Policies and Laws: How they’re impacting college enrollment

March 14, 2024
The decision whether and where to pursue a college degree involves several often-competing considerations, and the importance placed on each factor varies across individuals. Layered upon these highly individualized decisions are state-level policies that impact students' on-campus experience. A Lumina Foundation and Gallup survey of roughly 14,000 U.S. adults without a college degree -- including…

Lumina Fact Sheet

March 4, 2024
Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. We envision a system that is easy to navigate, delivers fair results, and meets the nation’s need for talent through a broad range of credentials. Our goal is to prepare people for informed citizenship and success…

National and State Impacts of FAFSA Simplification

Oct. 25, 2023
The changes mandated by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Simplification Act, passed in December 2020, represent a significant overhaul of the federal financial aid process. This report from the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association uses national- and state-level data to explore and assess how FAFSA simplification will affect specific states, sectors,…

Two Pandemics: Racial Disparities in Basic Needs Insecurity Among College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Oct. 23, 2023
Higher education is essential for creating a more equitable, prosperous, civic-minded, and healthy society. Yet, wide disparities remain when it comes to access and success in higher education based on race and ethnicity. Racist policies and structural barriers mean that not all students have equal opportunities to attain an education and succeed in college. These…

Creating Positive College Campus Racial Climates for Students of Color

Oct. 19, 2023
Getting into college is one accomplishment. However, what happens once a student arrives on campus? How are they treated? How do they feel? Students of color often experience college differently than their white peers because of the negative attitudes, behavior, and practices some peers and faculty have toward students of color because of their race…

Reimagining Online Education in California: A Roadmap for Advancing Access and Quality

Oct. 15, 2023
Enrollment in online courses and programs has steadily increased over the past 15 years, and in early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed widespread use of remote courses and services. This shift prompted higher education faculty, staff, administrators, and students to reflect on online education’s role in improving access to courses, programs, and services, while balancing…