Browsing by Author "Perna, Laura W."

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    2018 Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the United States: Historical Trend Report
    Cahalan, Margaret; Perna, Laura W.; Yamashita, Mika; Wright, Jeremy; Santillan, S. (The Pell Institute, 2018)
    This report aims to point out the status of higher education equity in the United States and identify changes over time in measures of equity, identify policies and practices that promote and hinder progress, and illustrate the need for increased support of policies, programs, and practices that not only improve overall attainment in higher education but also create greater equity in higher education opportunity and outcomes.
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    "2019 Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the United States: Historical Trend Report"
    Cahalan, Margaret; Perna, Laura W.; Yamashita, Mika; Wright-Kim, Jeremy; Jiang, Nathan (The Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education, 2019)
    This report aims to highlight the status of higher education equity in the United States, identify changes over time in measures of equity, identify policies and practices that promote and hinder progress, and emphasize the need for increased support of policies, programs, and practices that improve higher education attainment outcomes and create equity. The report presents data from as far back as comparable data permits, often reaching as far back as 1970.
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    How Federal Policymakers Should Address the Student Debt Crisis
    Perna, Laura W. (Scholars Strategy Network, 2017-10-16)
    The number of 18 to 24-year-olds enrolled in college increases each year as greater emphasis continues to be placed on higher education. To pay for college, many students take out loans. In 2012, two-thirds of the seniors graduating with a bachelor’s degree from a public, four-year institution had taken out loans – up from the 62% with loans in 2008 and the 46% in 1993. Americans seem to take it for granted that college students can and should use loans to pay at least some of the costs of higher education – and loans do seem to work for students who borrow a reasonable amount, complete their degree programs, and obtain the high-paying jobs. This report suggests how federal policymakers should address the student debt crisis.
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    Is a College Promise Program an Effective Use of Resources? Understanding the Implications of Program Design and Resource Investments for Equity and Efficiency
    Perna, Laura W.; Wright-Kim, Jeremy; Leigh, Elaine W. (SAGE, 2020-10-19)
    Also known as “free tuition,” college promise programs are emerging across the United States as a potential mechanism for improving college access and affordability, Whether these initiatives are an effective use of resources depends on whether programs advance societal goals for equity and efficiency. Although some emerging research explores the role of program design, few studies have probed how program design and resource investments influence program outcomes, efficiency, and equity. To address this knowledge gap, this study draws on case studies of programs that offer free tuition to attend four community colleges. Findings illustrate how program outcomes, efficiency, and equity may be influenced by the criteria used to determine program eligibility and the resources invested in the financial award and other program components. We hope the findings are useful to policymakers and institutional leaders, as they strive to allocate resources to advance both efficiency and equity.
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    Renewing the Promise: State Policies to Improve Higher Education Performance
    Finney, Joni E.; Perna, Laura W.; Callan, Patrick M. (University of Pennsylvania Institute for Research on Higher Education, 2014-02-01)
    Renewing the Promise: State Policies to Improve Higher Education Performance summarizes the findings from a study that sought to understand how public policy explains the collective performance of higher education institutions in five states— Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Texas, and Washington—that have similar challenges as other states, such as the need to increase educational attainment and close persistent gaps in opportunity by race, ethnicity, income, and geography. The study reviewed state higher education performance and policies from the early 1990s through approximately 2010, including policies and statutes related to higher education finance, accountability, structure, and governance. We augmented our review of state policies and data by interviewing political, business, and higher education leaders in each state.
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    Retaining Minority Students in Higher Education
    Scott Swail, Watson; Redd, Kenneth E.; Perna, Laura W. (Educational Policy Institute, 2003-01-01)
    This report was intended as a reference for key stakeholders regarding the realities of, and strategies for student retention. The authors hope that it will serve as a “compass” for those charged with the complex task of improving retention at their campus. More specifically, this reader details the findings of three levels of research. The first was an exhaustive review of the literature on the issues that affect retention of minority and underrepresented students in postsecondary education. Updating a previous study of minority-student retention in the mid-1990s by Swail (1995), this review looked at more recent issues facing underrepresented students in the college pipeline. Second, the team analyzed a number of databases to look for enrollment, persistence, and completion trends of students of color at U.S. colleges and universities. The authors also examined pre and post-college issues, such as preparation and employment. Finally, investigators conducted a series of focus groups and interviews with campus leaders and practitioners about current practice and their perspectives on how our nation’s campuses are dealing with the student retention problem.