What role might financial education play in equitable access to postsecondary education and training? (January 26, 2021)
Equitable access to postsecondary education and training are necessary to meet the workforce needs of today and tomorrow. This is even more pronounced for low-income students and students of color. There are promising policy recommendations for postsecondary institutions to increase college affordability and access, such as removing upfront application costs and increasing need-based aid, to help students from communities who historically have had less access to financial resources or are more likely to experience a higher debt burden. This policy convening focused on recommendations for state policymakers and recent research highlighting K-12 financial education’s role in lowering postsecondary debt burdens and increasing access for traditionally underrepresented student populations to postsecondary education and training.