Kane, Thomas J. 2007. “Evaluating the Impact of the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program.” Journal of Human Resources 42(3): 555–582.
The D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant program dramatically changed college prices for District of Columbia residents, allowing them to pay in-state tuition at public institutions around the country. Between 1998 and 2000, the number of D.C. residents attending public institutions in Virginia and Maryland more than doubled; when public institutions in other states were added, this number again nearly doubled. The impact was largest at nonselective public four-year colleges, particularly predominantly black institutions. The total number of financial aid applicants, Pell Grant recipients, and college entrants from D.C. also increased by 15 percent or more.
Thomas J. Kane is a professor of education and economics at Harvard University. He gratefully acknowledges support from the Ford Foundation and the Atlantic Philanthropies. Laurent Ross, the original director of the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant (D.C. TAG) program, suggested this project in the spring of 2000. Leonard Proctor, program director from 2002 to 2004, and staff member Rehva Jones provided much helpful data. Daniel Madzelan at the U.S. Department of Education provided data on FAFSA applicants and Pell Grant recipients from Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Douglas O. Staiger, Jens Ludwig, Enrico Moretti, Argelia Rodriguez, Sarah Turner, Wayne Upshaw, and an anonymous referee offered a number of helpful suggestions. Jennifer Kron, Rehva Jones, and Laurent Ross offered comments on an earlier draft. Virginia Nguyen provided research assistance. The data used in this article can be obtained beginning January 2008 through December 2010 from Thomas J. Kane, Gutman 455, Appian Way, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA 02138, kaneto@gse.harvard.edu.