This policy paper estimates the short-run economic effects of the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP), Michigan's state-funded preschool program for 4-year-olds. The paper considers 15year effects on state residents' per capita incomes due to impacts on employment rates and real wages, as well as cost-savings from free preschool and fiscal…

Apprenticeship training is strongly developed in Switzerland. During the COVID-19 pandemic, training firms however faced severe difficulties and many decided not to (or were unable to) hire apprentices. To minimize negative consequences, authorities from the canton of Geneva introduced a series of measures to support the creation of apprenticeship…

Public higher education in the United States (US) is funded through two primary forms: one is through state higher education appropriation funds, and the other is student financial aid that is directly given to students. Increasing postsecondary full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment and graduation rate are becoming a crucial economic priority in…

This study examined budgets for public school districts in New Jersey, changes in state aid allocation for schools following the implementation of New Jersey Senate Bill S-2 (S-2), and student academic performance based on standardized assessments. This study examined changes in student academic performance due to the implementation of S-2. This…

Performance-funding for higher education diffused across the U.S. following the Great Recession that led to funding cuts for the system. Postsecondary funding never returned to pre-Recession levels, and public colleges are held to higher expectations even as the funding they might use to meet these expectations has diminished. This is a challenge…

This paper assesses equality in Irish post-primary education, focusing on the provision of state-funded education and specifically on the provision of schools not segregated by religion, gender, or the charging of fees. Using the concept of the educational landscape, it integrates a macro-micro perspective that combines an analysis of national…

Prior research has found that public investments in North Carolina's pre-kindergarten program--NC Pre-K--generated positive effects on student reading and math achievement through eighth grade (Bai et al., 2020). This study examined whether the effect of NC Pre-K funding exposure is moderated by the educational environments children subsequently…

The Illinois Evidence-Based Funding for Student Success Act (EBF), a comprehensive overhaul of the state's school funding formula, was signed into law in August 2017. The Act requires an overall increase of more than $7 billion in state education aid and sets 2027 as the deadline to reach full funding of the EBF formula. The Act also sets $350…

Between 2017 and 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court examined three cases that involved states that tried to limit the use of public money to support religious-affiliated schools. The Supreme Court found a violation of the Free Exercise Clause in all three cases. Although not the focus of the Court's opinions, these cases may have created avenues for…

Background: Publicly funded four-year-old preschool (or 4K) programs have expanded over the past several decades (Friedman-Krauss et al. 2021). Many high-quality preschool programs lead to gains in academic and social skills for students (Cascio and Schanzenbach 2013; Gormley and Gayer 2005; Weiland and Yoshikawa 2013; Wong et al. 2008),…

25 states have introduced programs that offer a tuition-free pathway to degrees or credentials to a substantial portion of their residents. Today's statewide "Promise" programs vary widely in terms of their scope, their generosity, and how they function. As a result, states like Michigan that are considering introducing or expanding…

This research builds a narrative of a nationwide study on tuition waiver and tuition assistance programs. The authors administered a survey to long-standing and newly implemented tuition waiver programs within universities that identified limitations and opportunities. The purpose of this study is to highlight the varied approaches to…

Get A Skill, Get A Job, Get Ahead (G3) is a state-funded last-dollar scholarship program for students enrolling in eligible associate degree, certificate, and noncredit occupational training programs in the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) in five high-demand fields: early childhood education, healthcare, information technology, public…

The aim of this dissertation is to inform policy makers when designing and making decisions on performance measure and performance-based funding models. While performance measures are designed to incent and inform college efforts to increase levels of student success, many of the models unfairly assess college outcomes and fund based on those…

The investigators conducted a qualitative study with state administrators and policymakers about the financing and policies that structure public systems of care for children with complex behavioral healthcare needs. The objective was to characterize diverse strategies states employed to enhance funding for, access to, and quality and…