Improving Research-Based Knowledge of College Promise Programs

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An emerging body of research begins to shed light on various aspects of college promise programs (including free tuition programs), but too little is known about the full range of program outcomes, or the ideal structure and design of programs serving different groups of students in different sectors of higher education in different communities, regions, and states.

This research conference, to be held October 19-20, 2017 on the University of Pennsylvania campus, is designed to stimulate production of a set of papers that collectively address the following questions:

1. What are the characteristics of students who participate in promise programs? How do characteristics of participating students vary based on program characteristics?
2. What are the outcomes of promise programs for participating students?
3. What are the outcomes of promise programs for other stakeholders, including K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and communities?
4. How do program outcomes for students and other stakeholders vary based on program characteristics?

Conference Organizer: Laura Perna (University of Pennsylvania)
Conference Planning Committee: Martha Kanter (Civic Nation); Mary Rauner (REL West)

This research conference is supported by a grant from the Education Research Conferences Program of the American Educational Research Association (AERA).