Discusses federal student financial aid, focusing on direct grant aid programs that serve needy students attending community colleges. Presents recent data showing that lower-income students attending community colleges are likely to receive less direct grant aid than those attending for-profit proprietary two-year institutions. (Contains 26…

This report uses government data to review current, past, and proposed tax-based policies and programs to promote college affordability as well as need-based grant aid. Tax-incentive-based programs include savings bonds for education, employer-provided educational assistance, state college savings plans, deductibility of student loan interest,…

Congressional debate over modification and reform of Title IV, Student Assistance of the Higher Education Act of 1965 is discussed. The 1965 Congressional hearings on the 1965 Act, up for reauthorization in September 1979, are expected to continue into 1980 before Congress finally approves a bill. Title IV implements the federal philosophy that no…

Recent developments on the topic of Guaranteed Student Loan defaults are summarized, in light of a recent shift in the focus of default reduction efforts from loan originators to the schools themselves. Background information on recent default reports is provided, the recommendations of the Secretary of Education are discussed, and the legislative…

Describes how demographics, social, and economic forces of the 1990s altered the higher education operating environment. Provides policy context to examine the emergence of enrollment management in response to these forces. Improved economic conditions at the close of the 1990s presents institutions and lawmakers with opportunity to reform past…

The Guaranteed Student Loan (GSL) program's current operations, legislative history, and growth are reviewed, along with research needs. GSLs are made by lenders to college students, and the federal government guarantees them and provides incentive payments to lenders and subsidy payments on behalf of students until loan repayment begins. Today,…

A review of the literature on the impact of student financial aid on its stated goals of student access, choice, and retention concludes that its principal objectives are being accomplished. Further research is recommended, to be funded in part by a portion of the public aid allocated for financial aid. (MSE)

The Illinois Community College System Performance Report for Fiscal Year 2006 provides comparative accountability information built around the priorities of Illinois higher education. The Performance Report is structured around the policy areas in the Board of Higher Education's "Illinois Commitment" and the complementary pledges of the…

The Performance Report is an accountability initiative addressing important indicators and outcome measures that are built around the Policy Areas from the Illinois Board of Higher Educations' Illinois Commitment. The Illinois Commitment was developed based on the premise that higher education must be part of the process of providing a foundation…

This paper analyzes three higher education grant programs in South Dakota: the Indian Education Grant; the Student Incentive Grant (SIG); and the Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG). The Indian Education Grant was created in 1949 by the legislature to provide 30 higher education scholarships for Indians. Since its inception, the Indian Education…

The purposes and known effects of student financial aid programs in U.S. higher education are reviewed. The rationale for the creation of federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs is considered, including state grant and scholarship programs, independent college programs, work-study programs, special purpose programs, and private…

The nature of the changes in the patterns of financing and control of higher education systems which have been observed in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries over the last decade are discussed. In particular, the report analyzes the links between expenditure patterns, costs and efficiency in higher education…

Several new efforts by campuses to initiate educational information services designed to assist prospective students with making choices about schools and programs are reviewed to illustrate the diverse form they might take. (AF)

Student loan alternatives for states, educational institutions, and others who may be facing recent or anticipated reductions in federal aid are considered. Attention is focused on short-run possibilities that require relatively little or no modification of existing federal statutes. Considerations in developing loan alternatives include the…

Numerous issues and questions related to the adult, part-time student are addressed in this research review, especially as they pertain to the community college. The paper begins by comparing the demographic characteristics of adult learners and non-learners and then points to several sub-populations which might be better served by the community…