By Olivia Sanchez for The Hechinger Report.
Broadcast version by Danielle Smith for Arkansas News Service reporting for The Hechinger Report-Public News Service Collaboration

For many Americans, a college education is a luxury that feels worlds away. Even if there are multiple income-earners in their home. Even if they have enough cash to cover rent, utility bills and keep food on the table. Even if they don't qualify for government assistance. Even so, the reality of paying for college can be hard to fathom.

The University of Central Arkansas is testing out a solution it says will largely eliminate financial barrier to a bachelor's degree for families earning less than $100,000 per year. That could be crucial in a state like Arkansas, which has the 10th highest poverty rate and the third lowest rate of bachelor's degree attainment in the country.

Given that Arkansas' median income is $55,432 and 76 percent of households bring in less than $100,000 per year, university president, Houston Davis, believes the program will be able to help many students who wouldn't otherwise be able to pay for college cover tuition and fees.

"Instead of a family saying 'I've got a plan for how to pay for that for one year,' we've got a plan for how you can pay for it for four," Davis said. "We think that is a game changer. That is a change in the conversation around breakfast tables and dinner tables. And we think it's what Arkansas families need to hear right now."

The program, called UCA Commitment, will be available to next year's freshman class. To be eligible, students have to be Arkansas residents whose total family annual income falls below the $100,000 threshold. They also must apply for the merit-based Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship.

Once they have collected federal and state grants, the University of Central Arkansas will cover the rest with scholarships and work study assignments, Davis said.

Many states offer pathways to tuition-free community college, but such programs at the baccalaureate level are much less common, and typically provided at elite, deep-pocketed private universities, such as Harvard, Princeton, Stanford and Duke. For instance, Colgate University launched a similar program in 2021, which offered free tuition for students from families making less than $80,000, and replaced federal student loans with institution grants for students from families making less than $175,000.

The University of Central Arkansas is a far less selective institution, accepting 90 percent of all applicants. More than 40 percent of the student body qualifies for federal Pell Grants, meaning they come from a low-income family. As a regional university, many students come directly from the surrounding area, which includes counties with poverty rates above 20 percent.

The hope is that this program will remove the financial barrier for students who need it the most including those who may not see college as an option, said Khadish Franklin, managing director and team lead for the research advisory services division at education consulting firm EAB.

"You really need that for schools across the country, but in a state like Arkansas, and in a region like Central Arkansas, it is absolutely transformative for students," Franklin said. EAB worked with the university to help develop the program.

For the 2023-2024 school year, tuition and fees for Arkansas residents costs $10,118, according to the University of Central Arkansas website. The scholarship won't cover other costs such as textbooks, housing, food and transportation, which can add up to thousands as well.

Still, as long as they keep their GPA above a 2.5 and log at least 10 hours of community service per semester, students will be able to keep the scholarship for four consecutive years.

Davis said the university estimates that between 40 to 45 percent of freshmen will be eligible, or about 750 students in the fall of 2024.

The program is years in the making. About five years ago, leaders at the University of Central Arkansas considered the threats facing their school: The region faced a looming demographic cliff of college-aged residents and administrators were uncertain about what kind of state and federal funding they could count on in the coming years.

They began to ask themselves, "What were we going to do to be proactive?" Davis said.

To answer the questions, leaders pored through the budget to make sure that every dollar was going toward meeting the needs of students.

Part of that process was determining whether they were doing the best they could with student financial aid packages, Davis said. They worried about "over-awarding" some students, while other students who needed the money more weren't getting it. They began drafting budgets to see whether they could make something like the UCA Commitment program work. After moving around some scholarship money and raising more money, administrators think they can swing it.

The new program doesn't come at great risk to the college, either. Just because students won't have to pay tuition, doesn't mean the college isn't getting paid. The money coming in for each student will be the same, it will just come from scholarships and work study assignments instead of college loans and credit cards.

Davis said the university expects to see a small increase in enrollment, but expects the most significant impact will to be on the number of students who return year after year.

"The real power of UCA Commitment is going to be for those students who are in academic good standing, they're making progress toward a degree, but money is the reason they stop out," Davis said.


Olivia Sanchez wrote this article for The Hechinger Report.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.


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A Connecticut group is hosting an information clinic tomorrow about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid program, known as FAFSA.

The Center for Latino Progress is hosting the session to help students access financial resources to attend college. Technical issues delayed FAFSA submission for many students this year and the application process can be overwhelming.

Naomi Arroyo, youth development specialist at the center, said one of the most important parts of the process is establishing a FAFSA ID.

"It takes three to five days for the FAFSA ID to be completed and that is practically the first step of the FAFSA process," Arroyo explained. "But it is not the FAFSA application. It is an identification code saying this is who I am, it has been verified by FAFSA, so that when you click in the actual application, you don't have to fill out all of the necessary personal information."

She noted those participating in the clinics should have their FAFSA ID prepared before attending. The clinic will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Center for Latino Progress' main offices on the second floor of 95-97 Park Street in Hartford.

While it is the first time the Center for Latino Progress has done such an event, Arroyo pointed out they have enough funding to do it again. She noted community feedback has been positive since having a guide for the FAFSA speeds up the process. Arroyo added aside from technical issues, tax questions on the FAFSA can create barriers for families.

"All those little tricky tax form questions can be a challenge if you're a student," Arroyo acknowledged. "Or, if you're a parent and you're not sure where to put that information, it can be a lot."

The clinic is also designed to help people fill out a physical FAFSA form if the online version gets too unruly. Arroyo said some parents might not be familiar with the FAFSA and are unaware of how much support for which their children can qualify. The hope is the clinic bolsters education access for students and the community.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

Grants to help students overcome financial hurdles to complete degrees and certificates in science, technology, engineering, and math fields are now available through the Last Mile Education Fund.

Ruthe Farmer, founder and CEO of the fund, said society has invested roughly $477,000 by the time an average STEM student reaches his or her junior year.

She said helping them make it to the finish line is a win-win.

"Because the best outcome for society is that person graduating, using that college degree and all their investment in time, to contribute," said Farmer. "If they don't graduate, and they're stuck with a bunch of debt and they'll never earn the amount of money they could have, we all lose."

Eight in ten students from low-income families don't complete their degrees - largely because of a lack of financial resources to weather life events, such as a broken-down car or unexpected medical expense.

Since its inception, the fund has awarded more than 8,000 cash grants, totaling nearly $9 million. Forty-two percent of grantees were Black, 20% Hispanic, and 53% women.

Farmer encourages students to fill out an application online at 'lastmile-ed.org.'

"We have a listing there of all of the types of grants that we offer," said Farmer. "But it's not up to the student to have to figure all of that out. Just tell us who you are, complete the application, and we're going to find every dollar that we have available that matches with you."

STEM graduates earn on average $43,000 more per year than non-graduates, and more than twice as much as non-graduates over their lifetime.

Farmer said investing in students also boosts Colorado's economy.

"Because what we need is qualified workers in technology that are contributing to the innovation economy," said Farmer. "Especially in Colorado, that's a big part of our economy."

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.




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It is back-to-school time, and health experts are offering tips about improving children's physical and mental well-being.

The advice comes amid a recent global increase in anxiety and other behavioral health issues among kids. In Virginia, about one in five children have had a major depressive episode, according to a 2023 report.

Dr. Tierra Oseji, a pediatrician for Permanente Medicine, said social media use is a major factor in these trends and suggests finding ways to limit the time kids spend using it.

"The use of screen is a privilege and it's not a default," Oseji asserted. "It should be considered after chores are done. After family time has occurred over dinner. After we've done outdoor play."

For children aged 13-17, 95% report using some form of social media. Oseji also suggested deactivating apps while learning and using parental control locks to limit screen time. Gov. Glenn Youngkin has asked Virginia school districts to look for ways to restrict cellphones in classrooms.

Beyond screen time, experts said it is important to keep up with nutrition, dental hygiene and physical checkups.

Dr. Rhonda Randall, chief medical officer and executive vice president of UnitedHealthcare Employer and Individual, said having a routine like a good night's sleep and a sit-down meal can be beneficial.

"All of those things around consistency help your child feel more confident and secure and stable and also promote their health," Randall explained.

She suggested booking health checkups soon, as physicians are often busy this time of year. Virginia faces a shortage of doctors, nurses, psychiatrists and other health care workers.