Educational Resource Equity

K-12 schools and institutions of higher education both face challenges and inequities in funding. As appropriate levels of funding in education are essential to a high-quality system, the Higher Education Policy team is highlighting the need for appropriate investments and equity in funding systems so that schools, students, and colleges and universities receive the resources they need to provide a high-quality, affordable education.

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Funding for Federal Student Aid: A Defining Moment for Higher Education Programs Testimony

Funding for Federal Student Aid: A Defining Moment for Higher Education Programs

Jared C. Bass, senior director for Higher Education at the Center for American Progress, testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education on the importance of funding for the Office of Federal Student Aid.

Jared C. Bass

For Native Americans, Tribal Colleges Tackle the ‘Present-Day Work of Our Ancestors’ Article
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona  delivers the commencement address at Salish Kootenai College.

For Native Americans, Tribal Colleges Tackle the ‘Present-Day Work of Our Ancestors’

In the first installment in a series on Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), the Center for American Progress and American Indian College Fund explore the essential role TCUs play in their communities and why investing in them should be a priority for policymakers.

Marcella Bombardieri, Dina M. Horwedel

American Rescue Plan Could Help Prevent State Public Higher Education Cuts Report
President Joe Biden speaks from the State Dining Room at the White House following the passage of the American Rescue Plan in the U.S. Senate, March 6, 2021, in Washington. (Getty/Samuel Corum)

American Rescue Plan Could Help Prevent State Public Higher Education Cuts

States cut funding for public higher education by $1.9 billion this year; they must take advantage of state and local aid in the latest stimulus bill to avoid budget cuts next year.

Victoria Yuen

The State of Higher Education Spending From the CARES Act
University students walk across their school's campus in Columbia, South Carolina, on September 3, 2020. (Getty/Sean Rayford)

The State of Higher Education Spending From the CARES Act

While students have received most of the emergency funds set aside for them, institutions must spend down funds from other sources.

Marshall Anthony Jr., Marissa Alayna Navarro

Hispanic-Serving Institutions Need $1 Billion More in Federal Funding Article
Students participate in a graduation ceremony in Pasadena, California, June 14, 2019. (Getty/AFP/Robyn Beck)

Hispanic-Serving Institutions Need $1 Billion More in Federal Funding

Congress should invest $1 billion in Hispanic-serving institutions to improve racial equity and payoff for a fast-growing population.

Viviann Anguiano, Marissa Alayna Navarro

The $78 Billion Reason Why Community Colleges Need America’s Attention Video

The $78 Billion Reason Why Community Colleges Need America’s Attention

Nationally, community colleges receive $78 billion less in revenue than public four-year institutions, leading to disparate outcomes among their student populations.

Victoria Yuen, Viviann Anguiano

The $78 Billion Community College Funding Shortfall Report
FREDERICK, MD - OCTOBER 6: Students study and eat in the student center at Frederick Community College, on October 6, 2015 in Frederick, Maryland. About 16,000 students of all ages attend college at FCC. Tuition and fees are about half of what they are at four-year public colleges in Maryland. Financial aid options help make learning more accessible for all students. People living in this small city have a median income a bit above the national median. Its homeownership rate is a bit below average. (Photo by Melanie Stetson Freeman/The Christian Science Monitor via Getty Images)

The $78 Billion Community College Funding Shortfall

A closer look at the revenue gaps between community colleges and public four-year institutions reveals significant inequities and underscores the need for reform.

Victoria Yuen

A Better Formula for Higher Education’s Federal Coronavirus Funding Report
 (Two students move out of their campus dorms at a university in Michigan following World Health Organization guidance during the coronavirus pandemic, March 2020.)

A Better Formula for Higher Education’s Federal Coronavirus Funding

This issue brief provides options for ensuring that the formula for distributing relief funds to colleges does a better job of prioritizing those who need them most.

Ben Miller

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