The Texas tuition and fee waiver program for youth who have experienced foster care: An assessment of waiver utilization and impact

Abstract

Twenty-two states have legislated a tuition waiver for foster youth. However, little information is available about the efficacy of waiver programs. Texas has one of the oldest and largest tuition waiver programs, providing a useful case study of waiver impact. This study uses a unique data set of 4263 youth formerly in foster care in Texas to provide the first information about how utilization of the Texas tuition waiver impacts degree attainment. Findings reveal that youth who use waivers are 3.5 times more likely to graduate with a bachelor’s degree within 6 years of turning 18 years old. However, findings also indicate that the waiver is not used by 40% of the youth who are eligible to use it. The present study suggests that tuition waivers are a viable strategy for promoting post-secondary achievement among youth who have experienced foster care. However, waiver programs need to be broadly defined, accessible, and evaluated for utilization and impact.