11/20/2012

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Overcoming Barriers*

Dilip DasUniversity of Michigan

dadas@umich.edu

*Awareness, Action 

(Some barriers are so high)

Widening Structural Inequality 

• [I]n the race to the top, higher income families are at an ever greater advantage because they can afford to absorb the growing costs of childcare and pre‐school spending and the huge and growing costs of post‐secondary education. …These costs impose a growing burden on low and moderate income families whose incomes have stagnated over the past several decades. Unless these constraints on less advantagedUnless these constraints on less advantaged households are reduced, the children of low and moderate income families will continue to lose ground.(Kornrich & Furstenburg, 2010) 

NOTE: See Adrianna Kezar handout

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Slide © Sean Reardon, 2012QUESTION: How do you overcome this barrier?

% K-5 Graders Parents Participating in Education-Related Activities with Their Children in Past Month,

by Parents’ Highest Education Level, 2007

Sources: The College Board, Education Pays 2010, Figure 1.20b; National Center for Education Statistics, 2009, Table 24.

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School Readiness of Preschool Children Ages 3–5, by Parents’ Highest Education Level, 2007

Sources: The College Board, Education Pays 2010, Figure 1.20a; National Center for Education Statistics, 2007; calculations by the authors.

Michigan’s Children

• Child poverty in Michigan = 23.5% in 2010• 45% of female‐headed households in poverty• 45% of female‐headed households in poverty• 10% of children in extreme poverty household = 50% or less of poverty level ($11,057/year)

Ties That Bind: Poverty and Michigan’s Economic Recovery. Michigan League for Human Services. 2011

Educational Result/Barrier:ducational Result/ arrier:Living in communities of concentrated poverty “impedes academic and verbal development in children.”The Black‐White Achievement Gap: When Progress Stopped. Educational Testing Service. 2010 

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% Children (0‐17yo) in relative poverty = household with 50% or less national median income (≤ $25,957)

Innocenti Report Card 10, UNICEF, 2012

U.S. Supplemental Poverty Level measure = $24 343= $24,343

Overcoming College Access Barriers• Lower‐income students have the same self‐perceptions as all other 

students. They describe themselves as :– From a family that values academics

A biti– Ambitious– Like challenges– Self‐confident– Optimistic– Strong emotionally– Well prepared– Self‐starter

Strongly agree a college degree is needed to be “successful in life”– Strongly agree a college degree is needed to be “successful in life”

• Except: Lower‐income students have fewer role models for college attendance and guidance

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Report available:http://admissions21.collegeboard.org

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College Aspirations Melt

Plans reported in current study 2009 SAT takers’ actual behavior*

Lower-income students

Higher-income students

Lower-income students

Higher-income students

Any college 93% 97% 75% 86%

Two-year 21% 15% 27% 20%

Four-year 72% 82% 48% 66%

No college 7% 3% 25% 14%

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Report available:http://admissions21.collegeboard.org

Barrier to College: Costs and Financial Need

• People believe that published prices are higher than they actually are and many students and families are unaware of y ythe magnitude of the grant aid and tax credits available to them. (Baum & Schwartz, 2012. Is College Affordable? In Search of a Meaningful Definition)

• “I would just look at the websites and see the cost of attendance and kind of like, well I will move on to something else.” Claire*

• “I didn’t want to see myself in a position of getting into debt and not being able to pay it off because I didn’t finish g p ymy degree.” Kim*

• “In the summer I took a $2000 dollar loan but I didn't use that for any schooling. I used that to get a car because my car was totaled.” Mark*

*Author’s study, forthcoming

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Overcoming Cost Misperceptions: Published (Sticker) Price Vs. Net Cost

From Baum & Schwartz, 2012. Is College Affordable? In Search of a Meaningful Definition

Overcoming Financial Literacy Barrier: Is $20,000 Too Much Debt?

Loan Debt & Projected Payments (6.8% interest)

Median Debt of Borrowers

Monthly Loan Payment, 10 Year Term

Monthly Loan Payment, 20 Year Term

Public BA $19,800 $228 $151

Average new car loan: $27,000 Monthly payment (5 years, 4.75%): $506

Source: ©Sue Dynarski, 2012; student loan data from Trends in Student Aid; car loan data from Federal Reserve (http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/g19/hist/cc_hist_tc.html ).

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Education Level of Individuals Ages 25 to 34, 1940–2009

Sources: The College Board, Education Pays 2010, Figure 2.7; U.S. Census Bureau, 2009b, Table A-1.

Unemployment Rates Among Individuals Ages 25 and Older, by Education Level, 1992–2009

Sources: The College Board, Education Pays 2010, Figure 1.10a; Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010d.

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Federal Barriers to College Attendance

• Pell limited to 12 semesters now (36% of all undergraduates are part‐time; 55% at CC’s)undergraduates are part time; 55% at CC s)

• Pell requirement of GED/Diploma

• We show that financial aid complexity (FAFSA) disproportionately burdens those with the least ability to pay…high school students most sensitive to cost are unlikely to start down the path to college school if they do not know college is affordable For those on thedo not know college is affordable. For those on the margin of college entry, concrete information about aid simply arrives too late.*

*Source: The Cost of Complexity in Federal Student Aid, 2006. Sue Dynarski and Judith Scott‐Clayton 

2%

Federal Barrier: Most Savings from Tuition Tax Deduction Go To Upper Income (2007)

9%

16%

15%59%

AGI Less than $25,000

$25,000‐$49,999

$50,000‐$74,999

$75 000 $99 999

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15% $75,000‐$99,999

$100,000‐$160,000

Source: Trends in Student Aid 2009, The College Board, Table A21b. http://www.trends‐collegeboard.com/student_aid/5_1_tax_credits_and_deductions_b.html

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State Grant Aid per Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)

Undergraduate Student, 2009-10

SOURCE: The College Board, Trends in Student Aid 2011, Figure 16B.

College Attendance Barrier: Reduced Bridge Card (Food Stamps/SNAP) eligibility in 2011: 

• Must be caring for children under 6, be physically or mentally unfit for employment, participating inor mentally unfit for employment, participating in an on‐the‐job training program, or working 20 hours a week

Overcoming Barriers to Food Insecurity: 

• Increased # Food Pantries at Michigan Community Colleges (9)*y g ( )

• Increased # Emergency Funds at CC’s: 16*

*Author’s Survey

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Local Barriers to College Attendance

K‐12 Teacher Experience, Credentials and Pay Lower in Low‐Income Schools: “Much of their teaching staff was grelatively inexperienced and suffered from high teacher turnover. (46% after 5 years) In part this was due to the challenge of recruiting and retaining teachers when school districts in the surrounding areas could offer teachers higher salaries...” ($30,000: < Assoc. Deg. Entry Wages)

K‐12 Low Expectations and a Lack of DemandingK‐12 Low Expectations and a Lack of Demanding Curriculum: “Staff felt overwhelmed at times by the great challenges that many of their lower‐income and minority students faced. This led some staff to reduce expectations for achievement in the lower grades.”

• http://www.mdrc.org/publications/47/execsum.html (MDRC)

National Inequities in State and Local Revenue Per Student

Gap

High Poverty vs. Low Poverty Districts

–$773 

per student

High Minority vs. Low Minority Districts

–$1,122 

per student 

Source:

Education Trust analyses based on U.S. Dept of Education and U.S. Census Bureau data for 2005‐06

“The U.S. has a K‐12 education funding system that is bizarrely regressive. It’s based on local property taxes, which means that the poorest communities will always have the poorest schools and that arrangement will stay in place into perpetuity.” http://chronicle.com/blogs/innovations/should‐more‐student‐aid‐be‐based‐on‐need‐not‐

merit/33337?cid=pm&utm_source=pm&utm_medium=en

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Core classes in high‐poverty and high‐minority secondary schools are more likely to be taught by out‐of‐field teachers 

41%45%

50%ers 

41%

30%

17% 16%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

entage of Classes Taught by Teache

ith Neither Certification nor Major

Source:

0%

5%Perce

W

The Education Trust, Core Problems: Out‐of‐Field Teaching Persists in Key Academic Courses and High‐Poverty Schools, (2008)

Note: Data are for secondary‐level core academic classes (Math, Science, Social Studies, English) across United States.High‐poverty ≥75% of students eligible for free/reduced price lunch.  Low‐poverty school ≤15% of students eligible. High‐minority  ≥ 75% students non‐white.  Low‐minority ≤ 10% students non‐white..

High Poverty

Low Poverty

High Minority

Low Minority

Source: ©Sue Dynarski, 2012, The Michigan Context. http://www.michiganconsortium.org/downloads.pdf

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Overcoming Barriers in K‐12 Schools: High performing schools…

• Teachers regularly observe other teachers;

• Teachers have time to plan and work collaboratively; 

• New teachers get generous and careful support and acculturation;

• Teachers are empowered to and take on many p yother leadership tasks at the school

Source: The Education Trust, 2011

Overcoming College Access Barriers:More applications = higher enrollment

Increase in number of li i

Increase in chances of ll

Caution: More than three, effect diminishes

applications enrollment

From 1 to 2 up to 40%

From 2 to 3 another 10%

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Report available:http://admissions21.collegeboard.org

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Overcoming College Access Barriers

• Overcoming Barriers: Michigan College Advising Corps @MSU and U M Also see “Make Me ACorps @ MSU and U‐M. Also see  Make Me A Match” handout.

• Secondary schools and colleges:– Help lower‐income students find a good fit– Encourage students to apply to slightly more 

llcolleges– Growing opportunities in dual enrollment and Early/Middle Colleges (over 20 in the State)

– Caution: for‐profit colleges...

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Distribution of Beginning Postsecondary Students by Institutional Type and Race/Ethnicity, 2003‐04

6 40 37 15 2Asian

26

26

10

44

44

42

17

17

30

9

12

16

4

2

2

Hispanic

Black

White

14 47 27 5 8

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

American Indian

For Profit Public 2‐Year Public 4‐Year Private 4‐Year Other

26Source: EdTrust Analysis of BPS:04/06, May 2010

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Distribution of Undergraduate Debt by Sector and Type of Degree or Certificate, 2007-08

Source: The College Board, Trends in Student Aid 2009; NPSAS, 2008

For‐Profit Business Model: Profits Come from Federal Direct Student Loan program

Institutional Barriers: Flagships give equal aid to high‐income students as they do to low‐income students

Family IncomeTotal 

Research‐Extensive Universities (REUs) spend about the same amount of money on students from families earning less than $54,000 as they do on 

those from families earning

Family Income (2007)

Institutional Grant Aid (2007)

$0 – 30,200 $394.2

$30,201 ‐ 54,000 $388.3

$54,001 ‐ 80,400 $368.4

$ $

Source:

those from families earning more than $80,400.

“Opportunity Adrift,” The Education Trust, 2010.

$80,401 – 115,400 $399.9

$115,400 + $361.4

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Because of insufficient financial aid,low‐income students are…

• Less likely to enroll in college

• More likely to enroll in community colleges, 

even when eligible to attend four‐year institutions

• More likely to attend college part‐time

• More likely to stop‐out

Source:

All of which negatively affect low‐income students’ chances of earning their degrees

The Education Trust, 2011

Why Does A Good Match Matter? Because Selective Institutions Offer Advantages

A. Higher Spending: $92,000 most selective vs. $12,000 per student least selective

B. Substantial State Subsidies

C. Higher Graduation Rates

D. Higher Earnings

E. Greater Chance at Leadership

Source: Rewarding Strivers, Richard Kahlenberg, 2010

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Summary

College Access Barriers:Widening Inequality in Spending and OpportunityWidening Inequality in Spending and Opportunity for Children at the Personal and Institutional (Local, State, Federal, and Postsecondary) Levels

Overcoming Barriers: Financial Aid & Financial Literacy Guidance Need‐Based Financial Aid (Merit, Rankings) K‐12 Equity in Resources, Curriculum, Teaching College Knowledge Campaign: Long‐term Benefits, Good Investment, Good Fit or Match

Links & ResourcesDilip Das: dadas@umich.edu

1. Advantage the Advantaged, Disadvantage the….let Education Trust break it down: http://www.edtrust.org/dc/resources/presentations

2. For specific cities in Michigan, see Education Trust‐Midwest data “Annual Report 2012 Data Slides (scroll down): http://www.edtrust.org/midwest/press‐room/press‐release/new‐report‐white‐and‐higher‐income‐student‐achievement‐in‐michigan‐

3. Look at Your Schools’ Demographics: http://www.edweek.org/apps/gmap/

4. Compare Your County’s Degree Attainment Rates: http://chronicle.com/article/Adults‐With‐College‐Degrees‐in/125995/

5. Compare Specific College Graduation Rates: http://collegeresults.org/Also see “Who graduates from college, who doesn’t, and why it matters: http://collegecompletion.chronicle.com/state/#state=mi&sector=public_four

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Links & Resources6. For‐Profit Colleges ‐ outcomes not so 

good:http://chronicle.com/blogs/ticker/graduates‐of‐for‐profit‐colleges‐earn‐less‐than‐other‐grads/45145) 13% of college 

d ll d b f 37% f f d l d lstudents enrolled but account for 37% of federal student‐loan debt and a considerable amount of Pell Grant funds. 53% of for‐profit degree recipients had debt of $30,500 or more, compared with 24% at private, nonprofit colleges and 12% at publics. See affordability chart: http://collegecost.ed.gov/catc/

7. MCAN: http://www.micollegeaccess.org/

7. Financial Aid & Scholarships: http://www.fastweb.com/8. You Can Go (to college) http://youcango.collegeboard.org/9. Know How to Go Michigan: http://knowhow2gomichigan.org/

Recruiting Trends 2012‐2013Phil Gardner, MSU

• Respondent #1: “I am having a terrible time finding knowledgeable candidates. There is an overinflated sense ofknowledgeable candidates. There is an overinflated sense of self and abilities.”

• Respondent #2: “They do not have basic business technical skills such as Microsoft Office or basic database experience needed for any position. I love the recent grads but most often have to struggle to convince my hiring managers they are a good investment”g

• Respondent #3: “I cannot begin to describe the atrocious writing style I see in cover letters and resumes and the lack of basic knowledge and skills in just Microsoft Office from new grads.”