Reducing burdens in state financial aid

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Abstract

Disparities in college opportunities among lower-income individuals are partially attributable to the complexity of the college-going process, including financial aid systems (Hemelt & Marcotte, 2016; Ray et al., 2021). While financial aid helps offset college costs, administrative burdens, defined as frictions people encounter when trying to learn about and access government programs (Herd & Moynihan, 2019), prevent many eligible students from receiving aid (Kofoed, 2017; Page & Scott-Clayton, 2016). College costs coupled with administrative burdens create systemic barriers to college opportunity for low-income students (Rosinger, Meyer, & Wang, 2021). Some states have recognized financial aid application complexity undermines those programs’ goals, and have advanced policies to smooth processes. In Washington state, recent legislation grants automatic eligibility for the state college grant based on SNAP receipt without needing to apply for financial aid. The legislation makes Washington the first state to link financial aid application and eligibility to receipt of SNAP and other food assistance programs. This policy streamlines the college-going process by letting lower-income students know early that they are eligible for free public college tuition.

Illinois is another state that has taken recent steps to help students navigate the college-going process. The state includes FAFSA completion as a high school graduation requirement, and the Illinois legislature is currently considering two pieces of legislation that would provide additional support for this effort: a FAFSA completion contact at each public high school, and a designated time during the school day for FAFSA completion. The state has also designed a framework that has been implemented statewide to support students through the college and career planning process, beginning in middle school.

This roundtable will include perspectives from academic researchers and state financial aid commission staff and will explore (a) how state leaders think about state financial aid program design and other financial aid related support programs and (b) how policy research can inform program design to ensure financial aid reaches students most in need of support.

The roundtable will be moderated by Dr. Katharine Meyer, Fellow at the Brookings Institution. Dr. Meyer has expertise in state financial aid policy and intervention and policy strategies to smooth burdens. Dr. Blake H. Heller, Assistant Professor, University of Houston, will discuss his experiences evaluating the Indiana 21st Century Scholars state promise program, as well as his experience as a middle school teacher in Indiana helping students navigate signing up for the scholarship. Dr. Kelly Rosinger, Associate Professor, Penn State University, will provide an overview of state financial aid efforts and the types of burdens that students and their families face accessing and maintaining state financial aid. Dr. Daniel Oliver, director of research at the Washington Student Achievement Council will discuss recent efforts in Washington state to link free public college tuition to SNAP and other food assistance program participation. Jacqueline Moreno, Chief Service Officer at the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, will share information about two potential pieces of legislation in Illinois state that would offer students additional supports to navigate the complexities of paying for college.

Policy Area

• Education

Secondary Policy Area

• Poverty and Income Policy

Moderator

• Katharine Meyer, Brookings Institution

Organizer

• Katharine Meyer, Brookings Institution

Speakers

• Kelly Rosinger, Pennsylvania State University

• Blake H Heller, University of Houston

• Daniel Oliver, WA Student Achievement Council