Community College Publications and Resources
TICAS' community college work seeks to maximize the effectiveness of financial aid and student services at two-year institutions, with a particular focus on the 2.5 million students at California's community colleges. Click here for our California-specific work.
TICAS Participation Rate Index (PRI) Worksheet
September 28, 2012 -This tool helps colleges
with low borrowing rates understand whether they may qualify to appeal CDR
sanctions.
Making Loans Work: How Community Colleges Support Responsible Student Borrowing
Auguest 22, 2012 - Our report takes a closer look at how some forward-thinking community colleges in California are promoting responsible use of federal student loans - ideas that can be adopted by colleges across the country.
Letter to Martha Kanter on Borrowing Rates for Upcoming Cohort Default Rate Release
August 20, 2012 - Letter to U.S. Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter with recommendations on how provide context for cohort default rates (CDRs) to consumers, journalists, and colleges for the for the upcoming release of two-year CDRs for fiscal year 2010 (FY10) and three-year CDRs for fiscal year 2009 (FY09).
Still Denied: How Community Colleges Shortchange Students by Not Offering Federal Loans
April 29, 2011 - Our issue brief found that more than one million community college students were denied access federal student loans, the safest and most affordable way to borrow for college.
Letter in Support of AB 970
March 12, 2011 - Letter in support of AB 970 (Fong), which would provide first-year tuition and fee benefits to Cal Grant B recipients.
After the FAFSA
July 26, 2010 - This report sheds light on what happens to federal financial aid applicants after they submit the FAFSA. Using 2007-08 financial aid data from 13 California community colleges, the Institute found that one in three likely Pell-eligible applicants did not receive a Pell Grant.
Financial Aid Facts at California Community Colleges
March 17, 2010 - Hundreds of thousands of California Community College (CCC) students are eligible for federal Pell Grants but do not apply, leaving up to $500 million unclaimed in 2009-10. This fact sheet compares CCC financial aid application rates to the rest of the country, and also examines the inadequacy of financial aid that some CCC students do receive.
Getting
With the Program: Community College Students Need Access to Federal Loans
October 8,
2009 - Our issue brief examines the availability of federal student loans at
community colleges, the concerns that lead colleges to opt out of the federal
loan programs, and the effects these colleges' choices can have on students.
Joint
Letter to CA Legislators to Save the Cal Grant Program
June 3,
2009 - The Institute one of seven California organizations
that signed on to a letter to state legislators in protest of the proposed
elimination of the Cal Grant program.
Governor
Proposes Eliminating Cal Grants
May 28, 2009 - Blog post on the proposal to eliminate all new Cal Grants in the
2009-10 California state budget.
Quick Facts about Community
Colleges and Financial Aid, 2007-08
May 13,
2009 - Our fact focuses on community college students who apply for financial
aid and attend full-time: their need for aid compared to students at other
types of colleges; how much aid they receive; and how they fill the gap when
they don't get all the aid they need. See the press release.
Access
to Financial Aid & Office Contact Information
October 10,
2008 - Blog post on the difficulty of navigating community colleges' financial
aid websites.
Widen
the Focus When Discussing Affordability
September
26, 2008 - The Institute submitted comments to the
California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC) about
their report on how affordable a community college education really is for
students and their families.
Students
Need Clarity on Cal Grants
June 24, 2008 - Blog post on the proposed cuts to the competitive Cal
Grant program.
Denied: Community College Students Lack Access to Affordable Loans
April 17, 2008 - At least one million community college students lack access to
federal loans, not because of the credit crunch, but because their schools
don't participate in the federal loan programs. This pushes students who need
to borrow to resort to risky private loans, payday loans, and credit cards, or
to drop out or reduce their course load. Our brief also found significant gaps
in loan access between different races and ethnicities. See press release and related
materials.
Proposed Cal Grant Cuts
Would Hit Community College Students Hardest
March 27,
2008 - This issue brief finds that Gov.
Schwarzenegger's proposed budget for 2008-09 would have eliminated new Cal Grant awards for 45
percent of community college students who would have received them, compared to
5 percent of would-be recipients at the University of California and 10 percent
in the California State University system. Read the press
release.
Green
Lights & Red Tape: Improving Access to Financial Aid at California's
Community Colleges
December
2007 - This major report finds wide variations in financial aid policies and
practices at California's
community colleges, which can have a major impact on students' access to
available aid. Read
the executive summary.
