Public university systems are collaborating to improve credential completion and social mobility by addressing several key imperatives, including equity and learning. The initiative is seeking to shift to a student-centric focus and share ways to teach students by recognizing individual learning and social-emotional needs and advancing equity in academic and experiential curricula.⁹⁹

Twelve states across the nation, from nearly all regions and regardless of political party control, have enacted FAFSA completion policies to require or encourage high school seniors to file the form.⁶⁰ Most states have developed a multipronged effort with statewide outreach, student support, K−12 training, data sharing, and highlighted best practices.

Texas leveraged its state-funded work-study program to create a mentorship program to improve completion and career readiness.⁹⁵

Austin, Texas

Tennessee created a statewide mentoring program for financial aid recipients. Volunteers support students with navigating enrollment and meeting Promise program requirements.⁹⁴

Nashville, Tennessee

New York funds higher education adult opportunity programs and training centers, which focus on GED preparation, job training, etc.⁹³

Albany, New York

Kentucky commissioned a study of dual credit outcomes and found participating students were more likely to persist, achieve higher grade point averages, and be college-ready. However, students of color were less likely to participate in the program.⁹²

Frankfort, Kentucky

Indiana created the “You Can. Go Back.” campaign to reach former students and offer support to complete what they started.⁹¹

Indianapolis, Indiana

Idaho does not make high school graduates apply to public higher education. It uses its integrated data systems to proactively admit them to public institutions.⁹¹

Boise, Idaho

Oregon created an advisory group composed of members of the Black community that developed a statewide education plan for Black learners from early childhood through postsecondary education.⁷²

Salem, Oregon

California authorized:

• A cradle-to-career, consumer-facing longitudinal data system. A diverse group of community leaders, educators, and researchers is developing the data infrastructure.⁷⁰

• Community colleges to include prison course costs in their standard budgets and use the universal fee waiver.⁸⁸ The participation and performance of incarcerated students are strong. This is a critical strategy, because 28.5% of the state’s male incarcerated individuals are African American.⁸⁹

Sacramento, California

Washington has:

• A need-based grant entitlement program that covers short-term credentials and degrees, serves low- and middle income students, and provides generous award amounts.⁶⁴

• Invested $22 million to create community partnerships supporting underrepresented students to expand enrollment and credential completion.73 In addition, the state established a permanent legislative committee the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee to recommend strategies to state education agencies and develop policy reforms.⁷⁴

• Enacted legislation creating a permanent faculty professional development program focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism. In addition, the Washington community college system created a college faculty consortium that is working to change teaching and writing assessments to be free of negative racial biases.⁹⁸

• A large technology employers that supported a tax for businesses that rely on employees with advanced degrees to partially fund the statewide guaranteed financial aid program.¹⁴⁸

Olympia, Washington

New Jersey has:

• Created an online navigation tool to connect college students to basic needs resources.

• Enacted legislation to protect students from tuition increases deemed unreasonably high, based on anticipated wages and the ability to repay. Agencies are required to develop minimum performance standards for short term career programs.⁷¹

Trenton, New Jersey

Minnesota offers comprehensive investments to address affordability. In addition to a robust need-based aid program, the state invested in housing, emergency aid, student parents, and student hunger programs.⁶²

Saint Paul, Minnesota

Louisiana implemented outcomes-based funding in 2010 and has incorporated student-centered adjustments into the model. Institutions that improve credential completion among underrepresented minority (URM) students and achieve URM enrollments above the state average are compensated to provide them with additional capacity to improve outcomes.⁶¹

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Illinois has enacted legislation to establish a public university funding model that is grounded in equity and adequacy. The statutory charge calls for a data-driven approach that adequately, equitably, and stably funds public universities, including a direction to remediate disparities in access, affordability, and completion for underrepresented students.⁵⁹

Springfield, Illinois