Bill Overview
Title: Federal Work-Study Improvement Act
Description: This bill reauthorizes through FY2028 and otherwise revises the Federal Work-Study Program, including by removing a provision that prohibits a participating institution of higher education from using more than 25% of program funds for wages for students employed with private for-profit organizations.
Sponsors: Rep. Keller, Fred [R-PA-12]
Target Audience
Population: Students participating in Federal Work-Study programs
Estimated Size: 1500000
- The Federal Work-Study Program primarily affects college and university students who are enrolled and eligible for financial aid.
- The program provides part-time jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses.
- Changes in the program could impact the number of students who have access to work-study positions and the type of employers that can offer these positions.
Reasoning
- The primary population affected by this policy are students currently in or eligible for the Federal Work-Study Program, mostly low to middle-income students who require financial aid to support their education.
- The program changes might expand the number of job opportunities and allow students to work in more varied industries, which could align better with their career goals, thus potentially improving their wellbeing.
- The policy does not directly provide additional funds to the students but changes the allocation processes, potentially affecting private sector involvement and improving employment options.
- Given the target is for students potentially across all higher education institutions in the U.S., the policy impact is fairly targeted, affecting a significant yet very specific segment of the population (approximately 1.5 million in the U.S.).
- Since the policy does not increase the budget significantly, the wellbeing improvement is more likely subtle, possibly manifesting in greater job satisfaction or better career preparedness.
Simulated Interviews
College student (Boston, MA)
Age: 19 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope the policy allows me to work with tech companies related to my field.
- It would be great if I can earn more without affecting my studies too much.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
College student (Chicago, IL)
Age: 21 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Opening up work-study to private companies could give me better internship opportunities.
- I wish it helps improve options in entrepreneurship or startups.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Graduate student (Seattle, WA)
Age: 24 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- More options could align perfectly with my career goals in healthcare.
- I hope it maximizes job relevance rather than just any part-time opportunity.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Part-time graduate student (New York, NY)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't think this policy will change my situation much unless it offers broader work-study programs for students in employment.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
College student (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope it means more job stability throughout my final year at university.
- Depending on private jobs due to the changes seems risky.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 3 |
College student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 20 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The change is promising if it lets me explore tech jobs complementing my computer science degree.
- I wish they also raised the budget to allow higher pay.
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 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Graduate student (Austin, TX)
Age: 23 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Finding policy-related work under study programs would be a dream.
- I hope they also consider non-profit sector expansion.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
College student (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 21 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope it lets me work directly with firms related to my career path.
- I'd prefer the choice of potential internships versus random job assignments.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Working professional (Miami, FL)
Age: 26 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think removing caps will help more students like me who need work-study flexibility.
- I'm skeptical about increased private sector involvement without checks.
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 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Freshman in college (Raleigh, NC)
Age: 18 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If this opens up healthcare roles, it would be very positive.
- I'm worried about any potential reduction in the number of available slots overall.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $600000000 (Low: $550000000, High: $650000000)
Year 2: $615000000 (Low: $565000000, High: $665000000)
Year 3: $630000000 (Low: $580000000, High: $680000000)
Year 5: $660000000 (Low: $610000000, High: $710000000)
Year 10: $730000000 (Low: $680000000, High: $780000000)
Year 100: $1500000000 (Low: $1450000000, High: $1550000000)
Key Considerations
- Impact on the allocation of existing funds across different types of employers, potentially impacting the types of jobs available to students.
- The program's expansion could necessitate increased administrative oversight to manage funds adequately and prevent misuse.
- Potential bureaucratic challenges in revising guidelines for universities and private employers.