The Texas Tuition and Fee Waiver Program for Youth Who Have Experienced Foster Care: An Assessment of Waiver Utilization and Impact

Background: Federal and state initiatives exist to reduce the financial burden of higher education for youth who have experienced foster care, as these youth generally do not have the financial means to pursue a college education. Many states offer a tuition waiver for youth who have experienced foster care. However, little information is available about the efficacy of waiver programs.

Methods: The sample for this study is a prospective cohort of foster youth who were: (1) ever in foster care; and (2) turned 18 between September 1, 2009 to August 31, 2010. This time-frame was chosen because it allowed enough time to pass to examine traditional six-year graduation rates. The state child welfare agency identified youth who turned 18 years old between September 1, 2009 and August 31, 2010 and who were in foster care at some point prior to their 18^th birthdays. The state child welfare agency then transmitted the data to the state’s higher education agency via secure networks. Youth were matched by analysts at the higher education agency using names, birthdates, and social security numbers. This process produced a sample of 4,263 youth. Descriptive and bivariate analyses of factors associated with waiver utilization of this subgroup were produced. Finally, multivariate models examined which factors: a) predict waiver utilization and second; and b) how waiver use relates to higher education outcomes when controlling for other factors that might be related to both waiver use and graduation rates.

Results: Over one-third (35.87%) of youth who experienced foster care enroll in higher education at some point in the six years after turning 18. The majority of youth who enroll in higher education first enroll in 2-year/community colleges (71.70%). Approximately one-fourth (25.52%) initially enrolled in a four-year public university. Of the youth who enrolled in higher education, just under half (47.35%) were tuition waiver eligible. However, of the enrolled and waiver eligible youth, approximately 60% used the waiver whereas 40% did not. Youth who use the waiver are 3.5 times more likely to receive a bachelor’s degree than youth who do not use the waiver.

Conclusion: Findings from this study provide evidence suggesting that tuition waivers are a logical investment for states. Youth who utilize the waivers are 3.5 times more likely to graduate than youth who do not use the waivers. To ensure waiver usage, policies should be broadly written so that as many youth as possible can access the waivers. Additionally, practices should continuously inform youth about the waiver prior to completion of high school. Once they are on college campuses, advocates should be available to help youth use the waiver.