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the core idea behind college promise programs?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"An effective promise program provides an early, clear guarantee that students meeting defined criteria will receive aid to cover specified enrollment costs, typically tuition.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How do Midwestern promise programs vary in design?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Programs differ across financial and administrative structure, the population served, student eligibility requirements, and enrollment and post-graduation requirements, including award types such as last-dollar, first-dollar, and middle-dollar.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What policy options are recommended to strengthen promise program effectiveness?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Recommendations include addressing tradeoffs in program design, improving funding adequacy and stability, selecting award structures appropriately, considering eligible institutions and adult learner access, 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REPORT  \n105 Fifth Avenue South, Suite 450 Minneapolis, MN 55401 612-677-2777 or 855-767-MHEC [MHEC.ORG | mhec@mhec.org](MHEC.ORG | mhec@mhec.org)  \nACKNOWLEDGMENTS  \nThe author gratefully acknowledges research assistance provided by Luke Gooding, Danielle Uter, Owen Vadala, Ishaan Hadway, Ella Blank, Zachary McGrath, and Celine Choi.  \nAUTHOR  \nLaura W. Perna  \nUniversity of Pennsylvania  \nEDITOR  \nAaron Horn  \nAssociate Vice President of Research  \nMHEC  \n[aaronh@mhec.org](aaronh@mhec.org) (*)  \nCOPY EDITING & DESIGN  \nKathy Graves  \nBrigitte Parenteau  \nParenteau Graves  \nJennifer Moore  \nEditor  \nPenn Graduate School of Education  \n© COPYRIGHT 2025  \nMIDWESTERN HIGHER EDUCATION COMPACT  \nRecommended Citation  \nPerna, L. W. (2025) . College Promise Programs in the Midwest: Insights for Higher Education Leaders. Midwestern Higher Education Compact.  \nC  \nREPORT OVERVIEW  \noncerns about the rising cost of college and growing student loan debt have intensified in recent years, with 85% of non-enrolled adults citing affordability as a key barrier (Gallup & Lumina Foundation, 2024) and a third of currently enrolled college students agreeing that their “institution charges too much for  \nan undergraduate degree”(Flaherty, 2024) .  \nThis report examines college promise programs in the Midwest, often called “free college” initiatives. An ideal promise program provides a clear, early guarantee that students who meet defined criteria will receive aid to cover specified enrollment costs, typically tuition. By communicating “free tuition” before requiring students to navigate complex admission and financial aid processes, promise programs reduce uncertainty about affordability and encourage college-going behaviors. Additionally, many promise programs include early registration and long-term residency requirements, helping build awareness of college opportunities and incentivizing residents to invest in  \ntheir communities or states.  \nRESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS  \n► Broad Multilevel Adoption: Several types of promise programs have emerged over the years, including state programs that serve state residents, institutional programs that seek to attract prospective students, and local or “place-based” programs that target a community typically defined by a school district or city. In 2023-24, 132 programs in the  \nMidwest1 met the definition of college promise programs used in this report, including 13 state programs, 78 institutional programs, and 41 local programs. Five states (Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, and Minnesota) offer all three types of programs.  \n► Diverse Program Models: Programs differ across four domains: (a) financial and administrative structure; (b) population served; (c) student eligibility requirements; and (d) enrollment and post-graduation requirements. Most programs provide last-dollar awards, covering tuition after other aid is applied, while others offer first-dollar or middle-dollar awards that  \naddress non-tuition costs such as housing, meals, and books.  \n► Impact: Research shows that promise programs can improve key college readiness measures, including high school graduation rates and college aspirations, while also increasing college enrollment, persistence, and completion rates. Local first-dollar programs, in particular, exhibit the largest impact. Promise programs often influence where students enroll, increasing attendance at eligible in-state institutions while reducing enrollment at ineligible institutions.  \n► Return on Investment: A study of the Kalamazoo Promise, a local first-dollar program, highlighted the potential for a strong return on investment. The study found that for every dollar spent on the program, the economic benefits – primarily through increased lifetime earnings – were 3.9 to 5.3 times greater than the costs (mainly the cost of the financial award) .  \n1 Consistent with the U.S. Census Bureau’s","cbCaiirwlf11mpNh","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiirwlf11mpNh","pdf",776250,48,"English","# Report Overview\n# Research Highlights\n# Policy Options","[{\"question\":\"What is the core idea behind college promise programs?\",\"answer\":\"An effective promise program provides an early, clear guarantee that students meeting defined criteria will receive aid to cover specified enrollment costs, typically tuition.\"},{\"question\":\"How do Midwestern promise programs vary in design?\",\"answer\":\"Programs differ across financial and administrative structure, the population served, student eligibility requirements, and enrollment and post-graduation requirements, including award types such as last-dollar, first-dollar, and middle-dollar.\"},{\"question\":\"What policy options are recommended to strengthen promise program effectiveness?\",\"answer\":\"Recommendations include addressing tradeoffs in program design, improving funding adequacy and stability, selecting award structures appropriately, considering eligible institutions and adult learner access, refining eligibility criteria, expanding student support services, and using clear program messaging.\"}]","College Promise Programs in the Midwest: Insights for Higher Education Leaders | PDF",1792056930,121]