Roosevelt | 25 Ideas for Socioeconomic Diversity in Higher Ed (2007)

Providing Information About College

Engaging Families in Higher Ed Access: A Cradle-to-College Approach

Tito Escobar, Rice University

By introducing information about planning for college very early on in a child’s life, and maintaining it throughout his or her development via a network of pre-existing social programs, families can gain the financial skills necessary to successfully plan for such a significant cost.

A License to Drive, a Chance to Thrive

Jay Cole, University of Michigan

By providing information about college to every person who applies for or renews a driver’s license, we can deliver college application information to many who would otherwise be excluded.

The “17 Year-Old Game Theorist” Dilemma

Tim Krueger, Eric Smith, and Simma Reingold, Cornell University

School districts with low college application rates should implement a mandatory class in which high school juniors learn how to navigate the college and scholarship application processes, completing applications as coursework.

College-Based Outreach and Advising

Maddie Gelblum, Sam Brill, Yale University

Colleges around the country should create and administer outreach and advising programs designed to both educate high school students about the accessibility of four-year colleges and guide them through the application process.

Equitable K12 Resources

Equitable and Accountable Funding for Mississippi’s Public K-12 Schools

Shad White, University of Mississippi

By using both a funding sharing program between school districts and a mandate that 65 percent of education appropriations be spent in the classroom, Mississippi can produce a more diverse and prepared group of high school graduates—all without requesting more money than is already allocated by the state or its localities.

Adequate Yearly Progress at the Congressional District Level

Chandni Challa, Amanda Adams, Marisa Roman, Alexander Rugas, University of Virginia

By applying Adequate Yearly Progress at the Congressional district level, funds and resources will be more equally distributed as richer counties work to help bring poorer counties up to par.

Diversifying Lecture Halls from the Ground-Up

Daniel Bliss, Stanford University

Increase socioeconomic diversity in higher education by improving teacher quality in America’s most impoverished schools.

Improving K12 Education

Reinventing Year-Round School: Developing Parental Outreach Solutions

James Elias, Ernesto Rodriguez, George Washington University

A strategy to inform parents of the benefits of year-round school schedules should be developed to build support for increasing year-round education.

Reducing Special Education Contention with Independent Expertise

Grant Lea, Pepperdine University

Enhancing the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) structure to add a child advocate would help ensure that the student’s best interests are met and that his/her potential for higher education is fully developed. This plan of action will increase socioeconomic diversity throughout the education system.

Urban Debate Programs for Minority and Disadvantaged Youth

Emily Renzelli, West Virginia University

In order to promote diversity in higher education, policymakers should increase state and federal funding for urban debate programs and implement such programs in disadvantaged areas where they do not currently exist.

State K-12 Positive Behavior Support

Kai Stinchcombe, Stanford University

States should develop statewide programs that provide positive behavior reinforcement, to prevent school discipline problems rather than simply punishing students and letting teachers focus on teaching.

Increasing Interest in Math and Science Among Low-Income Middle School Students

James Elias, Erika Gudmundson, George Washington University

To battle declining performance in math and science in middle school, professionals at universities across the nation will develop programs based on their current research to engage students.

Curbing the Dropout Crisis

Diona Howard, Temple University

Create alternative college preparatory high schools for at-risk high school and graduating middle school students; each alternative school partners with a local university. Simultaneously, this policy increases the national legal dropout age to 18.

Making Tuition Affordable

Making the Hope Scholarship Work for Low-Income Students

Amy Frame, American University

Expand the Hope Scholarship to assist low-income students in meeting college expenses.

Financially Preparing Low-income Students for College

Nick Hillman, Indiana University

Create federally funded college savings accounts for every elementary school student eligible for free and reduced lunch; participants would use their accounts to pay for college.

Promoting Access in State Merit-Based Scholarships

Jacob Anderson, Louisiana State University

To increase access to higher education for low-income students, money from state merit aid programs should base the amount of aid on Expected Family Contribution and not strictly on student merit, and provide tuition and books on the same budget

Universal, Free Higher Education

Stephen Durham, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Using the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 (GI Bill) as a model, create a progressive higher education policy that will provide universal and free higher education to all qualified college applicants.

In-State College Tuition for Undocumented Students

Raj Borsellino, Amherst College

By qualifying all high school graduates in Iowa as in-state residents, despite their legal status, we can allow many more students to attend college and become productive members of society.

A Campaign for “Wealth Blind” Admissions

Rachel Rybaczuk, University of Massachusetts

Press higher education institutions to adopt “wealth blind” admissions policies that admit students based on merit, not based on legacy, family wealth, or celebrity status.

Modifying the Tax Code

Making the AmeriCorps Segal Education Award Tax-Free

Eva DuGoff, George Washington University

Unlike most other forms of scholarships or fellowships, the Segal Education Award of $4,725 is subject to federal tax in the year the Trust pays the voucher. In order to properly honor and support AmeriCorps alumni, Congress should amend the AmeriCorps statute to make the AmeriCorps Segal Education Award a tax-free scholarship.

Tax Cuts for Public School Teachers

Troy Autin and Ray Forrester, Louisiana State University

Providing tax cuts to public school teachers will provide a ‘backdoor incentive’ for the recruitment of new teachers and the retention of veteran educators.

Tax-Free Textbooks

Nekpen Osuan, Baylor University

Textbooks should have a tax-free week each semester, to encourage students to buy their books at the beginning of the academic term.

Improving College Options

Addressing the University of California Diversity Crisis

Maria Spring, University of California at Los Angeles

The University of California diversity crisis can be solved by a joint effort by the UC Regents and students at the ten individual UC campuses. If the UC Regents were to implement a Diversity Commission to serve as a UC-wide administrative body in addition to 10 individual campus commissions, diversity can be increased.