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Financing College Opportunity

Author

Listed:
  • Michael K. McLendon
  • David A. Tandberg
  • Nicholas W. Hillman

Abstract

Some states invest relatively heavily in financial aid programs that benefit lower-income citizens, while other states concentrate their investment in programs that benefit students from higher-income backgrounds. States also vary in their levels of direct appropriations to campuses, a form of public subsidy that has long been viewed as benefitting middle-income citizens. What factors influence states to allocate higher education subsidies in a more or a less redistributive manner? This article reports on a study that examined sources of variation in state spending on need-based aid, merit-based aid, and appropriations over the period 1990–2010. Findings document relationships among spending patterns and structural and political conditions of states, indicating a “trade-off†between spending on merit- and need-based aid; as states invest more in the former, they reduce spending on the latter. We also show that the presence of a Republican governor and the strength of Republican representation in statehouses each is associated with increased state spending on need-based financial aid. Our results further show that increased wealth is positively associated with state spending on merit-based financial aid programs and state appropriations for higher education, but not need-based financial aid. We also find distinctive patterns of state support for higher education depending on the degree of centralization of a state’s governance arrangement for higher education; namely, the presence of a highly centralized structure is associated with decreased spending on merit-based aid programs and increased state appropriations to colleges and universities.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael K. McLendon & David A. Tandberg & Nicholas W. Hillman, 2014. "Financing College Opportunity," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 655(1), pages 143-162, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:anname:v:655:y:2014:i:1:p:143-162
    DOI: 10.1177/0002716214540849
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    References listed on IDEAS

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