Research and Publications - Education Policy Center
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Item The Widening College Access Gap: Pell Grant Disinvestment and Declining Student Enrollment in the South(Education Policy Center, 2025) Katsinas, Stephen G.; Keeney, Noel E.; Bray, Nathaniel J.; Alexander, F. King; Till, Garrett; Ogunnarin, Moses; Kelly, Patrick J.This policy and research brief — produced by The University of Alabama’s Education Policy Center (UA-EPC) for the Southern Education Foundation (SEF) — addresses the impact of inconsistent funding for Pell Grants and their power as a tool for supporting students to and through college. Federal and state policymakers should push for higher levels and steadier Pell Grant funding. Policymakers in the South should especially make consistent and reliable Pell Grant funding a top priority in the federal budget, with an eye toward a better-prepared and more skilled workforce to keep the region and nation economically competitive.Item Healthcare in Alabama’s Black Belt: Impacts of Potential Medicaid Cuts(2025) Till, Garrett A.; Katsinas, Stephen G.; Bray, Nathaniel J.; Vlacovsky, Henry N.; Keeney, Noel E.; Ogunniran, Moses O.; Peterson, Joscelyn K. J.The evidence from expansion states demonstrates that Medicaid expansion is not only beneficial for public health but also economically advantageous. For the Black Belt, where healthcare disparities are most acute, expansion could be transformative, increasing access to care, creating jobs, preventing hospital closures, and injecting much-needed resources into struggling rural economies. As Alabama continues to navigate healthcare policy decisions, the impact on its most vulnerable communities must be a primary consideration. The health of the Black Belt reflects the health of Alabama as a whole, and investments in equitable healthcare access today will yield dividends in improved health outcomes, economic vitality, and quality of life for generations to come.Item Empowering Futures: Expanding Educational Opportunities in Alabama's Black Belt(2025) Katsinas, Stephen G.; Bray, Nathaniel J.; Till, Garrett A.; Fincher, Mark; Keeney, Noel E.; Lohrmeyer, Trinity P.; Vlacovsky, Henry N.Item Halfway Home and a Long Way To Go: Bridging Persistent Poverty Gap in Alabama’s Black Belt(2025) Katsinas, Stephen G.; Till, Garrett A.; Peterson, Joscelyn; Keeney, Noel E.; Kelly, Patrick J.; Bray, Nathaniel J.Item K-12 STEM Education in Alabama’s Black BeltO'Brien, Sean; Corley, Emily Grace; Till, Garrett; Courchesne, Eric; University of Alabama TuscaloosaItem COVID-19 and Alabama’s Black BeltCorley, Emily Grace; Till, Garrett; O'Brien, Sean; Katsinas, Stephen G.; Bray, Nathaniel J.; University of Alabama TuscaloosaItem Poverty, Housing, & GDP in Alabama’s Black BeltKatsinas, Stephen G.; Till, Garrett; Corley, Emily Grace; O'Brien, Sean; Courchesne, Eric; Bray, Nathaniel; University of Alabama TuscaloosaItem Educational Attainment, Community College, and Transfer in the Black BeltTill, Garrett; Corley, Emily Grace; O'Brien, Sean; Katsinas, Stephen G.; Bray, Nathaniel; University of Alabama TuscaloosaItem Infrastructure in Alabama’s Black BeltKatsinas, Stephen G.; Corley, Emily Grace; Till, Garrett; O'Brien, Sean; Bray, Nathaniel J.; University of Alabama TuscaloosaItem Profiles of Community Leaders in the Black BeltCorley, Emily Grace; Till, Garrett; Shettles, Sally Grace; O'Brien, Sean; Bray, Nathaniel J.; Katsinas, Stephen G.; University of Alabama TuscaloosaItem Black Belt Manufacturing and Economic ProspectsKatsinas, Stephen G.; Bray, Nathaniel J.; Bowen, Jonathan; Corley, Emily Grace; Keeney, Noel E.; Whann, Hunter; Jacobs, Emily; University of Alabama TuscaloosaItem Internet Access Disparities in Alabama & the Black BeltKatsinas, Stephen G.; Keeney, Noel E.; Jacobs, Emily; Corley, Emily Grace; Whann, Hunter; University of Alabama TuscaloosaItem Access to Early Childhood Interventions and First Class Pre-K in Alabama & the Black Belt RegionWhann, Hunter; Keeney, Noel E.; Jacobs, Emily; Katsinas, Stephen G.; University of Alabama TuscaloosaItem Healthcare: A Key Challenge in Alabama’s Black BeltJacobs, Emily; Whann, Hunter; Corley, Emily Grace; Bowen, Jonathan; Keeney, Noel; University of Alabama TuscaloosaItem Defining Alabama’s Black Belt RegionKatsinas, Stephen G.; Keeney, Noel E.; Jacobs, Emily; Whann, Hunter; University of Alabama TuscaloosaItem The Black Belt’s Labor Force Participation Lags Behind the Rest of Alabama & the NationKatsinas, Stephen G.; Keeney, Noel E.; Jacobs, Emily; Whann, Hunter; University of Alabama TuscaloosaItem Persistent Unemployment in the Black BeltWhann, Hunter D.; Keeney, Noel E.; Katsinas, Stephen G.; Jacobs, Emily; University of Alabama TuscaloosaItem School Enrollment in Alabama’s Black Belt Continues to Decline(Education Policy Center) Katsinas, Stephen G.; Keeney, Noel E.; Jacobs, Emily; Whann, Hunter; University of Alabama TuscaloosaItem The Growing Impact of New Pell Grant Funding: A Statewide Profile of Iowa's Community CollegesHagedorn, Linda Serra; Mensel, R. Frank; Friedel, Janice N.; Lui, Joyce; Smith, Dustin; Tarrant, Melissa; Kilgo, Rhonda; Clark, Chad; Katsinas, Stephen G.; University of Alabama TuscaloosaItem The Economic & Social Impacts of Alabama Public Higher EducationKatsinas, Stephen G.; Koh, Jonathan P.; Murphy, David S.; Lacey, Vincent A.; Fincher, Mark E.; DeMonBrun, R. Matthew; Bray, Nathaniel J.; Breaux, Arleene P.; Malley, Michael S. Jr.; Adair, J. Lucas; Shedd, Louis E.; University of Alabama TuscaloosaThe Education Policy Center at the University of Alabama has completed an objective analysis to determine whether there is a quantifiable relationship between the funding of Alabama’s universities and the per capita income of Alabama’s citizens. The study revealed a statistically signifcant relationship. Alabama’s state-wide per capita income rises in direct proportion to Alabama’s funding of its public higher education institutions. Alabama gains a quantifiable return on its investment in higher education. Simply put, the more Alabama spends on universities, the better off Alabamians will be.