Many studies have also examined whether the introduction of a local promise program changes students’ behavior during high school. One study found students were 8-15 percentage points more likely to aspire to earn at least an associate degree following a program’s announcement, with the largest gains among students of color and those from low‑income backgrounds. Evidence from Kalamazoo shows increases in credit accumulation and GPA, particularly among Black students, as well as reductions in suspensions and detentions. Results in El Dorado showed improvements in elementary and middle school test scores.
Even when programs are complex, investments in advising can mitigate administrative barriers. In Oklahoma, students whose counselors viewed their role as supporting college access were more likely to receive promise funding and enroll in college, and students at schools that enrolled more counselors were more likely to navigate new burdensome application requirements and receive promise aid. Advise Tennessee, a program that supports students in navigating applications and financial aid, increased applications to the Tennessee Promise and improved college going by 6%.