Semester

Summer

Date of Graduation

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

EdD

College

College of Education and Human Services

Department

Curriculum & Instruction/Literacy Studies

Committee Chair

Erin McHenry-Sorber

Committee Co-Chair

Rodney Hughes

Committee Member

Nathan Sorber

Committee Member

Jake Follmer

Abstract

State-sponsored, free community college programs have been implemented with the goal of increasing access to higher education, especially for financially disadvantaged students. This study seeks to determine the impact of the implementation of the Tennessee Promise and the Oregon Promise on enrollment and net price by student family income level using a difference-in-differences methodology comparing in-state, public, two-year institutional outcomes with: in-state, public four-year institutions; national, public, two-year institutions; and, public, two-year institutions in states that border Tennessee/Oregon. Enrollment was, on average, found to have increased between 44 and 167 students at Tennessee public, two-year institutions for all students with a family income level below $75,000 as compared with institutions from all three models. Enrollment was, on average, found to have increased between 13 and 51 students at Oregon public, two-year institutions for all students with a family income level greater than $30,000 as compared with institutions from all three models. Net price was, on average, found to have reduced between $1080 and $3712 for students at Tennessee public, two-year institutions for students from all family income levels, while the net price outcomes were mixed for those students attending Oregon public, two-year institutions. Overall, the implementation of state-sponsored, free community college programs is positively impacting enrollment and net pricing for students attending eligible public, two-year institutions.

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