Although America’s College Promise (PDF) is unlikely to be included in the Build Back Better Act, free community college is still a priority for many congressional Democrats, and variations of the program already exist at the state level. The next time around, whether the program be at the federal or state level, policymakers could make some key changes that would mitigate possible negative effects on education equity.

In addition to making education more affordable for those who already attend community college, free community college could change enrollment patterns by encouraging students who would otherwise not enroll to attend and by encouraging students who are enrolled, or would consider enrolling, in other sectors to switch to community college. Supplemental policies—along with free community college—could help ensure these shifts don’t have negative effects on students or institutions.

  • Increasing college attendance
  • Shifting enrollment from for-profit colleges
  • Shifting enrollment from four-year institutions
  • Policy options to prevent undermatching

Read the full article about community college by Jason Cohn at Urban Institute.