The outcomes states gain from investing in postsecondary financial aid programs remain hotly debated, leading to great interest in developing programs that are both cost-effective and productive in helping states meet goals. In the 2012-13 academic year, states collectively provided approximately $11.2 billion in financial aid to students enrolled…

Many states are experimenting with mechanisms for making college more affordable while maintaining quality and access. This report examines promising or innovative state programs to improve college affordability and credential attainment. Many of these approaches show innovative thinking and bear watching to see if they result in meaningful…

This document comprises a report on the architectural elements of choice in the desegregation process, a review of the choice process based on Minnesota's experience, and a statement of implications for state policymakers. The following organizational principles of the choice process are discussed: (1) enrollment based on a "first come, first…

Initial studies of school choice in Massachusetts have concentrated on the mechanics of the program, but this report examines why parents choose school choice. A survey of Massachusetts families participating in school choice was completed by 826 families (return rate of 41.8%), representing 987 choice students, or about 23.5% of the estimated…

Background information and a status report are provided on the first-year activities of the Transfer Center Pilot Program, an intersegmental cooperative effort among the California Community Colleges, the California State University, the University of California, and independent colleges and universities in California to increase the transfer rate…

Public "schools of choice" refers to a new trend in educational policy that involves various forms of competition and choice. The initiatives of individual states range from authorizing magnet schools to allowing parents to send children to neighboring school districts. What these programs have in common is that parents, as consumers of…

In 1996, many states took action to give parents greater control over the education of their children. Many local school boards adopted initiatives to give parents educational choice and the ability to use vouchers to help pay tuition costs at schools of their choice. Over 200 new charter schools opened in 17 states, and an additional 6 states and…

This report presents an analysis of the school choice movement throughout the United States, and a state-by-state analysis that provides snapshots of each state's progress toward school choice and charter schools. The Children's Scholarship Fund found that 1.25 million low-income parents would take advantage of scholarships that would allow their…

Background information and a status report are provided on the second-year activities of the Transfer Center Pilot Program (TCPP). The TCPP was initiated in 1985 to further intersegmental efforts to stimulate the number and percent of community college students who transfer to four-year institutions. The TCCP operates through highly visible…

In compliance with The Master Plan for Higher Education (1985) and Senate Bill 121 (1991), which both establish transfer as a priority for California's colleges and universities, the California Community Colleges (CCC) and the University of California (UC) adopted a collective mission. To provide access and opportunity for students, CCC and UC…

A synthesis is provided of the information collected between September 1984 and April 1985 by Operational Program Review (OPR) teams regarding 22 California community college Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) programs. Chapter 1 explains the purposes and evaluation methods of OPRs, and outlines the general characteristics of the…

This monograph analyzes trends in American educational philosophy and history in its proposal to implement an all-public statewide school voucher system. Following an introduction, section 1, "Alternative Voucher Systems," discusses three concepts: universal unregulated vouchers, favored by Milton Friedman; regulated compensatory…

This six-part evaluative report describes and assesses three projects, funded by the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, designed to facilitate the transition of low-income, minority, and handicapped students from two- to four-year colleges. Part One provides information on the legislative mandate and goals for the…