what we do

• The Project on Student Debt

  

  The Project on Student Debt works to increase public understanding of rising student debt and the implications for our families, economy, and society.

• Keeping California's Promise
  

  

  California’s Master Plan for higher education guarantees a place in college for every eligible student. The Institute seeks to maximize the effectiveness of this promise by ensuring students have the financial aid and student services they need to succeed, particularly at California’s community colleges.

• Economic Diversity

  

  EconomicDiversity.org is the first publicly available source of campus-level data on student income, race and ethnicity, and student loan usage that can be compared over time and across institutions.

• Simplifying the FAFSA

  

  There is widespread agreement that the current Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a barrier to college access. The Institute supports using IRS data to automatically answer income questions on the FAFSA.

• Difficult Dialogues Initiative
  

  

  The Assessment and Evaluation Development Team supports the Ford Foundation’s Difficult Dialogues Initiative by providing technical assistance and individualized consultation to grantee institutions promoting religious, cultural, and political pluralism.