Leveraging Public Benefits to Improve States' Postsecondary Access and Completion

This report--written by Amy Ellen Duke-Benfield and Brian Sponsler--provides an overview of current public benefit policies and encourages states to look beyond traditional financial aid sources and free college programs to better support student success among students with low incomes. The brief calls for adopting states to adopt policies that streamline access to public benefit programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), SNAP E&T (Employment & Training), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and child care assistance to increase postsecondary attendance and completion among students with low incomes.