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