Resources

Higher Learning Advocates’ federal policy resources include the most current data on adult students, parenting students, college affordability, equity, and more. Our work has resulted in positive change for today’s students, including access to discounted broadband for Pell students, the establishment of emergency aid funds, and increased financial aid for parenting students.

Today's Students Deserve Their Fair (Data) Share

Today's Students Deserve Their Fair (Data) Share

Introduction Postsecondary credentials are a good investment for individuals, families, and communities. Yet college tuition and fees have increased at a much faster rate than financial aid. As college costs continue to rise, along with food and housing prices caused by inflation, students still need to meet the most basic necessities of living. But meeting…
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Short-Term Pell: Expanding Opportunity and Widening Pathways for Today's Students

Short-Term Pell: Expanding Opportunity and Widening Pathways for Today's Students

Introduction For over 50 years, the Pell Grant, a cornerstone of federal financial aid for today’s students, has supported millions in accessing higher education. In the 2021-22 academic year alone, 6.1 million students utilized the Pell Grant to take one step closer to reaching their educational and career goals. As the cost of postsecondary education…
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The Numbers Speak for Themselves: Using FAFSA Data to Secure Today's Students' Basic Needs

The Numbers Speak for Themselves: Using FAFSA Data to Secure Today's Students' Basic Needs

Numbers Speak Basic needs insecurity adversely affects students’ well-being, as well as their college persistence and completion. Research shows that food and housing insecurity are contributing factors to lower graduation rates. Higher education funding alone is not enough to meet those needs. One solution is to ensure students access all available financial support, including means…
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Back to Basics: Solving Today’s Students’ Food, Housing, and Basic Needs Insecurities

Back to Basics: Solving Today’s Students’ Food, Housing, and Basic Needs Insecurities

The Basic Facts on Unmet Essential Needs A recent study found that three in five college students experienced insecurity in meeting their basic needs, such as housing and food. However, many federal safety net policies designed to support Americans in need were not created with today’s postsecondary students in mind.   Research now shows today’s…
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101: Single Moms in Higher Education

101: Single Moms in Higher Education

101: Single Moms in Higher Education We met Kimberly Salazar, a single mother of a 5-year-old, last year during Higher Learning Advocates’ National Student Parent Month Fireside Chat. A first-generation student at University of California, Berkeley, and 4.0 GPA sociology major, Salazar was accepted into her school’s honors program for seniors. She also represents one…
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Satisfactory Academic Progress: Making Financial Aid Work for Today’s Students

A satisfactory academic progress, or SAP, reset can make college more affordable for low-income Americans, especially the 39 million with some college and no credential (SCNC) population. Higher Learning Advocates’ analyzed how in a new higher education policy brief, Satisfactory Academic Progress: Making Financial Aid Work for Today’s Students. In the brief, we highlight how…
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How Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) Can Benefit Today’s Students

Higher Learning Advocates’ Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) Backgrounder offers an expert analysis that examines the roots of CPL and a 50-state table based on a nationwide review of CPL laws and legislation. Drawing on lessons learned from institutions nationwide, the policy paper puts forward three actionable recommendations for Congress that would allow today’s students…
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Recommendations to Assess Low-Value Postsecondary Programs

Today, Higher Learning Advocates submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) in response to its request for information (RFI) to assess the financial value of postsecondary programs. Today’s students deserve a system that produces the financial outcomes that matter to them: high-quality learning and programs that lead to timely completion and prepare students…
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State Profiles

State profiles feature key data points, visual infographics, and brief explanations of all 50 states, and are a quick and easy resource for policymakers, analysts and media.

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