The Impact of State and Institutional Financial Aid on Undocumented Students’ Persistence and Success in Texas

• In Event: Undocumented Students and Access to Postsecondary Education: Reviewing Policy Research and Setting the Research Agenda

Abstract

Purpose
This study investigates the impact of financial aid in the persistence (i.e., semester-to-semester enrollment) and success (graduation or certificate attainment) of undergraduate undocumented students at public higher education institutions in Texas, with a focus on community colleges. By utilizing a quantitative, longitudinal approach, the study also investigates the differences and similarities between institution type (i.e., four- and two-year); undocumented students and other students of color; and amount and type of aid (i.e., grants, scholarships, and loans).

Framework
This study utilizes a synthesis of two conceptual frameworks: Chen’s (2008) and Crisp and Nora’s (2010) conceptual models regarding persistence. Chen’s (2008) framework is used to study the interaction of student background, educational aspiration, pre-college preparation, financial factors, college experiences, institutional characteristics, and time in college on student departure behavior. Crisp and Nora (2010) use an integrated framework to study persistence, degree/certificate attainment, and transfer decisions of Latina/o community college students. The authors present the following dependent variables: demographic, precollege experience, socio-cultural, college academic experiences, and environmental pull factors. Student outcomes are measured as success in the second year (persistence) and success in the third year (degree attainment or transfer).

Methods
This study employs a logistic regression model, a preferred statistical tool for persistence (see Crisp & Nora, 2010; Chen, 2008; Dowd & Coury, 2006; etc.), success (Crisp & Nora, 2010; Dowd & Coury, 2006) and large datasets (St. John, et al., 2005; Dowd & Coury, 2006). The conceptual model uses a dummy coding of persistence or dropout and success or not is used for predicted variables. It is a multivariate logistic regression, using three covariates: academic preparation, individual characteristic, and financial aid variables.

Data
This study uses public higher education data provided by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The data is from an integrated database of multiple databases, including enrollment, graduation, and financial aid from 2001 to the present. Only one study has been published using this data (Flores, 2010).

Anticipated Results
It is expected that aid has a positive impact on persistence and success of undocumented students, with a higher impact on persistence as in other studies (Crisp & Nora, 2010; Adelman, 2006). Undocumented students will likely have similar persistence and success rates as their Latina/o peers, when controlling for demographic and educational factors. Finally, I expect female undocumented students to have higher levels of persistence and success as a result of aid, due to differences in educational and social expectations of female students.

Significance
This study evaluates if Texas has seen a return on its educational investment of undocumented students in higher education. It challenges the traditional cost-benefit analysis of financial aid policy via concepts of human capital, biopower, and transformative resistance. It informs policymakers, researchers, and educators of the impact of investing in financial aid for marginalized populations and challenges policies that deny undocumented students access to education through attrition, push-out policies, and state and institutional bans.

Author

• Angelica Aguilar, The University of Texas - Austin