Category: 2026

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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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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