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Should the Federal Government Fund Short-Term Postsecondary Certificate Programs? Research Report

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Title: Should the Federal Government Fund Short-Term Postsecondary Certificate Programs? Research Report
Language: English
Authors: Baum, Sandy, Holzer, Harry, Luetmer, Grace, Urban Institute, Center on Education Data and Policy
Source: Urban Institute. 2020.
Availability: Urban Institute. 2100 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037. Tel: 202-261-5687; Fax: 202-467-5775; Web site: http://www.urban.org
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 77
Publication Date: 2020
Sponsoring Agency: Arnold Ventures
Document Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Postsecondary Education
Higher Education
Descriptors: Federal Aid, Postsecondary Education, Certification, Student Financial Aid, Outcomes of Education, Education Work Relationship, Adults, Educational Attainment, Institutional Characteristics, Student Characteristics, Educational Finance, Paying for College, Debt (Financial), Loan Default, Student Loan Programs, Income, Grants
Laws, Policies and Program Identifiers: Pell Grant Program
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NCES), Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study
Abstract: The federal student aid system has emerged as the primary source of funding for students pursuing a wide range of subbaccalaureate credentials. But the eligibility rules for federal student aid, offered under Title IV of the Higher Education Act, require a minimum program length of 600 hours for Pell grants, despite little evidence showing that short programs meeting the current benchmark produce better labor-market outcomes than those that do not. In this report, we review the evidence on the labor market returns on certificate programs and evaluate the justification for the current restrictions on eligibility for federal student aid. We find that some programs that currently qualify for federal aid provide little or no earnings boost for students, while many others, including programs that do not qualify for federal aid, do boost earnings. There is no clear justification for the current line between programs that are Pell eligible and those that do not meet the program length requirements. Better data and more rigorous research will strengthen the evidence base for determining the best policies for improving labor market outcomes.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2021
Accession Number: ED610038
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Should the Federal Government Fund Short-Term Postsecondary Certificate Programs? Research Report
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  Data: Urban Institute. 2100 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037. Tel: 202-261-5687; Fax: 202-467-5775; Web site: http://www.urban.org
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  Data: 77
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  Data: 2020
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  Data: Arnold Ventures
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  Data: Reports - Evaluative
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Federal+Aid%22">Federal Aid</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Certification%22">Certification</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Financial+Aid%22">Student Financial Aid</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Outcomes+of+Education%22">Outcomes of Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Education+Work+Relationship%22">Education Work Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adults%22">Adults</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Attainment%22">Educational Attainment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Institutional+Characteristics%22">Institutional Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Characteristics%22">Student Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Finance%22">Educational Finance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Paying+for+College%22">Paying for College</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Debt+%28Financial%29%22">Debt (Financial)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Loan+Default%22">Loan Default</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Loan+Programs%22">Student Loan Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Income%22">Income</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grants%22">Grants</searchLink>
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– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: The federal student aid system has emerged as the primary source of funding for students pursuing a wide range of subbaccalaureate credentials. But the eligibility rules for federal student aid, offered under Title IV of the Higher Education Act, require a minimum program length of 600 hours for Pell grants, despite little evidence showing that short programs meeting the current benchmark produce better labor-market outcomes than those that do not. In this report, we review the evidence on the labor market returns on certificate programs and evaluate the justification for the current restrictions on eligibility for federal student aid. We find that some programs that currently qualify for federal aid provide little or no earnings boost for students, while many others, including programs that do not qualify for federal aid, do boost earnings. There is no clear justification for the current line between programs that are Pell eligible and those that do not meet the program length requirements. Better data and more rigorous research will strengthen the evidence base for determining the best policies for improving labor market outcomes.
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  Label: Abstractor
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  Data: As Provided
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  Label: Entry Date
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  Data: 2021
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  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: ED610038
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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    Languages:
      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 77
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Federal Aid
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Postsecondary Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Certification
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Financial Aid
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Outcomes of Education
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      – SubjectFull: Education Work Relationship
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      – SubjectFull: Adults
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Attainment
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      – SubjectFull: Institutional Characteristics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Characteristics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Finance
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      – SubjectFull: Paying for College
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      – SubjectFull: Debt (Financial)
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      – SubjectFull: Loan Default
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      – SubjectFull: Student Loan Programs
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      – SubjectFull: Income
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      – SubjectFull: Grants
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      – SubjectFull: Pell Grant Program
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NCES)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study
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      – TitleFull: Should the Federal Government Fund Short-Term Postsecondary Certificate Programs? Research Report
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              Y: 2020
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