@EdWorkingPaper{ai25-1167,
title = "Get a Skill, Get a Job, Get Ahead? Evaluating the Effects of Virginia’s Workforce-Targeted Free College Program",
author = "Sade Bonilla, Daniel Sparks",
institution = "Annenberg Institute at Brown University",
number = "1167",
year = "2025",
month = "April",
URL = "http://www.edworkingpapers.com/ai25-1167",
abstract = {Tuition-free college programs are gaining momentum as policymakers address rising college costs and workforce readiness. Despite their growing adoption, limited research examines how workforce-focused eligibility criteria impact student outcomes beyond enrollment. This pre-registered study employs two within-study quasi-experimental designs—regression discontinuity and difference-in-differences— to estimate the causal impact of Virginia’s Get a Skill, Get a Job, Get Ahead (G3) initiative on financial aid and academic outcomes for community college students. Launched as a pandemic recovery effort, G3 aimed to reverse enrollment declines and address labor shortages by leveraging simplified ‘free college’ messaging and offering last-dollar scholarships and additional advising support for students in high-demand workforce programs. The initiative increased total financial aid and grant aid, with gains concentrated among middle-income students. While certificate completion rose by 2 to 6.6 percentage points, these effects were not robust across specifications. Similar to other tuition-free programs, G3 significantly increased FAFSA completion and enrollment in aid-eligible workforce programs. These findings offer valuable insights into how targeted tuition-free programs can expand financial aid access, promote educational attainment, and align higher education with workforce demands.},
}