Market-Based Higher Education: Does Colorado's Voucher Model Improve Higher Education Access and Efficiency?

In 2004, Colorado introduced the nation's first voucher model for financing public higher education. With state appropriations now allocated to students, rather than institutions, state officials expect this model to create cost efficiencies while also expanding college access. Using difference...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inResearch in higher education Vol. 55; no. 6; pp. 601 - 625
Main Authors Hillman, Nicholas W., Tandberg, David A., Gross, Jacob P. K.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Dordrecht Springer 01.09.2014
Springer Netherlands
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects
Access to Education
College students
Colleges
Colorado
Community Colleges
Cost efficiency
Disproportionate Representation
Education
Education finance
Education policy
Education reform
Educational Change
Educational Objectives
Educational Quality
Educational Vouchers
Efficiency
Higher Education
Hispanics
Minority group students
Regression (Statistics)
School enrollment
State Aid
Tuition
Vouchers
Colorado
United States > US
Market-based reforms
State policy
Higher education finance
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Summary:In 2004, Colorado introduced the nation's first voucher model for financing public higher education. With state appropriations now allocated to students, rather than institutions, state officials expect this model to create cost efficiencies while also expanding college access. Using difference-in-difference regression analysis, we find limited evidence that these outcomes occurred within the 4-year sector; however, the policy increased cost efficiencies among community college and reduced college access for some underrepresented groups. The paper discusses the challenges of applying market-based reforms to public higher education.
ISSN:0361-0365
1573-188X
DOI:10.1007/s11162-013-9326-3