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Get a Skill, Get a Job, Get Ahead? Evaluating the Effects of Virginia's Workforce-Targeted Free College Program. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1167

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Title: Get a Skill, Get a Job, Get Ahead? Evaluating the Effects of Virginia's Workforce-Targeted Free College Program. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1167
Language: English
Authors: Sade Bonilla (ORCID 0000-0002-0618-2330), Daniel Sparks (ORCID 0000-0001-5388-854X), Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
Source: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. 2025.
Availability: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 52
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Contract Number: R305X220024
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Two Year Colleges
Descriptors: College Programs, Tuition, Paying for College, Student Costs, Community College Students, Work Experience Programs, Labor Force, Job Skills, Student Financial Aid, Grants, Student Certification, Eligibility, Educational Attainment
Geographic Terms: Virginia
Abstract: Tuition-free college programs are gaining momentum as policymakers address rising college costs and workforce readiness. Despite their growing adoption, limited research examines how workforce-focused eligibility criteria impact student outcomes beyond enrollment. This pre-registered study employs two within-study quasi-experimental designs--regression discontinuity and difference-in-differences--to estimate the causal impact of Virginia's Get a Skill, Get a Job, Get Ahead (G3) initiative on financial aid and academic outcomes for community college students. Launched as a pandemic recovery effort, G3 aimed to reverse enrollment declines and address labor shortages by leveraging simplified 'free college' messaging and offering last-dollar scholarships and additional advising support for students in high-demand workforce programs. The initiative increased total financial aid and grant aid, with gains concentrated among middle-income students. While certificate completion rose by 2 to 6.6 percentage points, these effects were not robust across specifications. Similar to other tuition-free programs, G3 significantly increased FAFSA completion and enrollment in aid-eligible workforce programs. These findings offer valuable insights into how targeted tuition-free programs can expand financial aid access, promote educational attainment, and align higher education with workforce demands.
Abstractor: As Provided
IES Funded: Yes
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: ED672439
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
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PubType: Report
PubTypeId: report
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  Data: Get a Skill, Get a Job, Get Ahead? Evaluating the Effects of Virginia's Workforce-Targeted Free College Program. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1167
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sade+Bonilla%22">Sade Bonilla</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0618-2330">0000-0002-0618-2330</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Daniel+Sparks%22">Daniel Sparks</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5388-854X">0000-0001-5388-854X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Annenberg+Institute+for+School+Reform+at+Brown+University%22">Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University</searchLink>
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  Data: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Programs%22">College Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Tuition%22">Tuition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Paying+for+College%22">Paying for College</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Costs%22">Student Costs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Community+College+Students%22">Community College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Work+Experience+Programs%22">Work Experience Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Labor+Force%22">Labor Force</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Job+Skills%22">Job Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Financial+Aid%22">Student Financial Aid</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grants%22">Grants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Certification%22">Student Certification</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Eligibility%22">Eligibility</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Attainment%22">Educational Attainment</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Virginia%22">Virginia</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Tuition-free college programs are gaining momentum as policymakers address rising college costs and workforce readiness. Despite their growing adoption, limited research examines how workforce-focused eligibility criteria impact student outcomes beyond enrollment. This pre-registered study employs two within-study quasi-experimental designs--regression discontinuity and difference-in-differences--to estimate the causal impact of Virginia's Get a Skill, Get a Job, Get Ahead (G3) initiative on financial aid and academic outcomes for community college students. Launched as a pandemic recovery effort, G3 aimed to reverse enrollment declines and address labor shortages by leveraging simplified 'free college' messaging and offering last-dollar scholarships and additional advising support for students in high-demand workforce programs. The initiative increased total financial aid and grant aid, with gains concentrated among middle-income students. While certificate completion rose by 2 to 6.6 percentage points, these effects were not robust across specifications. Similar to other tuition-free programs, G3 significantly increased FAFSA completion and enrollment in aid-eligible workforce programs. These findings offer valuable insights into how targeted tuition-free programs can expand financial aid access, promote educational attainment, and align higher education with workforce demands.
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: ED672439
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  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 52
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: College Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Tuition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Paying for College
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Costs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Community College Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Work Experience Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Labor Force
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Job Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Financial Aid
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grants
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Certification
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Eligibility
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Attainment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Virginia
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Get a Skill, Get a Job, Get Ahead? Evaluating the Effects of Virginia's Workforce-Targeted Free College Program. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1167
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