In 2022, Ithaka S+R, in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Higher Education, launched The Ohio College Comeback Compact. This innovative program was designed to help thousands of college students in Northeast Ohio–those who left school without a degree and owed money to their former college–have a pathway back to settle the debt and continue their education.

The program was available to students who previously attended one of eight Compact colleges or universities, owed money to their former school, and were interested in continuing their education at any of the participating schools. At launch, we estimated that 60,000 people with stranded credits lived in Northeast Ohio, and that roughly 15 percent of those former students were eligible to participate.

The Compact was made possible through the generous financial support from Lumina Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, and the Joyce Foundation, and with technical assistance from Learn to Earn Dayton.

What problem did the Compact seek to solve?

Until this program became available, many stopped-out students in Northeast Ohio could not take college courses anywhere. In some cases, their former college or university held their transcript and prevented them from registering for new classes and completing their degree. Without an official transcript, students could not enroll in other colleges, either. The Ohio College Comeback Compact presented an opportunity for these students to continue pursuing their education, settle the debt, and free their transcripts.

What institutions were in the Compact?

The colleges and universities, all in Northeast Ohio, in the Compact regularly see students transfer between these institutions. All the participants committed to helping students by working together to re-enroll students, forgive debt, and increase credential attainment.

  • Cleveland State University
  • Cuyahoga Community College
  • Lakeland Community College
  • Lorain County Community College
  • Kent State University
  • Stark State College
  • The University of Akron
  • Youngstown State University

How did it work?

In August 2022, the Ohio College Comeback Compact first started contacting eligible students with a new proposition: come back to any public college in the region, even if you owe money and your transcript is being held because of it. 

For students

The Compact was structured to allow eligible students with unpaid institutional balances to a single participating institution totaling less than $5,000 the opportunity to re-enroll at any of the eight participating institutions and have their debt reduced or canceled. Each institution designated staff to lead outreach efforts, supported by a community partner offering additional outreach and advising support. Interested students were then connected with a staff member from either their former institution or the community partner to participate in a pre-enrollment advising session. Additionally, Compact designated staff members at each institution were provided with communication materials to assist with outreach and advising. This guide included outreach and advising timelines, email and SMS text templates, postal mailing examples, institutional points of contact, eligibility criteria, an advising checklist, and other resources.

For institutions

The Compact colleges shared a goal of removing barriers that stand in the way of students continuing their education and helping more people in Northeast Ohio earn degrees and certificates. When a Compact student enrolled in a different college or university, the college that enrolled the student made an initial $500 payment to the college or university the student previously attended, followed by a $250 payment for students who continued for a second semester.

What was its impact?

The numbers tell a compelling story of how an intervention like the Compact can find success in re-enrolling a population of adult learners that have traditionally been excluded from broad adult learner re-engagement efforts. By the end of the Compact’s third year:

  • 700+ students had re-enrolled
  • The majority of these students persisted for at least one additional term
  • The vast majority of students who enrolled met some or all requirements to have their debt resolved.

In addition to the positive benefits for students, institutions also saw a positive impact on their bottom lines. Cumulatively, nearly $500,000 in past due balances held by Compact-eligible students were resolved in the first three years of the program. And, the tuition generated by the 700+ re-enrolled students approached $1.8 million. 

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