post-Crisis Leadership and Diversity and Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace.

Anika Van Eaton
Vice President of Policy
uAspire

Anika Van Eaton is Vice President of Policy for uAspire. In this role, she leads uAspire's policy team, providing strategic direction for policy advocacy in California, Massachusetts, and New York, and driving federal policy programs and advocacy goals. Van Eaton has been with uAspire since 2020, when she started as Massachusetts Policy Director.

Before joining uAspire, Van Eaton was research manager for the Boston Private Industry Council, the city's workforce development board, where she researched and wrote college completion studies, as well as managed and analyzed student data to inform program design and policy for high school and college completion initiatives. In California, she served as legislative director for California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, and was a California Executive Fellow. She holds a BA from Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) and an MPA from The George Washington University (Washington, DC).

Kittie Warshawsky
Chief External Affairs Officer
College Now Greater Cleveland

As a critical member of College Now Greater Cleveland’s executive team, Kittie Warshawsky plays critical role in guiding efforts to increase and further all levels of postsecondary educational attainment to further grow talent pipeline, resulting in exponential growth of organization’s annual budget from $5 million to over $40 million in 13 years. She leads a team working closely with CEO, CFO, and CIO to ensure highest standards of financial stewardship, transparency, and excellent governance resulting in organization’s earning a coveted four-star rating from Charity Navigator for the last ten years.

Warshawsky's portfolio of responsibilities has increasingly expanded beyond pure fundraising to include working directly with the 55-person board and staffing three College Now committees: impact (advocacy), executive, and governance. She has worked closely and successfully with colleagues to lead funding efforts for the online mentoring program, which now pairs 1,700 scholarship recipients with 1,700 volunteers, significantly expands an adult learner program, establishes multiple scholarship funds, and creates new funding streams across all service lines.

Warshawsky received her undergraduate degree from Brown University (Providence, RI) and her JD from Georgetown University Law Center (Washington, DC).

Shareea Woods
Director
Texas College Access Network, Educate Texas

Shareea Woods is the Director of the Texas College Access Network (TxCAN). TxCAN convenes Local College Access Networks to facilitate the rapid adoption of promising practices. It also serves as a data hub for college access programs by providing interactive FAFSA dashboards and other benchmarking tools.

Prior to joining the Educate Texas team in 2018, Woods directed the After the Bell Alliance for Dallas Afterschool, advocating for funding and support for expanded, affordable after-school programs. Prior to that, she served as the chief program officer for the Young Women's Preparatory Network, where she helped establish and support public all-girls schools across Texas.

Woods holds a bachelor's in Psychology from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA) and a master’s degree in Public Policy from the Harvard University Kennedy School (Boston, MA). 

Read More:

• Alaska's “FAFSA Raffle” Offers Innovative Approach to FAFSA Completion
• NY Adds Universal FAFSA; IN and NH’s Implementation Yielding Gains
• Minnesota’s Policy Model for Transforming College Enrollment

Reading time: Three minutes

In a novel legislative move, Alaska recently considered a law that would hopefully encourage Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion among students - a “FAFSA raffle.” In recent years, and especially the current one, states have tried all kinds of approaches to get more students to complete the FAFSA, but this initiative would employ a financial incentive not seen in other states. The legislation failed to pass in Alaska’s last legislative session, but the idea is still interesting enough to consider.

The legislation specifically would have amended the state’s gambling definitions to exclude certain activities, thereby clarifying what constitutes legal and illegal gambling. More importantly, it would have carved out an account in the state’s general fund for the “FAFSA Raffle Fund.” This fund would have been managed by the Commissioner of Education and Early Development.

Students who submit their FAFSA during the designated filing period would be automatically entered into the FAFSA raffle. The raffle would feature monthly draws of $1,000, culminating in an annual drawing where five students could have each won $10,000. Under the proposed legislation, a student may not win more than one monthly prize, but monthly prize winners would be eligible to win the $10,000 award.

The FAFSA raffle legislation is designed with dual goals in mind: first, to prompt students to submit their FAFSA applications in a timely manner, thereby maximizing their potential federal financial aid packages; and secondly, to provide a financial boon that can help lessen the economic burdens often associated with higher education. By offering these draws, the state would not only motivate students through immediate financial rewards but also keeps them engaged throughout the academic year.

Innovative Strategy for FAFSA Engagement

This approach by Alaska is notably innovative. Unlike typical state strategies that may include informational campaigns or school-based assistance programs, integrating a raffle could provide a direct, tangible incentive that may appeal particularly to students who might otherwise procrastinate or overlook the importance of the FAFSA. By transforming what is often viewed as a tedious administrative task into a potentially rewarding activity, Alaska could significantly boost its FAFSA completion rates.

Moreover, the public nature of the monthly and annual draws would ensure transparency and would hopefully keep up a steady drumbeat to maintain students’ interest and participation. This transparency, along with the significant reward potential, could serve as a compelling case study for other states considering creative methods to enhance educational outcomes.

A Model for Other States?

Alaska’s FAFSA raffle could very well serve as a model for other states looking to increase FAFSA completion rates. This strategy acknowledges the various socioeconomic factors that influence students’ postsecondary education decisions and provides an actionable, engaging solution. If successful, the FAFSA raffle might inspire similar initiatives across the country, potentially reshaping how states support college-bound students.

The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) will be monitoring to see if the bill fares better in the next legislative session beginning January 2025. If the legislation were to pass, it will be crucial to monitor its effectiveness in improving FAFSA completion rates in Alaska. Equally important will be assessing the broader impacts on students’ educational pursuits and whether the financial incentives have translated into higher college enrollment and retention rates.

Disclosure: ChatGPT-4 was used to generate portions of this blog. The author reviewed, verified, and edited the entirety of the blog.

Read More:

• NY Adds Universal FAFSA; IN and NH’s Implementation Yielding Gains
  
• Minnesota's Policy Model for Transforming College Enrollment
• To Make College Affordable, Increase State Investments in Public Colleges

Reading time: Five minutes

The recent passage of New York’s state budget included the adoption of a statewide universal Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) policy. It's unclear whether the bill goes into effect for the class of 2025 or 2026 (update to follow), but it requires that all students complete either the FAFSA, a Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) application for in-state financial aid, or a waiver. The passage makes New York the 13^th state to pass a universal FAFSA policy (joining Louisiana, Illinois, Alabama, Texas, California, Indiana, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Nebraska, New Jersey, and Kansas).

“Higher education can change people's lives, and we are expanding pathways to college for all New York students,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) said in a press release. “This week, we’re encouraging every student pursing a college degree to fill out the FAFSA as soon as they can to access the financial support available to them.”

The bill substantially resembles its counterparts in other states. Notable features include:

• Codifying student-level FAFSA and TAP data sharing between the state and local education agencies
• The state Commissioner of Education will create and post a uniform waiver form for the purposes of opting out of FAFSA/TAP completion
• In terms of which personnel from a district or school can waive a student out, the legislation is broader than other states’ and specifies “If the local educational agency [emphasis NCAN’s] determines that a student is unable to complete a requirement of this section, such agency shall complete and submit a waiver form on the student's behalf.”
• Local education agencies will be required to “give notice of the requirement to complete a FAFSA, TAP application, and/or waiver” no less than four times for high school seniors and no less than two times for high school juniors. Notably, “Included in such notice shall be an explanation of state-sponsored scholarships and financial aid opportunities.”
• In terms of precluding a student from actually graduating, the legislation is clear: “No penalty. A student who does not fulfill the requirements of this section shall not be penalized or punished on such basis and this section shall not affect a student's ability to graduate.”

“A college education can unlock so many pathways for young people, particularly for low-income students, students from immigrant families, and first-generation students,” said New York State Senator Andrew Gournardes (D), one of the bill’s legislative sponsors, in a press release. “But far too often, the cost of college is a barrier. And even worse: for many students, that cost is a barrier only because they don’t know about aid that can make it affordable… In short, when more students fill out the FAFSA, more students attend college—because they’ve learned they can actually afford it. By ensuring every student has the opportunity to complete the FAFSA, we show them a door to a prosperous future and put them in position to fling it open.”

The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) advocates for universal FAFSA policies to raise both awareness of and access to available financial aid.

NCAN estimates that Pell Grant-eligible seniors from the class of 2023 who did not complete the FAFSA left about $225 million on the table last year. This figure is sizable even in a state with historically strong FAFSA completion performances. The class of 2023 ranked 8^th with 65% of seniors completing a FAFSA by September 30, 2023. This year, the class of 2024 ranks 13^th with 32.2% of seniors completing the FAFSA.

Despite a strong statewide FAFSA completion performance, universal FAFSA can help to address the state’s inequitable FAFSA completion rates across high schools of difference income levels. The charts below show the gap between the state’s low-income and higher-income high schools, which are on either side of 50% of enrolled students being eligible for free- and reduced-price lunch programs. There is also a FAFSA completion gap between high schools enrolling 40+% Black and Latino/a students and those enrolling less than 40% of students from these groups. 

A recent Chalkbeat article highlights the value of universal FAFSA policies to raise awareness among students who might be less likely to know about available financial aid options:

“To Harvey, the proposed law is critical because she saw peers at other schools who were never informed about the FAFSA and missed out on significant financial aid as a result.

‘I know I could have been one of the kids that didn’t have the opportunity to go to college, had I not been told,’ said Harvey, a student advocate with uAspire, an organization that advocates for college access for students from underrepresented communities. ‘There’s a lot of federal aid that gets left behind because students aren’t filling it out.’”

In other universal FAFSA news, Indiana and New Hampshire are both implementing their version of the policy this year for their classes of 2024. Both states’ seniors are putting in strong performances through mid-April.

As NCAN has widely reported, FAFSA completion is down nationally and for every single state, but Indiana and New Hampshire have the smallest year-over-year declines in the number of FAFSAs completed. These states have also seen their statewide FAFSA completion rates benefit from the same increases other states have observed in their policies’ implementation years. For example, through last September 30, New Hampshire and Indiana ranked 29^th and 39^th, respectively, by percent of seniors completing. Through April 12 of this year, the states rank 10^th and 19^th, respectively. These are significant jumps.

In an article in The 74 last week, Brookings Institution’s Brown Center of Education Policy fellow Katharine Meyer makes a valuable case for universal FAFSA policies and their mechanism of action. She noted, “In states where there are mandates or universal FAFSA rules, schools are more likely to integrate support for completion into the school day and create more of a culture around it, leading to a significant increase in filing.”

To keep track of state statuses related to universal FAFSA policies, consult NCAN’s State Policy Levers dashboard.

Have questions about universal FAFSA policies? Are you a researcher interested in engaging with your peers in this research area? Please reach out to me at debaunb@ncan.org - I’d love to hear from you.

Read More:

• Louisiana Board Rescinds State’s Universal FAFSA Policy
• Do Universal FAFSA Policies Prevent High School Graduation?
• Digging Deeper into Universal FAFSA Impacts in Four States

Reading time: Six minutes

As states seek answers to decreasing college enrollments within their public institutions, Minnesota is providing a blueprint for states to follow to try to reverse the trend. For the first time in 10 years, the state has introduced significant reforms to make a postsecondary education more affordable for its residents. These reforms include direct admissions, free college for students from families that earn less than $80,000, and universal FAFSA bill in the works. As state leaders look to find best policy practices to advance equitable postsecondary access, the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) hopes to uplift state policies and models like Minnesota’s that can inform and be replicated throughout the country.

Direct Admissions

Direct Admissions Minnesota informs high school seniors and their parents or guardians of the colleges to which they have received conditional admission based on their academic records through their junior year and projected graduation date. Students then submit free admissions applications for the colleges at which they are interested in attending. The program eliminates the lingering question of “will I get in?” by reminding every student that they are “college material.” What started as a small pilot program in the 2022-23 academic year has flourished into a program that now involves partnerships between 120 high schools and over 50 colleges and universities.

How was it created?

 To implement the program, the Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE) created a K-12 and a Postsecondary Working Group which helped curate partnerships between high schools and in-state public, private, Tribal, two-year, and four-year colleges and universities by identifying target student populations, measures of success, and integrating the Direct Admissions program with existing college preparation activities and admissions processes.

The program asks high schools to complete a Direct Admissions High School Interest Form to notify the OHE of their interest and to then assess their school’s ability to participate. This allows high schools the option to delay their participation until the following year if needed.

On the postsecondary side, the OHE invited public and private non-profit colleges to participate and required them to complete six tasks including waiving all Direct Admissions’ students’ application fees and providing students with information about completing the institution’s application in a timely manner.

Creating strong connections between high schools and postsecondary institutions is something states have been trying to nail down for years. Direct admissions programs like Minnesota’s are great examples of how to bridge two systems that should, yet too often do not, work together.

North Star Promise Program

 The North Star Promise (NSP) Scholarship Program, will cover tuition for students from families that earn less than $80,000 per year. The program is set to begin in the fall of 2024 and continues Minnesota’s desire to create more pathways for eligible state residents to access in-state higher education institutions. The NSP Scholarship Program is a last-dollar program, meaning the scholarship will cover the remaining balance of tuition after all other scholarships and grants are applied. The program makes it easy for students to access financial aid since students who complete the FAFSA or Minnesota Dream Act (Minnesota’s application for undocumented students to access state financial aid) will automatically be considered for the NSP Scholarship.

Where does funding come from?

 Funding for the NSP Scholarship Program comes in the form of an appropriation, pulling from Minnesota’s general fund as noted in HF 2073, a bill passed in the state legislature in 2023 to address declining enrollment across state higher education institutions. While the bill was met with large waves of support in the legislature, it faced criticism as some believed the bill would only lead to higher tuition rates and contribute to rising student debt levels. Nonetheless, the bill prevailed with continued support from the Senate Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and student advocacy groups. In total, the program is estimated to cost the state $117 million in its first year and $49.5 million each year thereafter.

Who will it impact?

The Minnesota Office of Higher Education estimates that the NSP Scholarship will serve between 15,000 to 20,000 students within the first year. The program is open to all who have Minnesota residency status. Students must meet the following additional eligibility requirements:  

• Have a family Adjusted Gross Income* (AGI) as reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Minnesota Dream Act Application below $80,000.
• Attend a Minnesota public higher education institution or Tribal College.
• Not be in default on a state or federal student loan.
• Be enrolled and taking at least one credit.
• Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards.
• Not have already earned a baccalaureate degree (including those earned in a foreign country).
• Be enrolled in a program or course of study that applies to a degree, diploma, or certificate.

We will know more about the initial impacts of the program next year as the Minnesota Office of Higher Education is expected to produce a preliminary report by September 1, 2025.

Universal FAFSA

Universal FAFSA is a policy tool that makes the completion of either the FAFSA, a state-specific financial aid form, or an opt-out form a high school graduation requirement. Minnesota’s version of the universal FAFSA bill was first introduced in the Senate in February 2023 and is still undergoing debate and continued amendments.

Early research from other states shows that these policies are heavily correlated with higher FAFSA completion. Louisiana, California, and Illinois are some of the early adopters of such policies and have seen the positive impact on FAFSA completion rates in numerous FAFSA cycles. Louisiana has closed the gap on completion rates between "low-income" and "high-income" school districts due to its universal FAFSA policy. NCAN will be on the lookout as to whether or not this gap reopens after Louisiana was the first state to rescind its universal FAFSA policy in March 2024.

NCAN does not encourage blanket policy changes without proper implementation support and considerations of the student experience. NCAN recommends several strategies for states, one of which includes providing resources for staff and students alike. Minnesota’s proposed bill allocates funding towards creating resources and training for high school staff to support students in addition to a dedicated outreach plan for families to increase awareness. These are strategies that hope to ease and transition students, families, and staff into the bill’s new expectations. Well-intentioned, and highly researched policies often do not have the expected outcome due to the lack of grassroots input. Implementation support on the ground is imperative, especially for key stakeholders affected by the policy.

Minnesota is one of many states to introduce a universal FAFSA policy to transform their higher education outcomes. Minnesota, however, has proposed a unique model that would look to break down barriers for students at every stage of the admissions process. This particular “three-legged stool” of policies does not currently exist in any other state, although many other states have one or two of the three pieces. In Minnesota, as proposed, direct Admissions introduces students to their in-state college options early in the process, while universal FAFSA pushes students to better understand how much financial aid they could receive, and finally NSP completely changes the affordability picture at the universities to which a student is accepted. The early results of Minnesota’s policies are promising as they break down barriers for post-secondary access for underserved students. NCAN will keep an eye out for future evaluations of these policies’ impacts as well.

Read More:

• To Make College Affordable, Increase State Investments in Public Colleges
• Louisiana Board Rescinds State’s Universal FAFSA Policy
• Announcing NCAN’s NEW State Policy Resource Center

Reading time: Two minutes

Today, the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) is releasing the latest addition to its State Policy Resource Center: a policy brief on the importance of increased state investments in higher education to put college within reach for students from low-income families. This report builds on our state financial aid issue brief series and discusses the need to increase state funding to grow college access and attainment for students from low-income families.

At $108 billion nationally, higher education is the third largest portion of state budgets. While generous, targeted, and transparent state financial aid systems are crucial for college affordability, financial aid makes up only a small portion of state support for higher education. The vast majority, 89%, of state funding for higher education is provided through operational support for public community colleges and B.A.-granting institutions.

Unfortunately, funding for public colleges has not kept pace with inflation. After the Great Recession in 2008, most states cut funding for higher education significantly. 10 years later, state higher education funding nationally was still below pre-recession levels, eclipsing pre-recession levels only in 2022. State disinvestment and resulting tuition increases mean that the proportion of higher education costs borne by students has increased over time. While the average student share of the cost of college was 20.9% in 1980, it was 41.7% by 2022.

The good news here is that is that there is a clear takeaway for NCAN members working at the state level to increase college access and attainment: advocate for more funding for public colleges! Small percentage increases translate to a lot of money!

These investments increase students’ likelihood of attending college and their lifetime earnings after graduation and benefit state economies. Research also demonstrates that state investments are associated with improvements in instructional quality and support services that increase the likelihood that students will graduate, especially at two-year institutions.

This report includes three case studies showing how the policy choices of states of various sizes and from different regions have impacted student outcomes like: enrollment and completion, debt levels, and students’ likelihood of remaining in-state for college and after graduation. Lastly, this brief provides recommendations for policymakers and considerations for advocates when tough choices must be made due to budget constraints.

READ THE REPORT

You can also check out it’s companion reports, our how-to guide on building coalitions, and explore our advocacy resources for learning and inspiration on how you can drive change in your state. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me, Catherine Brown, or NCAN’s Policy Associate, Louisa Woodhouse, for more information or to get involved in our policy and advocacy work.

Read More:

• Announcing NCAN’s NEW State Policy Resource Center
• Announcing the Better FAFSA State Policy Toolkit
• Tools You Can Use: NCAN Releases New State Analyses of Economic Value of College

Reading time: Three minutes

Earlier this month, Louisiana’s Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted to remove Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion as a high school graduation requirement, starting with the high school class of 2025. The move signals the end of a policy which has helped Louisiana stay at the top of the FAFSA completion rankings nationwide for the past six graduating classes.

Louisiana’s “universal FAFSA” policy, the first of its kind in the nation, came online for the high school class of 2018. In the implementation year, FAFSA completion rose in the Bayou State by nearly 26%. The performance set Louisiana at the top of the National College Attainment Network's (NCAN) FAFSA Tracker on June 30 of that year, a title it would retain for five of the past six years as the state dueled with Tennessee for the distinction of having the highest percentage of seniors completing.

Inside Higher Education (IHE) reported various stated reasons for the policy change. Concerns about steering students away from non-college pathways, students and families not understanding the FAFSA process, and the form being too “long, invasive, and…unnecessary” all make appearances.

NCAN CEO Kim Cook told IHE in the same article, “Louisiana’s decision to drop its FAFSA completion requirement will primarily hurt students of color and students living with low incomes in their pursuit of education after high school. This change will inevitably reverse Louisiana’s impressive gains in FAFSA completion and the state’s number-one status in the nation for FAFSA completion among high school seniors.”

The big gains Louisiana realized for its class of 2018 also spurred interest in universal FAFSA policies across the country. More than a dozen states have now implemented or passed similar policies.

"The repeal of this policy is not a good thing. Don't be fooled," advised Mia Gonzales Washington, Director of the New Orleans College and Career Attainment Network, an NCAN member. "Louisiana has consistently been #1 in the nation for FAFSA completions by eligible high school seniors, and we have left billions of dollars *less* on the table than states that don’t have a universal FAFSA policy. Once students realize that postsecondary education can be affordable after they’ve qualified for different types of aid (a lot of it being free money), they’re more likely to enroll in a degree or credential program, which helps the entire community and economy in the long run."

Louisiana’s version of the policy set a high bar with thoughtful and thorough support provided to districts and schools via the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Aid (LOSFA). For example, LOSFA hosts FAFSA completion workshops across the state, runs FAFSA completion community events an block parties, administers a Complete to Compete Portal so that districts and schools can monitor their progress, developed a near-peer FAFSA ambassadors program for high school students, and leads a statewide communications campaign for students and families, among other strategies.

Louisiana’s policy also included an element that has appeared in every other implementation or passage: the ability for a student to waive out of the graduation requirement.

Universal FAFSA policies have demonstrated the ability to drive big gains in FAFSA completion in the states that implement them. Postsecondary enrollment impacts have been more elusive to measure (especially because of the confounding effects of the COVID-19 pandemic), but data from LOSFA show that first-time college students increased following implementation of universal FAFSA (excepting the classes of 2020-22) and graduates for the state’s TOPS scholarships have also increased.

Louisiana currently sits 14^th nationally in terms of its percentage of seniors submitting a FAFSA for the 2024-25 award year. Time will tell if the state’s seniors can climb back up to the lofty heights reached by their predecessors and if future classes will be able to do the same absent a universal FAFSA requirement.

Read More:

• Do Universal FAFSA Policies Prevent High School Graduation?
• Digging Deeper into Universal FAFSA Impacts in Four States
• Four More States Adopt Universal FAFSA; Total Climbs to 12

Reading time: Three minutes

The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) is pleased to unveil its State Policy Resource Center, a one stop shop for policy research, inspiration, and support for organizations working to advance college affordability through state policy. Whether you’re new to advocacy and seeking tips for getting started or a seasoned pro looking for fresh statistics to bolster your case, we’ve got you!

From new state-by-state analyses of the economic impact of college completion to issue briefs on effective state policies, this resource center is designed to accelerate your impact, providing you with materials you can pick up and use in advocacy, and freeing you to spend your limited time on what matters most – building relationships.

This Resource Center pulls together for the first time state-by-state analyses that NCAN has produced annually for many years with new resources. It includes:

• The Growing Gap report - an annual analysis of the gap between the full cost of attendance and the resources available to the average Pell student at each postsecondary institution.
• The FAFSA Tracker - a database of FAFSA completion progress by state, high school, and subgroup, updated weekly.
• Pell Grants Left on the Table - a state-by-state analysis of the amount of money by state that students aren’t capturing by not completing the FAFSA.
• State Policy Levers - a national landscape of key state policy levers for advancing college and career readiness with rankings of each state’s policies on eight key measures.
• Issue Briefs on State Financial Aid - new reports highlighting research on the features of effective state financial aid programs, the cost to students of imposing unnecessary administrative requirements, with tools for auditing your state’s financial aid programs.
• A How-to-Guide on Building Coalitions - tips, templates, and examples from NCAN member organizations across the country.
• Op-Ed Guide - guidance for writing, pitching, and promoting an effective op-ed.
• Lobbying vs. Advocacy - guidance for understanding how and when you can lobby.
• And much more!

This center was built in response to member demand. More than half of respondents reported on NCAN’s last annual membership survey that they are engaged in state policy advocacy and would like more support in this area. With states contributing almost half of higher education funding, state policy offers a powerful opportunity to drive change. We will continue to build this resource as our members continue to drive change, so check back regularly for updates!

If you have any questions, please reach out to one of the following individuals:

Read More:

• Do Universal FAFSA Policies Prevent High School Graduation?
• How Texas’ HB 8 is a Legislative Model for Other States’ Postsecondary Pathways
• Tools You Can Use: NCAN Releases New State Analyses of Economic Value of College

Reading time: Five minutes

Universal FAFSA has become a popular state policy approach for increasing Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion rates across the country. As of January 2, 2024, about a dozen states have passed universal FAFSA policies. Each state’s language differs, but the policy’s general requirement is that high school seniors complete a FAFSA (or state financial aid form equivalent) or submit an opt-out form to receive their high school diploma.

While 11 states have passed universal FAFSA policies, another 13 or so proposed universal FAFSA bills but have been met with pushback that stalled or killed the bills. One concern the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) has heard from universal FAFSA opponents is that the policy could act as a barrier to high school graduation by reducing the number of students who are able to obtain their high school diploma. Even though each universal FAFSA bill that has passed includes an easily obtainable opt-out form that students, parents, and/or school administrators or counselors can complete in lieu of the FAFSA, concerns around high school graduation persist in states considering adopting a similar policy.

NCAN examined state education agencies’ high school graduation rate data around the years of universal FAFSA implementation in Alabama, Illinois, Louisiana, and Texas. The charts below show each state’s data from the years before, during, and, where available, after the implementation of universal FAFSA. The circled data points represent the year when the policy was implemented in each state. We also asked our partners in these states about what they have observed anecdotally regarding graduation rates.

There are two important notes about this analysis. First, while there are more states who have adopted universal FAFSA policies, the policies either have yet to be implemented or have been too recently implemented for us to be able to pull sufficient data. More insight on those states to come! Second, this is a basic look at state-level descriptive data; a deeper analysis by high school demographics or characteristics might reveal something different, and NCAN welcomes those analyses!

So, what do the data tell us about universal FAFSA policies and high school graduation rates? Let’s take a look!

Louisiana

Louisiana was the first state to implement universal FAFSA starting with the class of 2018 and consequently has the most data points before, during, and after implementation. Based on the eight years of data we gathered, Louisiana saw over a 3% increase in high school graduation rates in the first year of implementation. Graduation rates have remained significantly higher than in the years prior to universal FAFSA implementation.

Illinois

After implementing its universal FAFSA policy for the class of 2021, Illinois saw a minimal 1.2% decrease in high school graduation rates. Graduation rates have been steadily increasing since the first year of implementation. Notably, the effects of Illinois’ implementation of universal FAFSA are confounded by the difficulties faced nationwide by the class of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Texas

Since Texas is one of the more recent states to implement universal FAFSA, we only have data from the class of 2022 to understand the effects from the first year of implementation. High school graduation rates dropped a mere 0.3% in the year universal FAFSA was implemented in Texas but were also on the decline previously from the class of 2020 to 2021. This analysis’ limitations do not address whether that 0.3% decline was coincidental with or caused by universal FAFSA.

Alabama

Like Texas, Alabama implemented universal FAFSA for the 2021-2022 academic year, which means we are only able to look at data from the first year of implementation. With just a 0.05% graduation rate increase from the previous year, there was relatively no impact on graduation rates for the class of 2022.

All Together Now!

While the effects of universal FAFSA on high school graduation rates differ across states, the impacts appear quite minimal. Universal FAFSA encourages as many students as possible to become aware of the federal financial aid for which they are eligible to help pay for college. Without this knowledge, many students from low-income backgrounds may perceive accessing a postsecondary education as an unattainable dream.

As many of our readers know, NCAN endorses universal FAFSA with supports. We have identified it as a state policy priority and one of eight college and career readiness policy levers that are a focus of NCAN’s ongoing systems change work.

NCAN’s recommendations to states who are considering universal FAFSA include:

• Require FAFSA completion for high school graduation through legislative or other policy vehicles.
• Include a robust opt-out system for students who are unable to access parental financial information, have undocumented parents, or whose parents allow them to abstain.
• Provide (at minimum) one full FAFSA cycle from the bill passing, or the item being administratively added to a list of requirements before the actual requirement takes effect.
• Make the change administratively if high school graduation requirements do not live in statute.
• If not already in place, build and provide robust training and support through school counselors and/or college access advisers to ensure students are helped through the process.
• Provide regular data-sharing on completion to high schools and community-based organizations to allow for better-targeted FAFSA completion efforts.

NCAN thanks college access leaders in Louisiana, Texas, Illinois, and Alabama for their insight on how universal FAFSA has impacted high school graduation rates in their state. We look forward to continuing to examine this policy from multiple angles and with the addition of new states who adopt and implement universal FAFSA policies.

Read More:

• Florida CAN Considers Universal FAFSA Advocacy, Adoption, Implementation
• Four More States Adopt Universal FAFSA; Total Climbs to 12
• NCAN Testifies on Universal FAFSA to NJ Committee

Postsecondary attainment and expanding the nature and types of pathways available to students is top of the agenda in many statehouses across the United States. In June, Texas’ HB 8 was signed into law. The legislation showcases various programs, initiatives, and an updated funding structure for community colleges. During a fireside chat plenary at NCAN’s national conference in Dallas in October, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Allan Golston and El Paso Community College President Dr. William Serrata focused on this legislation as a driver of considerable change in the Lone Star State. 

The bill is remarkable not just for its provisions but also for its legislative history. In less than four months after it was filed, HB 8 passed unanimously in both the House and Senate and was signed into law. Four months is an extremely quick timeline for a bill to pass in any state, making it an even bigger deal for a state like Texas. 

Don’t have time to read this 56 page-long bill? Check out the highlights below!

Degree Cost and Return on Investment Transparency (Sec. 7.040)

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is required to publicize information comparing higher education institutions. The information includes:

• Benefits of four-year and two-year higher education programs, postsecondary technical education, skilled workforce careers, and career education programs
• Value of a certificate program, associate or baccalaureate degree program
• Texas’ future workforce needs
• Annual starting wage information and educational requirements for the top 25 highest demand jobs in the state
• 40 baccalaureate degree programs with the highest average annual wages following graduation
• 20 associate degree or certificate programs with the highest average annual wages following graduation

Financial Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST) (Sec. 28.0095)

The FAST program will allow eligible high school students to enroll in dual credit courses at no cost. To be eligible for the FAST program, a student must have been “educationally disadvantaged” (defined as “eligible to participate in the national free or reduced-price lunch program”) at any time during the four school years preceding the student’s enrollment in the dual credit course.

Colleges and universities participating in the FAST program will receive funding from TEA in the amount totaling the tuition of each course enrolled by an eligible high school student.

“Texas Direct” Associate Degree (Sec. 61.834)

Texas Direct creates degree pathways between two- and four-year higher education institutions. Business administration, criminal justice, political science, social work, or sociology are the current programs associated with Texas Direct. Students in these programs will be able to transfer their courses upon successful completion of the required curriculum. 

Opportunity High School Diploma (Sec. 45. Chapter 130. Subchapter O)

This program provides adult students who are enrolled in a workforce education program at a public junior college the opportunity to earn a high school diploma. The college will award a high school diploma to students enrolled in a competency-based education program that enables them to demonstrate knowledge equivalent to that required to earn a high school diploma.

New Funding Structure (Sec. 130A.056. Local Share. Subchapter C.)

Texas’ previous funding model awarded community colleges based on contact hours (the number of hours academic or technical instruction is scheduled for students) and success points, a form of outcome-based funding. Success points were formerly determined by college readiness, first college-level course, progress to credential, credential awarded, and transfer. This model disadvantaged community colleges serving higher populations of first-generation students, economically or academically disadvantaged students, English language learners, and/or students over the age of 24.

The new model adjusts for these inequities and considers whether a community college serves less than 5,000 full-time students as well as students who are 25 years of age or older, economically disadvantaged, and/or academically disadvantaged. 

While the new funding model is still performance-based, it has been adjusted to better align with local and state workforce needs. See the measurable outcomes considered for performance tier funding below:

• Number of credentials of value awarded (determined by the costs of the credential and associated wages)
• Number of students who earn at least 15 semester credit hours and:
  • Transfer to a four-year college; or
  • Are enrolled in a structured co-enrollment program
• Number of students who complete a sequence of at least 15 semester credit hours for dual credit or dual enrollment courses that apply toward academic or workforce program requirements

According to the Chair of the Texas Commission on Community College Finance (TxCCF), Woody L. Hunt, “Texas’s community colleges enroll and serve almost half of all students pursuing postsecondary education” in the state. HB 8 is a giant step toward more equitably funding community colleges and adequately serving students from various economical and educational backgrounds.

NCAN will continue to highlight legislation from across the country that states might consider adopting or adapting to their own postsecondary pathway needs. We’ll be watching closely to see how the implementation of HB 8 serves Texas’ students as they work toward increasing postsecondary attainment rates. 

• Tools You Can Use: NCAN Releases New State Analyses of Economic Value of College - National College Attainment Network
• State Economic Value of College Profiles
• Use These Policy Levers to Change College and Career Readiness

Reading time: Four minutes

Have you ever advocated for more financial aid and been met with skepticism? Have you ever had a policymaker ask you whether college is worth it at all? If so, you’re not alone. Research shows that the public is growing increasingly skeptical about the value of a college degree, which is contributing to a decline in the proportion of students pursuing college after high school. A recent study found that 70% of young adults without college degrees considered higher education a “questionable investment.” While the pandemic no doubt contributed to those trends, that’s not the whole story. There’s a brewing backlash against college in some corners of the country, and it could have long-term ramifications for our nation.

NCAN members and partners understand that higher education leads to economic mobility for individuals and families and that investing in higher education drives economic gains for communities, states, and the United States as a whole. But what, exactly, is the value for each state, in strictly economic terms, of making college more accessible? That’s what we set out to learn in this new analysis we’re releasing today. The result of our four-month partnership with Recon Insight Group is a set of state cards that make a clear case that investing in college pays off – not just for the people who pursue and attain a degree, but for the taxpayers and residents of the state doing the investing.

Our new state profiles show the economic benefit of additional postsecondary graduates in each state. This research bolsters advocacy efforts aimed at reducing the cost of college by quantifying the long-term gains to state economies of producing more postsecondary graduates. Put simply, these state cards allow NCAN members to say precisely how many more jobs are created, how much the state GDP grows, and more, for each additional college graduate (defined as someone with an associate or bachelor’s degree.)

While the effect of higher education on individual earnings has been well-documented, this analysis looks at the economic value for states of investing in postsecondary education. For each state, the analysis quantifies the economic contributions per postsecondary graduate on a broad range of metrics, including:

• Contributions to a state’s GDP, both annually and over their lifetime
• The creation of supportive jobs as a result of the employment of each postsecondary graduate
• Increased spending on housing, and higher home values for residents and taxpayers
• Expansion of the state tax base
• Increased spending on auto and transportation costs, compared to those without postsecondary education

These metrics demonstrate that when students can afford college, state economies benefit. In a broad variety of areas, including housing, transportation, and the job market, the new state profiles provide further evidence of the widespread economic value of education beyond high school – and particularly, how state economies benefit from additional postsecondary graduates.

Our analysis suggests that investing in college can dramatically strengthen a state's economy:

• In Texas, each additional postsecondary graduate expands the tax base by $7,361 on average, which is greater than graduates in any other state.
• In Georgia, postsecondary graduates contribute an average of $164,154 more to the state GDP each year, compared to those with no college degree.
• In Illinois, home values of postsecondary graduates are $123,316 higher, on average, compared to the home values of those with only a high school diploma.
• Automotive and transportation spending increases by over $4,000 in California and New York for those with postsecondary degrees.

Our findings show that the attainment of higher education is also beneficial for job creation in each state, as individuals in managerial roles often rely on supporting staff to do their jobs efficiently and effectively. In Florida, the average employment of postsecondary graduates leads to the creation of almost seven supporting occupations.

Significant economic benefits aren’t confined to one state or region. Our findings highlight bolstered economic activity, tax base expansion, and increased spending in all states, as a result of education beyond a high school diploma.

This research underscores the critical role of postsecondary education as a driver of economic activity across the country. In each state, postsecondary graduates contribute more to the GDP, expand the tax base, and spend more on housing and transportation than those with no postsecondary education. This research adds compelling evidence of the pivotal role of higher education in fueling robust economic prosperity at the state level. When college is within reach for students, states win, too.

The economic value state profiles can be found here. Questions about the research can be directed to Catherine Brown, Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy, at brownc@ncan.org or Louisa Woodhouse, Policy Associate, at woodhouse@ncan.org.

Read More:

• Announcing the Better FAFSA State Policy Toolkit
• You, Yes YOU, Can Change State Policy with These Five Strategies
• The Growing Gap: Public Higher Education's Lack of Affordability for Pell Grant Recipients