Intro Opportunity for Higher Education in a Perfect Storm The Inter-Ivy, First Generation College Student Network Brown University Providence, Rhode Island February 28, 2015 Tom Mortenson Senior Scholar, The Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education Higher Education Policy Analyst, Postsecondary Education OPPORTUNITY
The Perfect Storm Reality versus Policy Demographics Labor Markets State Policy Choices Federal Policy Choices Consequences for (some) students Is this class warfare?
The Perfect Storm Realities: Stages of economic development: Primary: agriculture, natural resources Secondary: manufacturing Tertiary: human capital Dynamic demography Shrinking white/growing minority populations Growing shares of poor children in K-12 and higher education Aging population, living longer Globalization
The Perfect Storm Federal policy choices: Progressive policy era: 1862 to : Morrill Land Grant Act 1895: Second Morrill Land Grant Act 1944: Servicemen’s Readjustment Act 1957: National Defense Education Act 1965: Higher Education Act 1972: Pell Grant program 1978: Middle Income Student Assistance Act Regressive policy era: 1980 to present 1981, 1982, 1994: Pell Grant maximum award reduced 1987: Federal aid moves away from need-based grants Aging population, living longer
The Perfect Storm State policy choices: Progressive policy era: to 1980 Universal K-12 education State teachers’ colleges Junior colleges Need-based grant aid Increased funding efforts for higher education Regressive policy era: 1980 to present Cutbacks in state appropriations efforts Colleges and universities raise tuition charges to students Growth in merit based scholarship programs
The Perfect Storm Institutional policy choices: Progressive policy era: to 1980 Universal K-12 education State teachers’ colleges Junior colleges Need-based grant aid Increased funding efforts for higher education Regressive policy era: 1980 to present Enrollment management Prestige race (U.S. News) Revenue replacement: full pay versus institutional aid, non- residents versus state residents Research versus instruction in public 4-year institutions
The Perfect Storm Reality versus Policy Demographics Labor Markets State Policy Choices Federal Policy Choices Consequences for (some) students Is this class warfare?
K-12 School Lunch Program
Low Income Student Shares of Total
The Perfect Storm Reality versus Policy Demographics Labor Markets State Policy Choices Federal Policy Choices Consequences for (some) students Is this class warfare?
The Perfect Storm Reality versus Policy Demographics Labor Markets State Policy Choices Federal Policy Choices Consequences for (some) students Is this class warfare?
Need-Based Grant Share of State Student Financial Aid
The Perfect Storm Reality versus Policy Demographics Labor Markets State Policy Choices Federal Policy Choices Consequences for (some) students Is this class warfare?
Need-Based Share of Federal Student Financial Aid
Purchasing Power of Pell Grant
The Perfect Storm Reality versus Policy Demographics Labor Markets State Policy Choices Federal Policy Choices Consequences for (some) students Is this class warfare?
Pell Grant Shares in 4-Year & 2- Year
Tertiary Type-A Degree Attain yr olds OECD 2003
Projected Tertiary Type-A Degree attain OECD 2020
The Perfect Storm Reality versus Policy Demographics Labor Markets State Policy Choices Federal Policy Choices Consequences for (some) students Is this class warfare?
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Financial Need Analysis Model Cost of Attendance Tuition and fees Room and board Books and supplies Personal and medical care Transportation Less: Expected family contribution Income and assets Family size Number of children enrolled in college Equals: Financial need Gift aid: grants, scholarships, waivers Earnings from work/study Education loans: subsidized/unsubsidized Stafford, PLUS Federal tax credits
Financial Resources & Barriers
Mean Unmet Financial Need by Quartiles
Mean Student W/L Burden
Mean Net Price to Family
Mean Net to Family as a % of Parents’ Income