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Senior Policy Analyst at Education Commission of the States | spingel@ecs.org

Sarah supports the research and analytical capacity of the policy team in her role as a senior policy analyst at Education Commission of the States. Sarah has extensive experience in student financial aid programs, and is frequently called upon as an expert in state financial aid policy and practice. A recipient of state aid herself, Sarah believes that state policy leaders have a key role to play in ensuring affordable postsecondary opportunities for students from all backgrounds.

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An Inside Look at FAFSA Completion as a Graduation Requirement

For the past several legislative sessions, state leaders interested in increasing high school seniors’ FAFSA completion rates have...

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Students Impacted by the Justice System Are Now Eligible for Federal Financial Aid. What About State Aid Programs?

In response to evidence from federal pilot programs in the last five years and increasing awareness about significant justice issues...

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Postsecondary Funding: Supporting Students of Color

As Education Commission of the States set out to catalog and analyze the various postsecondary funding models in place across the country,...

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Postsecondary Education Funding: Now Might Not Be the Time to Stick to the Plan

As states turn the page on a new fiscal year, concerns about how to fund education systems abound. Postsecondary education is no exception....

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How Do States Fund Postsecondary Education?

Education Commission of the States recently released a 50-State Comparison detailing how state policies address postsecondary education...

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Tuition Capping and Freezing: Rain Check for Future Price Increases or Durable Policy Solution?

Last month, we released a 50-State Comparison of tuition-setting policies showing that, in the majority of states, legislatures grant...

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States Move to Require the FAFSA for High School Graduation

High school students in three states — Illinois, Louisiana and Texas — already or will soon face a new graduation requirement:...

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What State Lawmakers Need to Know About the IL Financial Aid Scandal

On the heels of the college admissions scandal, last week ProPublica uncovered dozens of suburban Chicago families exploiting dependency...

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Preparing Higher Ed for the Next Recession

While the economy is currently strong, conversations are already beginning about when the tides may turn. Survey data indicates that...

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Working on Connections Between Education and Work in Your State? Join Us!

What do people think about the connection between education and work? This was the big question posed at a concurrent session at the 2019...

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