Strada collaborates with students, policymakers, educators, and employers across the U.S. to strengthen the link between education and opportunity.
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We prioritize policies, practices, and programs that help ensure postsecondary education provides equitable pathways to opportunity.
We advance our mission through research, grantmaking, social impact investments, public policy solutions, Strada-supported nonprofit organizations, and strategic initiatives.
Cost should not be a barrier for students working to access or complete their education.
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For many individuals, the cost of postsecondary education is a significant barrier, limiting their access to further education and the economic opportunity it can generate.
Our work to make postsecondary education more affordable focuses on partnering with states, institutions, policymakers, foundations, and other nonprofit organizations to reduce the cost of education after high school, decrease the time required to complete a degree, increase access to need-based financial aid, leverage innovative financing mechanisms that improve access to education for all students, and advance awareness and transparency surrounding the availability of aid.
We envision a future in which quality postsecondary education programs are within everyone’s financial reach, allowing for equitable opportunity to success.
The National College Attainment Network estimates prospective college students who did not complete the FAFSA missed out on $3.6 billion in Pell Grants in 2022 alone. Strada is supporting NCAN’s efforts to spread the word about upgrades to this year’s FAFSA that will delay its availability and could pose more challenges to encouraging students to complete the form.
Research shows credit for prior learning saves students time and money and increases graduation rates. Providing opportunities for students to demonstrate skills and knowledge gained outside the college classroom makes education more affordable, particularly for adult learners returning to college.
A new and improved Free Application for Federal Student Aid expected late this year should provide opportunities for more students and their families to access money to pay for college. Yet the transition to this new form presents unprecedented challenges for those who work to help students complete it.
According to new Strada Education Foundation research, community college attendees who complete an associate degree or successfully transfer to a four-year institution value their education at rates comparable to or higher than recent bachelor’s degree completers. However, researchers found first-generation students rated the value of their community college education about 20 percentage points lower than those who are not first-generation students.
Major changes in the form, combined with an expected delay in its release, are combining to intensify the work of spreading the word about the updated FAFSA.
Is the so-called “student debt crisis” really a crisis? Author Beth Akers brings an economist’s view of postsecondary education’s return on investment and says, on average, college is still worth the price — if you do it right.
Steep declines in undergraduate enrollment during 2020 and 2021 threaten to widen existing equity gaps in college completion and career opportunities.
The high school classes of 2020 and 2021 have endured massive disruption to their education.
Disrupted high school graduates cited stress, anxiety, and uncertainty as having the greatest influence on their decision to delay further education — and they say guidance, affordability, and connections to career would help them re-engage.
From its onset in early 2020, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has upended life across the world, leading to uncertainty around health, work, finances, education, and a host of other issues.
The pandemic has led to a national crisis of widespread disruption to both work and education for millions of adults in the U.S., especially those from historically marginalized groups.
Just half of college alumni feel it was worth it to take out loans to attend college, with even lower levels of satisfaction from Black and Latino alumni about their loans.
Strada Education Network’s latest Public Viewpoint research finds that fewer than 4 in 10 Black alumni and less than half of Latino alumni feel that it was worth taking out their student loans—but strong career support boosts their assessment.
We asked alumni nationwide who had borrowed money to go to school if their loans were worth it. Strada Education Network and Gallup surveyed a nationally representative sample of more than 6,000 student loan holders.
Strada Center for Consumer Insights weekly survey finds significant increases in Americans losing income and worried about their economic livelihood
Strada Center for Consumer Insights launches weekly nationally representative Public Viewpoint survey to track the impact of COVID-19 on individuals’ careers