Bill Overview
Title: College Completion Fund Act of 2022
Description: 2022 This bill establishes a grant program for participating public institutions of higher education to provide student support services to increase participation, retention, and completion rates of students from low-income backgrounds, historically underrepresented students, first-generation college enrollees, parenting students, students with disabilities, and student veterans.
Sponsors: Rep. Stansbury, Melanie Ann [D-NM-1]
Target Audience
Population: People impacted by the College Completion Fund Act of 2022
Estimated Size: 5000000
- The bill targets public institutions of higher education, suggesting a focus on individuals attending or planning to attend such institutions.
- The target population includes students from low-income backgrounds, which make up a significant portion of college students globally and especially in certain regions.
- Historically underrepresented students likely include various ethnic, racial, and cultural groups that have been shown to face higher barriers in educational attainment.
- First-generation college enrollees are students whose parents did not attend college, a group known to face unique challenges in navigating higher education.
- Parenting students require additional support to balance family responsibilities with academic demands.
- Students with disabilities face numerous accessibility challenges that this bill aims to mitigate.
- Student veterans are a distinct group grappling with the transition from military to civilian life and may experience unique educational challenges.
Reasoning
- The policy targets a wide variety of underserved college populations in the U.S., suggesting it would not apply equally to all college students. Impacts will vary significantly based on individual circumstances, such as whether they attend public institutions or fall into a targeted group like first-generation students.
- The overall budget indicates a broad but not unlimited reach; thus impacts might phase in over several years depending on funding allocation and the readiness of institutions to implement programs.
- The College Completion Fund Act could lead to significant long-term benefits for disadvantaged students, but immediate gains may be less pronounced due to the complexities of systemic change.
- For each simulated interview, considerations include the likelihood of the person's direct interaction with programs and services funded by the act, alongside their current circumstances.
- We assume a diversity of outcomes, recognizing that some students might experience substantial improvements in their subjective well-being, while others might perceive little immediate change or long-term benefit.
Simulated Interviews
Full-time student (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 19 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I worry a lot about balancing my coursework and part-time job.
- Financial aid helps, but sometimes it's not enough to cover everything.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Part-time student, part-time worker (Detroit, MI)
Age: 25 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Transitioning to civilian life and school is tough, I could use more guidance.
- Support services stand out as the biggest potential help.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Mother and student (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 31 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Juggling schooling and parenting wears on me; extra support would be life-changing.
- Financial constraints are my biggest stressor.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Full-time student (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 22 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 12.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Accessibility improvements could make a big difference.
- Support for STEM subjects is vital for diversity in the field.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Part-time student, part-time employee (Houston, TX)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Cultural and financial support feels limited in the current setting.
- The policy sounds promising if implemented well.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Full-time student (New York, NY)
Age: 20 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Despite challenges, I am optimistic about using new resources.
- It's hard to concentrate without enough support services right now.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Returning student (Miami, FL)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Returning to school is daunting; any additional resources will help.
- Balancing study, work, and home life is stressful.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Full-time student (Chicago, IL)
Age: 24 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Navigating educational benefits is hard without guidance.
- Programs designed to ease this would greatly benefit veterans like me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Part-time student (Seattle, WA)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 12.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Juggling work and education is taxing without adequate support.
- Better representation and resources could really improve student outcomes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Full-time student, part-time consultant (Boston, MA)
Age: 33 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I face physical and logistical challenges accessing education.
- Support aimed at removing these barriers would be crucial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $300000000 (Low: $250000000, High: $350000000)
Year 2: $320000000 (Low: $270000000, High: $370000000)
Year 3: $340000000 (Low: $290000000, High: $390000000)
Year 5: $370000000 (Low: $320000000, High: $420000000)
Year 10: $400000000 (Low: $350000000, High: $450000000)
Year 100: $450000000 (Low: $400000000, High: $500000000)
Key Considerations
- Programs targeting historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged groups often face challenges in outreach and program delivery.
- Ensuring equitable distribution of resources across public institutions is critical.
- Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms need to be robust to track the effectiveness of retention and completion efforts.