Expand Financial Aid and Other Supports
Many adults cannot afford to return to school due to financial constraints, in part because most federal and state financial aid is restricted to traditional, full-time students in higher education.[i]
What Can Policymakers Do?
State policymakers can expand eligibility for state financial aid to include students who are:
- Enrolled part-time
- Without a high-school degree or GED
- In developmental and non-credit training tied to certificates/degrees
- In training providing fractional credit or short modules
- Need to combine state need-based aid and Pell Grants -- up to the full cost of attendance
Georgia and Washington provide financial aid to students who exhibit many of these characterisics.
-
Georgia’s Hope Grants provide aid to post-secondary students pursuing adult education, but not necessarily seeking a diploma. These grants are available to students enrolled less than half time.[ii]
-
Washington State’s Opportunity Grants
provide similar assistance, and are targeted toward training related to high-demand jobs. These grants fund tuition, books, tools, and supplies, and includes an allocation for the educational institution to provide student support services.[iii]
[i]
Amy Ellen Duke and Julie Strawn, 2008. "Overcoming Obstacles, Optimizing Opportunities: State Policies to Increase Postsecondary Attainment for Low-Skilled Adults," Breaking Through: Helping Low-Skilled Adults Enter and Succeed in College and Careers. Boston, MA : Jobs for the Future
[ii]
Duke, Amy-Ellen, Karin Martinson, and Julie Strawn. 2006. “Wising Up: How Government Can Partner with Business to Increase Skills and Advance Low-Wage Workers.” Washington, DC: Center for Law and Social Policy
[iii]
Kaz, David. 2007. “Legislation Affecting Employment and Training for Low-Income State Residents: Brief on the 2007 Washington State Legislative Session.” Seattle, WA: Seattle Jobs Initiative.