EJBC Action Plan

The goals of Educational Justice for Black Coloradans are to:

1. Increase the number of Black Coloradans who complete two-year or four-year degrees and/or earn employable certificates and credentials in Colorado institutions;

2. Increase multigenerational wealth by increasing the number of Black Coloradans who

attain postsecondary degrees and/or certificates and credentials cost and debt free;

3. Increase Colorado’s homegrown talent pool and economic vitality by increasing Black Coloradans’ participation and mobility within the workforce.

EJBC Program Design Participant Eligibility

With the advice of the Advisory Committee, EJBC set the following program eligibility criteria: 

● Participants must be Black or African American;

● Participants must be residents of the State of Colorado, must be eligible for in-state tuition.

Program Benefits

Additionally, after considering the Advisory Committee’s input, EJBC leadership set the initial program benefits level as follows:

● Eligible participants may pursue a wide range of postsecondary degrees and certificates, including career and technical education certificates, two- and four-year degrees, and Master’s or Doctoral degrees.

● Participants may receive benefits for the equivalent of up to 6 years (12 semesters/9 trimesters) of full-time study, which need not be taken consecutively. Participants may receive benefits as a full-time or part-time student.

● The EJBC benefit amount will be based on the average tuition per credential as well as the financial gap remaining after accessing available public benefits.

● EJBC financial support will not cover room and board.

● EJBC financial benefits can be used at Colorado public and non-profit, postsecondary educational institutions. For-profit institutions are not eligible.

Contribution to Colorado Education Goals

The first clear benefit of EJBC is with regards to the impact that this program could have on the state’s educational attainment goals. Colorado has set a goal of 66 percent credential attainment by 2025. The state is on-track to severely miss this goal for Black students, who currently have an attainment level of approximately 38 percent. Helping guarantee that educational costs will be covered could have a significant impact on postsecondary access for Black Coloradans. As other tuition-free college programs have shown, EJBC could increase access by 20 to 50 percent. It is important to note that part of the reason behind Colorado setting this attainment goal is in response to research and a growing evidence base that shows that good jobs will increasingly require a postsecondary credential. Therefore, credential attainment is inextricably tied to the strength of the state’s economy by ensuring that companies are able to hire employees with the skills demanded by their industries.

 Contribution to Colorado Tax Revenue

Relatedly, ample evidence shows that individuals with postsecondary credentials earn higher wages. There are two ways that higher wages interact with state spending. First, growing wages lead to higher tax revenue for the state through higher levels of personal income. Second, by having higher wages individuals become less reliant on public benefits, such as Medicaid or TANF, to meet basic needs. Both effects, in turn, help increase available revenue for other investments in our state.

Closing the Racial Wealth Gap

Last, EJBC could prove instrumental in helping to close Colorado’s racial wealth gap. National research shows that closing the racial wealth gap could increase GDP from 4 to 6 percent. Helping Black Coloradans attain postsecondary credentials that lead to gainful employment in in-demand industries benefits personal income. However, beyond personal income gains, there are broader societal gains, such as access to healthcare and benefits and opportunities for wealth accumulation through employer-matched savings programs. Homeownership is another critical tool for wealth-building. Having jobs with career pathways that lead to higher wages over time is a critical avenue for the long-term wealth accumulation that leads to homeownership, and for asset-building over future generations of Coloradans.

With statewide annual costs ranging from $25-31 million, a combination of public and private funds could be leveraged to provide the first of its kind guarantee for educational justice. Further, Colorado is uniquely positioned for this type of program because of the goals the state has set around educational attainment. A program like EJBC would represent a significant advancement and incontrovertible commitment to racial equity. Additionally, EJBC would benefit Colorado by helping improve postsecondary access and strengthening the economy. While significant questions remain around the structuring of a pilot and statewide program, this feasibility study is a first step towards illustrating how a college promise program that targeted Black residents could be implemented in Colorado.