More than ever, student borrowers need support.
Student loan borrowers are confused and frustrated. They are juggling a host of financial obligations and navigating a complex repayment system with rapidly shifting rules.
State Policy
Lumina’s state policy agenda calls for:
- Robust and fair state financing for public colleges, universities, and training centers that serve the greatest numbers and highest percentages of students who are Black, Hispanic, Latino, and Native American, students from families with low incomes, students who are the first in their families to go to college, and working-age adults.
- Coherent, comprehensive student financial aid resources that serve those in the greatest financial need, especially students who are Black and brown.
- Fair and consistent systems for assessing and validating people’s knowledge and skills, including pathways for adults to earn college degrees and other quality credentials.
Equity in Higher Education Policy
States are re-examining laws, policies, and regulations to better serve the needs of Today’s Students. Scott Jenkins, strategy director for state policy, talks about Lumina’s state policy agenda, the flaws with current state funding for higher education, and how he and his colleagues support policymakers nationwide. Massachusetts Higher Education Commissioner Carlos Santiago shares how his agency designed and implemented a multi-pronged Equity Agenda.
State Strategy Labs
Lumina provides money to states for technical assistance and consulting support.
Federal Policy
Lumina’s federal policy agenda calls for:
- Supporting today’s students no matter where or how they learn.
- Eliminating disparities in educational outcomes across racial and ethnic groups.
- Reforming quality assurance to focus on individual student outcomes.
- Ensuring affordability.
- Aligning post-high school education and workforce development systems.
Read about policy action to limit transcript holds
The Department of Education curtails the ability of colleges and universities to refuse transcripts.
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In the fall of 2022, gun violence shattered the tranquility of my son's college experience at the University of Virginia. In an urgent call, he said, "Mom, there's an active shooter on campus. I think some people have died not too far from here. No one knows where the shooter is, so we’re all locked in our house."
When supply doesn’t meet demand: Let’s learn from Ohio’s manufacturing job demand challenge
As U.S. policymakers push to create more manufacturing jobs, here’s a disconcerting fact: Most adults who earn manufacturing degrees in Ohio don’t end up working in the industry there. In fact, some leave manufacturing and Ohio altogether.
We need a more agile higher ed system to meet the needs of today’s college students
As we talk about the enormous value of education beyond high school to families and the nation, we need to be sure we’re listening, too—something we don’t always do so well.
We owe student parents a high-value college experience
Every Fall, school buses are once again a part of our morning commutes. Less obvious are the parents joining in the back-to-school rite of passage alongside their children.
State and Federal Policy Round Up
Guests include:
- Julie Peller, Executive Director, Higher Learning Advocates
- Paola Santana, Executive Director, Glendale Community College Foundation (Formerly a strategy officer with Lumina Foundation)
- Aaron Thompson, President, Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
- Lande Ajose, Vice President and Senior Fellow, Public Policy Institute of California
- Maria Markham, Director, Arkansas Division of Higher Education
- Ryan Fewins-Bliss, Executive Director, Michigan College Access Network
