Category: College Access

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 Access, College Affordability, Politics, Research/Policy, Workforce

The Workforce Pell Grant—A Cautionary Tale

by Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scientist Last July, Congress passed a budget reconciliation bill that included Workforce Pell, which will provide—for the first time—Pell Grant funding to students who enroll in short-term, workforce-oriented training programs and certifications. These grants will be available to students starting July 1, 2026. Programs must be between 150 and 599 clock hours and last between 8 … Continue reading The Workforce Pell Grant—A Cautionary Tale

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2025, College Access, K12, Politics, Research/Policy, STEM, Student Success

It’s All About the Math

by Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scientist There is an interesting article on the Washington Post website dated yesterday (November 18, 2025) about how race is aligned with who gets to take algebra in middle school. The thesis of the article is that early algebra is offered less to Black and Hispanic students than other students, including and especially White and Asian … Continue reading It’s All About the Math

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2022, College Access, K12, Politics, Research/Policy, Student Success

College Access, Equity, and the Tower of Babel

by Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scientist NOTE: I wrote this before learning of the brutal elementary school shooting in Texas this week. Much of what I write here, about left and right, also applies to our inability to do anything about gun safety and control in the US. The tragedies will continue, unfortunately. I recently read Jonathan Haidt’s piece in The Atlantic, … Continue reading College Access, Equity, and the Tower of Babel

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2021, admissions, College Access, College Affordability, Research/Policy, Retention, Student Success

Does Money Trump Academics? No.

by Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scientist I received an email from EAB this morning that proclaimed “Financial pressure is the top reason that students leave college,” complete with a link to how technology can help. Then I paused. I’m not going to say that EAB is wrong on this. Financial pressures, let alone ability to pay, are significant barriers to postsecondary access … Continue reading Does Money Trump Academics? No.

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