Bill Overview
Title: Earl N. Williams, Sr., First Chance Act
Description: This bill expands the TRIO Student Support Services Program to include grants to students at institutions of higher education for basic and emergency supplemental living assistance.
Sponsors: Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7]
Target Audience
Population: Students at institutions of higher education eligible for TRIO Student Support Services
Estimated Size: 2000000
- The bill affects students at institutions of higher education.
- It specifically targets students who are eligible for TRIO Student Support Services.
- The TRIO programs typically serve first-generation college students, low-income individuals, and students with disabilities in the United States.
- There are millions of students at higher education institutions across the United States, but only a fraction are eligible for TRIO services.
- The number of students who would need or qualify for emergency supplemental living assistance would be a subset of those already in TRIO programs.
Reasoning
- The budget limits the number of students who can be helped. With a budget of $1.5 billion in the first year, even modest grants to students for emergency aid can only cover a certain number of students. Assuming an average grant of $3,000 per student, this allows approximately 500,000 students to be reached in the first year.
- Since the bill is specific to TRIO-eligible students, the subjective wellbeing improvements will only be noted in this group. The broader population of higher education students will not be directly impacted.
- TRIO programs traditionally cater to underrepresented groups, so the simulated population should include first-generation students, low-income, and students with disabilities.
- The impact of emergency supplemental living assistance is potentially high for those who depend on financial stability to continue their education uninterrupted.
- This simulation considers both the immediate and longer-term impacts of the policy, acknowledging that the policy can have compounding positive effects over time as financial stress reduces.
Simulated Interviews
Undergraduate student (Chicago, Illinois)
Age: 20 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The new grants could help me spend less time at my job and more on my studies.
- Living in a big city is expensive, and any extra support would ease my financial worries.
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 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Full-time student and part-time waiter (Houston, Texas)
Age: 21 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy would mean I don’t have to worry so much about rent when tips are bad.
- I could focus more on my engineering classes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 6 |
Student, graduate level (Boston, Massachusetts)
Age: 23 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Graduate school is tough financially, and every bit of help counts.
- These grants could help me cover health-related expenses.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Undergraduate student (Los Angeles, California)
Age: 19 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think the additional support for those who need it is great, but it won’t affect me personally.
- I'm fortunate to have my needs met.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Senior student (Atlanta, Georgia)
Age: 22 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If I qualify, this extra money means I can save for unexpected expenses.
- Helping students in emergencies is crucial for graduation rates.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Student, works part-time (Phoenix, Arizona)
Age: 21 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- These funds could reduce loans I need and make life less uncertain.
- Sometimes basic needs are sacrificed to afford tuition.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
First-year student (Detroit, Michigan)
Age: 20 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I wouldn't have to choose between groceries and textbooks.
- This is exactly what students like me need.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Graduate student and father (Portland, Oregon)
Age: 24 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Any assistance would directly help my family’s wellbeing and reduce stress.
- It might mean I can reduce my working hours.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Undergraduate student, caregiver at home (Miami, Florida)
Age: 22 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The grants would ease my biggest stress of not having enough for emergencies.
- It's an important initiative.
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 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Returning student (Seattle, Washington)
Age: 27 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Access to grants would make returning to school more manageable.
- It could lessen the burden of having to work full time while studying.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1500000000 (Low: $1200000000, High: $1800000000)
Year 2: $1500000000 (Low: $1200000000, High: $1800000000)
Year 3: $1500000000 (Low: $1200000000, High: $1800000000)
Year 5: $1500000000 (Low: $1200000000, High: $1800000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The number of students now qualifying for emergency support will increase, expanding program reach.
- Emergency assistance includes a broad range of potential needs, from housing to food support, leading to variable costs.
- Administrative costs might increase as institutions manage these additional grants.