Does Free Community College Improve Student Outcomes? Evidence From a Regression Discontinuity Design. (June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bell, Elizabeth
• Is Part Of: Educational evaluation and policy analysis. Volume 43:Number 2(2021)
• Page Start: 329
• Page End: 350
• Publication Date: 2021-06
• Subjects: community colleges -- educational policy -- higher education -- evaluation -- program evaluation -- regression discontinuity -- quasi-experimental analysis -- policy analysis; Education -- Evaluation -- Research -- United States -- Periodicals; Education -- Research -- United States -- Periodicals; 370.7
• DOI: 10.3102/0162373721993149
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0162-3737

Abstract

In this article, I utilize a regression discontinuity design to estimate the effects of Tulsa Achieves—a prevalent and understudied type of tuition-free college program. In contrast to concerns regarding tuition-free community college suppressing bachelor's degree attainment, I find that Tulsa Achieves increased the likelihood of transferring to 4-year colleges by 13 to 14 percentage points and increased bachelor's degree attainment by approximately 2 percentage points. The estimates for shorter outcomes are underpowered to detect policy relevant effects, but suggest Tulsa Achieves increased college GPA and had a null impact on credit accumulation, retention, and graduation from Tulsa Community College.