Financial Aid Policies as Catalysts for Equity and Access in Higher Education: A Comparative Analysis of the United States and Canada

• In Event: Poster Group 6
  In Poster Session: Financial Aid Policies as Catalysts for Equity and Access in Higher Education: A Comparative Analysis of the United States and Canada

Proposal

Purpose and Research Questions
Financial aid policies in higher education play a crucial role in shaping access and opportunity for historically underrepresented students, making it a pivotal domain where protest and collective action can drive change. Financial aid policies have the power to serve as public acts that can transform educational landscapes and create equitable and inclusive futures. This study employs international comparative research to examine how activism and advocacy have historically impacted financial aid policies in the United States (US) and Canada to challenge prevailing disparities in access and equity in higher education in both systems.
The following questions guide this study: 1) How do financial aid policies in the US and Canada conceptualize education as a right and facilitate access to higher education, and how have these policies been shaped by historical instances of protest and collective action? 2) What are the key distinctions in the design and implementation of financial aid policies in the US and Canada, and how has activism and advocacy influenced these policies over time? 3) How can the conceptualization of financial aid policies as forms of protest and advocacy inform strategies to promote equitable and inclusive educational opportunities for underrepresented students?
Drawing upon theoretical frameworks of critical theory and post-structuralism, this research aims to jointly consider the dominant role of the state and the potential agency of policy actors at the micro-level (Yorke & Vidovich, 2016) on the impact financial aid policies to address systemic barriers and promote educational opportunities for underrepresented students.

Methodology
This research employs a systematic literature review and environmental scan of scholarly works, government reports, and advocacy documents to comprehend the evolution and current state of financial aid policy in the US and Canada published since 1950. This study applies document, discourse, and policy analysis on collected literature to examine existing conceptual models and theoretical perspectives on the role of financial aid in shaping access and affordability in higher education through a comparative lens. This analysis synthesizes existing conceptual models and theoretical perspectives on the role of financial aid in shaping access and affordability in HE through a comparative lens. By contextualizing the financial aid systems in the US and Canada within their distinct historical, political, and socioeconomic contexts, the research seeks to uncover the unique challenges faced by students in each country, and the ways in which protest and advocacy have influenced policy development.

Significance and Implications
By examining historical instances of protest and advocacy related to financial aid policies, this study illustrates how student-led movements, social justice activists, and educational advocates have mobilized to effect positive change in the US and Canada. This conceptual research aims to illustrate the potential of financial aid policies as drivers of change in education, and how they can be optimized to foster more inclusive and just educational futures. The findings of this study aim to inform policymakers, educators, and activists on innovative strategies to enhance federal, provincial/stage, and institutional financial aid systems and promote equitable access to higher education.

Author

• Margaret de Leon, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto