tag: Postsecondary investment
Blog Post
March 12, 2026
Aligning State Dollars with Workforce Opportunity
What the Data (and Five States) Show
Much of the policy conversation about postsecondary-workforce alignment has focused on appropriations: how should state dollars be distributed across institutions, and can performance-based funding models incentivize credential production in priority fields? But state agencies also control a second major lever: student financial aid. Unlike appropriations, financial aid—and especially targeted aid—can influence students’ enrollment and program choices at the outset.
Case Study
March 12, 2026
Targeted Financial Aid and Workforce Opportunity
Five State Case Studies
States play a pivotal role in financing higher education and shaping the pathways that connect learners to opportunity. In an era of federal uncertainty and shifting policy priorities, state leaders face increasing pressure to ensure that public investments in postsecondary education advance both broad attainment goals and more specific workforce needs. This paper is intentionally oriented toward helping states advance policy decisions and understand investment tradeoffs related to their financial aid and workforce alignment strategies.
Research Report
March 12, 2026
Aligning State Investments with Workforce Opportunity
A Framework for Targeted Higher Education Funding
State and local spending on higher education represents a significant public investment, and states have a responsibility to deploy these dollars in ways that maximize their social and economic returns. Policy discussions about how states can ensure their investments maximize these economic and social returns, however, have largely centered on states’ direct appropriations to public institutions and, more recently, on how those dollars can be tied to credentials of value. Far less attention has been paid to state financial aid…
Blog Post
January 18, 2024
Understanding ROI on Postsecondary Education
Using Data to Support Strategic State Investments
The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) recently shared findings from their annual survey, shedding light on the top ten policy priorities among the public executives in each state responsible for overseeing postsecondary education. Topping the list were three key areas: (1) supporting workforce and economic development, (2) ensuring adequate funding for public colleges and universities, and (3) addressing the growing concern among students and the public regarding the value of a college degree. States need better data…
Blog Post
February 8, 2023
Educational Attainment and the Economy
Where Do We See the Best Opportunities for Growth?
Attaining a postsecondary credential has the potential to improve the life circumstances of people across the country as well as the financial and economic health of states. As individuals secure jobs that pay living wages, they become less reliant on social services, increase their personal spending, and generate additional tax revenue for the state. These benefits are likely to increase the state’s GDP, attract new industry, expand labor market opportunities, and reduce necessary state spending. Prior research shows…
Research Report
January 17, 2023
Strengthening Mississippi’s Economic Future Through Postsecondary Investment
As Mississippi prepares to support the statewide postsecondary attainment goal, understanding the returns to higher education is crucial to determining where to invest resources. Ithaka S+R has partnered with the Woodward Hines Education Foundation to provide Mississippi policymakers, advocates, and legislators with information they need to make strategic investments in postsecondary education that can increase attainment of high-value postsecondary credentials, especially amongst lower-income Mississippians, people of color, and residents in rural communities.