YouthBuild is a pre-apprenticeship program to expand postsecondary opportunities for those without high school diplomas. The program serves 5,000 youth across 40 states.v

Washington, D.C

The College and Career Readiness Evaluation Consortium is a collaboration of 28 GEAR UP grantees across 630 middle and high schools interested in understanding the impact of interventions.¹³⁰

Washington, D.C

Lawmakers established a congressional caucus focused on predominantly Black institutions to educate policymakers on the important role these institutions play in serving low-income, first-generation, and minority students.¹²⁵

Washington, D.C

Recent changes to gainful employment regulations ensure that 32,000 federally supported career training programs require graduates to have an affordable level of debt and receive an earnings premium to qualify for federal financial aid.¹²⁴

Washington, D.C

The former Leveraging Educational Assistance Program can serve as a blueprint to develop a strong federal-state partnership that expands access to underrepresented and low-income students.¹²³

Washington, D.C

Since 2009, the Internal Revenue Servicedata retrieval matchprocess has improved, reducing both the number of FAFSA questions students and parents must complete and the burden of providing verification of eligibility.¹¹⁵

Washington, D.C

The U.S. Department of Education updated its student loan management provisions to increase the accountability of servicers, allow borrowers to access their loans through a centralized website, and reduce disruptions from account transfers.¹¹³ This is especially important to ensure Black borrowers, half of whom report that their loan debt is more than their net worth, can access repayment benefits.¹¹⁴

Washington, D.C

The recent overhaul of the FAFSA application streamlines the process and expands access to Pell Grants, starting with the 2024−25 application.¹¹¹ As Black learners are more likely to receive the Pell Grant, these improvements are critical.¹¹²

Washington, D.C

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