Author: Educational Policy Institute

The Educational Policy Institute (EPI) is a Virginia-based, not-for-profit think tank on education and the social sciences. EPI conducts evaluation and policy studies on various educational issues from Pre-K to workforce outcomes in the United States, Canada, and beyond. Visit us at www.educationalpolicy.org.
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2026, Retention, Student Success

The Geometry of Student Success

By Watson Scott Swail, President/CEO & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute In the mid-1990s, I created the Swail Geometric Framework to help higher education practitioners better understand the primary factors that contribute to student attrition and the strategies they can use to address them. Since then, dozens—if not hundreds—of universities have used the model successfully. First published in the ASHE-ERIC/Jossey-Bass volume “Retaining Minority Students in Higher … Continue reading The Geometry of Student Success

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2026, Politics, Research/Policy

America’s International Student Reckoning: New Visa Restrictions and Enrollment Declines Threaten Higher Education

For decades, international students have been a cornerstone of American higher education, helping universities fill classrooms, sustain graduate programs, conduct cutting-edge research, and generate billions of dollars in tuition revenue. Today, however, a combination of restrictive immigration policies, declining student mobility, and growing uncertainty about studying in the United States is creating one of the most significant challenges the sector has faced in years. The cost of these losses will be in the tens of millions for individual institutions and hundreds of billions for the US economy as a whole. Continue reading America’s International Student Reckoning: New Visa Restrictions and Enrollment Declines Threaten Higher Education

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2026, Politics

The War Budget and the Choices We Refuse to Make, or… What $1.79 Trillion Could Have Bought

Secretary Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine will testify to secure an additional $87 billion for the Iraq conflict, which has cost the U.S. $1.79 trillion. This spending raises concerns about opportunity costs, as similar funds could significantly boost domestic programs like education, healthcare, and nutrition assistance. The war’s continued financial burden remains a pressing issue. Continue reading The War Budget and the Choices We Refuse to Make, or… What $1.79 Trillion Could Have Bought

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2026, College Access, Retention, Student Success

Two Roads Less Traveled: Rolling the Dice with Educational Opportunity

By Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute There has been recent talk about TRIO programs and funding issues due to pressures from the Trump Administration. The Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) fought hard to retain their funding, which they were able to do successfully (DISCLOSURE: I served as Vice President for Research and founding Executive Director of the Pell Institute at … Continue reading Two Roads Less Traveled: Rolling the Dice with Educational Opportunity

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2026, College Affordability, ROI/College Outcomes

Putting College Costs in Perspective: A Brief History in Time (and CPI)

by Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scientist I grew up at a special, prosperous time in history. Born in the early 60s, I didn’t have the burden of living through a world war. In fact, we didn’t think of war much in my youth. Raised in Canada, Vietnam wasn’t our issue. We read about it. But because it wasn’t us, it mattered … Continue reading Putting College Costs in Perspective: A Brief History in Time (and CPI)

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