This paper consists of three independent, quantitative studies on three higher education policy issues in the U.S. : 1) Performance-based Financial Aid, 2) Community College Degree Attainment, and 3) Dual Enrollment. The first essay discusses how low-income students in free college programs respond to strict achievement standards exceeding the minimum requirement for federal financial aid. To address this question, I examined the impact of a new credit completion requirement for Indiana’s statewide free college program. This program is only available for low-income students and recently increased the number of credits required for maintaining eligibility from “taking” 24 credits per year to “earning” 30 credits per year in 2013. Using Indiana’s statewide administrative data on college students, I exploit the sudden change in the eligibility renewal rule to identify the causal effects of the requirement on their postsecondary outcomes. I found that the new rule increased the likelihood of completing a bachelor’s degree within four years by 2.5 percentage points. At two-year institutions, the policy had mixed impacts, increasing the chance of graduation within two years by 2.9 percentage points but also lowered the second-year persistence rate by 3.7 percentage points. Meanwhile, the number of of degree completers within five years remained unchanged in both the sectors, suggesting that strict achievement requirements only improve program efficiency but not overall productivity in terms of degree attainment. Lastly, the policy effects are largely driven by community college students and students whose high school GPA is at or below the median. This implies that schooling decisions that the policy is intended to influence are mostly concentrated among those students. In the second essay, I discuss how well machine learning (ML) techniques predict the chance of postsecondary credential attainment for students who started at community colleges. Among community college leaders and others interested in reforms to improve student success, there is growing interest in adopting ML techniques to predict credential completion. However, ML algorithms are often complex and are not readily accessible to practitioners for whom a simpler set of near-term measures may serve as sufficient predictors. This study compares the out-of-sample predictive power of early momentum metrics (EMMs)—13 near-term success measures suggested by the literature - with that of metrics from ML-based models that employ approximately 500 predictors for community college credential completion. Using transcript data from approximately 50,000 students at more than 30 community colleges in two states, I find that the EMMs that were modeled by logistic regression accurately predict completion for approximately 80% of students. This classification performance is comparable to that of the ML-based models. The EMMs even outperform the ML-based models in its ability to approximate the actual probability of degree completion. These findings suggest that EMMs are useful predictors for credential completion and that the marginal gain from using an ML-based model over EMMs is small for credential completion prediction when additional predictors do not have strong rationales to be included in an ML-based model, no matter how large the number of those predictors may be. The third essay focuses on dual enrollment programs at community colleges. The number of high students taking college courses has grown dramatically over the past two decades but little is known about their long-term educational outcomes. Using student-level data obtained from the National Student Clearinghouse, this study provides state-level descriptive analyses on the demographic characteristics of dual-enrolled students, as well as their educational attainment statuses in their early 20s. We tracked more than 200,000 high school students who first took a community college course in fall 2010 for six years, through summer 2016 (five years after high school). Eighty-eight percent of these students continued in college after high school, and most earned a certificate or degree or transferred from a two-year college to a four-year college within five years. What type of college former dual enrollment students attended after high school and how many completed a college credential varied greatly by state, and many states showed big disparities in credential completion rates between lower and higher income students.

The dropout of students funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is a perennial problem in many higher education institutions (HEIs) in South Africa. Despite this, little research has been conducted to investigate this phenomenon, and this study sought to address this gap by investigating the dropout of NSFAS-funded students from HEIs in Northern Gauteng. The study adopted a qualitative methodology and a phenomenological design to explore the lived experiences of students who dropped out of HEIs. Thirty-one NSFAS-funded students, three senior management officials from three HEIs and one NSFAS senior official were purposively selected to form part of the study. Semi-structured interviews, document analysis and observations were utilised as reseach instruments and interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was employed to analyse data. The findings of the study established that a lack of support for students, and personal, socioeconomic, institutional and health factors contributed to the dropout of students from HEIs. It was further established that the majority of students who dropped out did so because of the inefficient operations of NSFAS and the new student-centred model. The study also found that insufficient funding, late allocation of funds, stringent NSFAS requirements, lack of communication, late payment or nonpayment of allowances contributed to students’ dropout. To address these shortfalls, the study recommends that the student-centred model should be overhauled and replaced with an integrated system including departments such as DOH, SARS, DSD and DOL to identify students who are eligible for funding and assist in the efficient administration of NSFAS. It is further recommended that funding administered by both the national and provincial government departments be centralized and administred by the NSFAS to circumvent double dipping. Finally, it is recommended that students who fall within the R0 – R350,000 per annum household income category including SASSA beneficiaries be flagged by the system to automatically qualify for funding. / Educational Management and Leadership / D. Ed. (Education Management)

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Student Financial Support Schemes (SFSS) have become increasingly important in providing financial assistance for students pursuing higher education, in both developed and developing countries. SFSSs were first established in the 1950s. The years that followed saw an increase steady expansion of student loan programs, through the introduction of student loans in more countries and expansion in the number of loans available in relation to their size and new expanded approach. The trend was in response to higher education expansion, combined with increasing financial toughness and concern for equity, while at the same time there was a surge of interest in student loans in the late 1980s and 1990s, with new programs introduced in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom; several countries in eastern Europe, considering introducing student loans for the first time; and some developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America establishing or expanding student loan programs. The need for financial assistance is to enable students from low-income families to meet direct and indirect costs of higher education, and to ensure equality of opportunity, equity, and social justice. Recent arguments focused on whether student financial supports should be provided by governments, private agencies, employers, or institutions, and whether it should be in the form of scholarships, bursaries, grants either available to all students and or means-tested or fully repayable loans. Increasingly, debates also surrounds the question of how student loans should be administered in particular, eligibility and terms of repayment of loans, appropriate rates of interest, and mechanisms to target disadvantaged students while minimising default rates. Firstly, this study did a comparison between the SFSSs of the four different countries. Secondly, the best practices were identified and the Namibian case study was evaluated against the four countries. Lastly, some conclusions and recommendations were made that are aimed to improve the SFSS in Namibia. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Studente finansiële ondersteuningskemas in ontwikkelde en onder ontwikkelende lande lewer ‘n belangrike bydrae tot die finansiële ondersteuning van studente in höer onderwys. Studente finansiële skemas is tot stand gebring in die 1950s. In die daarop volgende dekades het daar ‘n enorme groei plaasgevind in die daarstelling van studente leningskemas. Nie net het die aantal leningskemas vermeerder nie, maar meer en meer lande het van die benadering gebruik gemaak. Gedurende die 1980s en 1990s was daar ‘n toename in studentegetalle in höer onderwys wat gevolglik gelei het tot ‘n toename in finansiële ondersteuning van studente. Die implementering van nuwe programme in Australië, Nieu-Seeland en die Verenigde Koninkryke het gelei tot ‘n toename in finansiële ondersteuningskemas van studente. Verskeie lande in Europa het oorweging geskend aan die implementering van finansiële ondersteuning van studente tewyl onder ontwikkelende lande in Asië, Afrika en Latyns Amerika oorweging geskenk het aan die uitbreiding van finansiële ondersteuningskemas aan benadeelde en opkomende studente. Finansiële ondersteuning van behoeftige studente is gedoen om die direkte en indirekte koste verbonde aan onderwys te dek, gelyke geleenthede tot onderwys te skep, toegang tot ondewys te verbreed en om sosiale geregtigheid te verseker. ‘n Debat het egter onstaan oor wie verantwoordelikheid moet aanvaar vir die toekenning van studiebeurse, lenings of skenkings aan studente. In die verband is daar spesifiek gevra oor watter bydrae instellings in die openbare en privaat sektore maak tot finansiële ondersteuning van studente. Verdere aangeleenthede wat tydens die debat geopper word is vrae soos, wie moet verantwoordelikheid aanvaar vir die bestuur van sodanige finansiële skemas, lenings, die rentekoers ter sprake by die terugbetaling van die lenings en watter metodes kan gebruik word in die geval van minder gegoede studente wat nie hul finansiële terugbetaling ooreenkomste kan na kom nie. Die studie is onderneem na aanleiding van ‘n vergelykende studie tussen vier verskillende lande se finansiële ondersteuningskemas. Daarna is ‘n beste praktyk ontwikkel waarteen die Namibiese finansiële ondersteuning skema geevalueer is. Sekere gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings is gemaak om die bestaande skema te verbeter.

Organisational Leadership / The purpose of this study is to determine which factors influence the formation of intention to adopt the NSFAS online financial application system at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), and to identify barriers to adoption experienced by the NSFAS applicants at TUT. To achieve these objectives, the study utilised the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Ram & Sheth (1989) concept of barriers to model TUT NSFAS adoption patterns. To test this conceptual framework, a descriptive quantitative research survey approach was conducted. Data was collected through self-completion structured questionnaires from a sample of 644 TUT students in September 2015. SPSS Version 23 and STATA 12 were utilised to conduct descriptive and multivariate analyses including correlations and structural equation modelling respectively.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T20:48:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao JACQUELINE DE OLIVEIRA LAMEZA.pdf: 428988 bytes, checksum: b327e263d4c76d180a75eeb141dd06ac (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-08-22 / This dissertation presents as subject of study the Private Higher Education in Brazil in the period of 1995 to 2004, prioritizing the under-graduation education. The objectives are: To delineate the importance of the role of the State in the Education, to analyze the growth of Private Superior Education in Brazil and analyze the public financing in this education sector. In this sense, it develops a discussion about the role of the State in the Education, the NeoLiberal State, the principles of the present public policies and the participation of the public and private in the higher education system. The Brazilian private higher education is analyzed considering the institutions expansion, the enrollments, the number of vacancies offered, fulfilled and not fulfilled and also the number of teachers according to their degrees. The State participation in the private sector of the higher education system is examined under the point of view of the Educational Credit (CREDUC) and the Student Financing (FIES). The methodological route includes bibliographical research about the role of the State in the Education, the economy and the education, the private higher education in Brazil, and the present Brazilian educational policies; statistical data collection and analysis about the private and public education in the INEP/MEC, IPEA and IBGE Statistical Database. It includes also an analysis regarding the expenditures with higher education in relation to the GIP. The research s results indicate a significant growth in the private higher education system, being the public educational policies important inducer of this process and also the financial aid to the student, which amplifies the access and permanence opportunities in this educational system. In the guise of final considerations we point the recommendations aimed to contribute in a constructive way to the private higher education debate in Brazil / Esta dissertação apresenta como objeto de estudo o Ensino Superior Privado no Brasil no período de 1995 a 2004, priorizando o ensino da graduação. Têm-se como objetivos:delinear a importância do papel do Estado na Educação, analisar a expansão do Ensino Superior Privado no Brasil e o financiamento público nesse setor do ensino. Nesse sentido, desenvolve-se uma discussão sobre o papel do Estado na Educação, o Estado Neoliberal, os princípios das atuais políticas públicas e a participação do público e do privado no sistema da educação superior. O ensino superior privado no País é analisado a partir da expansão das instituições, das matrículas, das vagas oferecidas, preenchidas e não preenchidas e número de docentes segundo titulação. A participação do Estado no setor privado do sistema de ensino superior é examinada da perspectiva do Crédito Educativo (CREDUC) e do Financiamento ao Estudante (FIES). O percurso metodológico inclui pesquisa bibliográfica sobre o papel do Estado na Educação, a economia e a educação, o ensino superior privado no Brasil, as atuais políticas educacionais brasileiras, levantamento e análise de dados estatísticos sobre o ensino superior privado e público junto ao Banco de Dados Estatísticos do INEP/MEC, IPEA e IBGE. Acrescenta-se ainda uma análise acerca dos gastos com a educação superior em relação ao PIB. Os resultados da pesquisa indicam um crescimento significativo do ensino superior privado, sendo as políticas públicas educacionais indutoras importantes desse processo e o financiamento ao estudante, que amplia as oportunidades de acesso e permanência nesse sistema de ensino. À guisa de considerações finais apontam-se recomendações que visam contribuir de maneira construtiva para o debate do ensino superior privado no Brasil

This paper determines relationships between three elements of the American policy process: legislature, agency, and administrative clientele. It concerns interrelationships between these elements and their affect to agency functions. A model is constructed; revealing the policy process, illustrating behavior patterns responsible for normal functioning and failure of policies and programs. The model develops through study of a single policy area. Supplemental data are provided from a survey. The paper concludes that the process is based on legislation-- causing activity in an agency or substantial change in programs; agency actions, seated in its own organizational objectives, and resultant to internal conflicts; and by clientele behavior, determined by agency actions or inactions. This model may help predicting policy outcomes, but only after similar but more comprehensive studies.

Thesis (M. Dev. (Planning and Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) was introduced in South Africa in 1999. Despite two decades of implementation—and some notable successes—the NSFAS has been critiqued for its overall “effectiveness” (McKay, Naidoo & Simpson 2018:25-27). This study investigated the effectiveness of NSFAS from the perspective of skills development among students at the University of Limpopo (UL). The study used a qualitative research design which purposively selected participants using a semi-structured interview instrument. The purposive sampling included nine NSFAS beneficiaries from the Faculties of Management and Law and Science and Agriculture and six NSFAS administrators working at UL. The study applied thematic analysis to analyse the collected data. The analysis enabled insights into the effectiveness of NSFAS on skills development among a limited sample at UL to be presented. The findings suggest that NSFAS funding contributes towards soft-skills development of student beneficiaries. There was less evidence that NSFAS funding contributed to hard-skills development. The study recommends that UL could introduce a number of measures to reinforce the soft-skills development that NSFAS catalysed such as internal mentorship schemes for students and/or engaged collaborations with non-academic partners to reinforce the soft-skills components of students learning experience. Due to the localised nature and small size it is suggested that further research is warranted into the impact of NSFAS on students soft-skills development at a broader scale. During the research process, the ethical rules and regulations dictated by the Turfloop Research and Ethics Committee (TREC) were complied with and the suggested protocols of the experiences of educational researchers in the use of case study design during the COVID-19 pandemic were also observed and adhered to.

Tertiary education campuses are no more the heart of peacefulness and scholastic study. They are turned into battlefields, administration and lecture hall buildings become the objects of siege, invasion and occupation. This is caused by the demands by students for adequate financial aid, the declining financial resources from government and the government's call for more access to tertiary education especially for the historically disadvantaged students. The problems in tertiary education pertain not only to financial problems, they also include cultural diversity, social and political issues. The financial aid to tertiary institutions is the main theme in this research. The research is based on a study of international and South African tertiary education systems in order to find ways to manage student affairs in tertiary education effectively and efficiently and to establish management strategies that will be acceptable to students, management, parents, all stakeholders and interest groups. In the end the management in tertiary education institutions should be able to effect the transformation based on the profound deficiencies of the present system which inhibit Higher Education's ability to meet the moral, social and economic demands of the new South Africa in the context of national and global opportunities and challenges. / Educational Leadership and Management / M.Ed. (Educational Management)

Tertiary education campuses are no more the heart of peacefulness and scholastic study. They are turned into battlefields, administration and lecture hall buildings become the objects of siege, invasion and occupation. This is caused by the demands by students for adequate financial aid, the declining financial resources from government and the government's call for more access to tertiary education especially for the historically disadvantaged students. The problems in tertiary education pertain not only to financial problems, they also include cultural diversity, social and political issues. The financial aid to tertiary institutions is the main theme in this research. The research is based on a study of international and South African tertiary education systems in order to find ways to manage student affairs in tertiary education effectively and efficiently and to establish management strategies that will be acceptable to students, management, parents, all stakeholders and interest groups. In the end the management in tertiary education institutions should be able to effect the transformation based on the profound deficiencies of the present system which inhibit Higher Education's ability to meet the moral, social and economic demands of the new South Africa in the context of national and global opportunities and challenges. / Educational Leadership and Management / M.Ed. (Educational Management)