TICAS is committed to advocating for every student regardless of race, ethnicity, or family wealth, to have access to a quality higher education program without the need to incur debt to realize their dreams of earning a college credential.
We envision a national higher education system where students can successfully complete a college credential with confidence that their education will afford them a pathway toward economic mobility and financial sustainability.
Below, is a list of TICAS’ latest analyses intended to foster conversation around strengthening our nation’s higher education system, reducing the burden of student debt, and closing longstanding racial and economic equity gaps in college enrollment and completion rates.
Contact: Chris Lechuga, clechuga@ticas.org.
Series of Papers | Paving the Path to Debt-Free College
TICAS commissioned leading academics to write a series of papers to inform the policy conversation about how to implement effective, equitable, and sustainable solutions to the college affordability crisis. Collectively, the papers outline the current college financing landscape, discuss potential policy options for reducing reliance on debt, and examine specific components that could be addressed as part of a larger federal-state funding partnership to achieve debt-free college for all.
Report | Centering Race in Defining and Measuring College Value
Current assessments of college value fall short of centering race in its measurements by ignoring the unique economic conditions students of color face. To support ongoing advocacy for equitable investments in both students of color and institutions serving the largest shares of racially marginalized students, in its latest analysis, The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) introduces a new metric, Race and Economic Mobility (REM), which captures economic outcomes by institutions’ composition of racially marginalized students.
Brief | Potential Effects of a High School Earnings Threshold
Since taking office, the Biden administration has moved to restore GE. The administration’s recently presented proposal would create an earnings threshold metric to complement the 2014 rule’s debt-to-earnings metric and set a new GE rule. TICAS’ brief models how the proposed threshold would potentially affect GE programs. Findings show that for-profit institutions would operate the largest share of failing GE programs.
Brief | Investing Equitably in California’s College Affordability
In a joint report, The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) and The Education Trust-West urge California lawmakers to keep their promise in ensuring educational equity for BIPOC students and students with the greatest need by investing in Cal Grant Reform starting in the 2023-24 state budget.
Fact Sheet | How Student Debt Relief Impacts Michiganders
On August 24, 2022, President Biden announced that his administration would be cancelling $10,000 – $20,000 of student debt for middle- and lower-income borrowers. Naturally, this announcement has unleashed a wave of follow-up questions among borrowers. This fact sheet is intended to help Michiganders with student loans navigate the process of determining their eligibility and understanding the program.
Brief | Scaling Comprehensive Student Supports
In response to low completion rates, City Colleges of Chicago partnered with One Million Degrees (OMD) to overcome barriers to student enrollment and retention. The partnership resulted in the expansion of wraparound services such as academic and career advising, scholarships, mentoring, and navigational guidance for City Colleges’ students. TICAS’ analysis provides key insights on OMD and City Colleges of Chicago’s partnership and offers recommendations for institutions, states, and higher education leaders on how they can scale comprehensive approaches to student success programs and increase degree attainment and enrollment rates in an equitable way.
Report | Reimagining SNAP to Improve Postsecondary Education Access and Completion
In its first analysis focused on student basic needs and anti-poverty, TICAS details the disconnect between higher education access and SNAP eligibility requirements and provides policy solutions to help improve pathways that lead to economic security.
See more of TICAS’ work on anti-poverty & student basic needs.
