Financing Postsecondary Learning Opportunities through Existing Federal Student Aid Programs

Abstract

In 1976-77, the federal government spent $8 billion in its major programs providing support to postsecondary students. The level of federal expenditures for student aid has more than doubled in this decade, a marked contrast to federal spending in most other categorical aid programs for education. However, the increases in federal student aid money have not been used to support the mushrooming enrollments of adults. While the number of part-time, adult students now exceeds traditional full-time postsecondary enrollments, less than 15 percent of federal student aid funds is used by adult learners. Whether this distribution of funds reflected the federal intent, a number of implicit and explicit barriers effectively limit the participation of adult learners in student financial aid programs. The purpose of this paper is to explore possible modifications in existing federal student aid programs-primarily the new Basic Educational Opportunity Grant program (BEOG)-that might accommodate adult learners. The provisions that limit the participation of adult learners in federal student aid programs are examined in the third section, where I also provide estimates of the enrollment and cost effects resulting from their removal. The dimensions of institutional responses to suggest modifications are considered in the fourth section. Throughout, the term "adult learners" refers to individuals beyond the age of compulsory schooling who are not full-time students in traditional school, vocational, or university programs. "Adult post-