Latest news with #MinnesotaOfficeofHigherEducation
Politico
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
DOJ sues to stop Minnesota law allowing undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition
The Department of Justice on Wednesday sued to stop Minnesota from providing in-state tuition for some undocumented students, the third time this month that President Donald Trump's administration has pushed to end such a program. Early in June, the administration scored a victory — in apparent coordination with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, both Republicans — when Texas agreed to scrap a state law granting in-state eligibility for certain students without legal status just hours after a federal lawsuit was filed. Last week, the administration launched a similar effort in Kentucky. But Minnesota will likely fight to defend its program. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was former Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate in 2024, and he has been a vocal critic of the second Trump administration. 'No state can be allowed to treat Americans like second-class citizens in their own country by offering financial benefits to illegal aliens,' Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement alongside the complaint. 'The Department of Justice just won on this exact issue in Texas, and we look forward to taking this fight to Minnesota in order to protect the rights of American citizens first.' Former Gov. Mark Dayton, a Democrat, signed the Minnesota Dream Act into law in 2013, allowing some undocumented Minnesotans to qualify for in-state tuition rates and state financial aid. Just like in the Texas suit, DOJ argued in its complaint Wednesday that the laws unfairly discriminate against U.S. citizens by offering benefits to undocumented immigrants that are withheld from Americans not living in Minnesota. 'The magnitude of this discrimination against U.S. citizens is substantial,' DOJ wrote. 'The cost of tuition for resident students is significantly lower than for U.S. citizens that are not in-state residents.' An April executive order signed by Trump directed federal officials to 'identify and take appropriate action' to stop the enforcement of 'laws, regulations, policies, and practices favoring aliens over any groups of American citizens that are unlawful, preempted by Federal law, or otherwise unenforceable' — including state laws that provide in-state tuition rates. Those named in the complaint include Walz, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. Walz's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Keith Hovis, director of communications at the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, told POLITICO his office does not comment on pending or active litigation. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has cracked down on immigrants attending American colleges, including foreigners looking to obtain visas to attend school. He's sought to stop Harvard from enrolling international students, who comprise some 27 percent of the university's total enrollment, which has since been blocked by a federal court. And the State Department last week directed diplomats to screen the social media activity for all foreign nationals applying for student visas. Juan Perez Jr. contributed to this report.
Forbes
29-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Minnesota Sees Strong Growth In Its Direct College Admissions Program
Minnesota's direct college admissions program continues to grow, with 245 more high schools set to ... More participate this fall. The state of Minnesota is seeing continued growth in its direct admissions program, an initiative that enables high school seniors to be proactively admitted to participating colleges and universities in the state without having to formally apply first. The program, first recommended by Governor Tim Walz in 2021 and enacted by the Minnesota legislature that same year, is a strategy to boost college access for Minnesota students by streamlining the admissions process and paving a much easier path to starting a college education. Each fall, students at participating high schools are sent a personalized letter indicating the Minnesota colleges and universities that are offering them proactive admissions based on their academic record. Students can then select the college that fits them best and complete an application knowing they will be accepted. The program also waives application fees, removing one financial barrier for students considering college. Since the program was first established, participation in direct admissions has grown each year. The first year had 31 participating high schools with 11,931 eligible students. During the upcoming 2025-26 academic year, 245 high schools will participate, reaching more than 37,000 eligible students. That number represents an increase of more than 60 schools over the 2024-25 school year. 'With Direct Admissions, we're removing the anxiety and cost of applying to college,' Minnesota Office of Higher Education Commissioner Dennis Olson said in a news release. 'Our goal is for every student in the state to see themselves as college material, whether that's a bachelor's degree, associate's degree, certificate, or diploma. I am ecstatic to see more high schools joining the program this fall and hope every student at these schools participates in the program. According to a February, 2025 program report, students who participated in the program have a higher rate of enrolling in a Minnesota college as well as a higher rate of completing the FAFSA, a key indicator for whether a student will begin a college education. For example, during the 2023-24 school year, 76% of students attending a direct admissions high school filed a FAFSA, compared to a 50% completion rate among all of the state's graduating seniors. In addition, 46% of students at participating high schools enrolled in a Minnesota college after graduation, compared to 28% of non-participating 12th grade students. Direct admissions has also helped promote college attendance for students who've been historically excluded in higher education. In 2024-25, 182 high schools participated in the program, enrolling an estimated 31,172 senior students. Almost half of enrolled seniors (43%) at those schools were Black, Indigenous, and/or students of color. Over a third of enrolled seniors (36%) at participating schools were eligible for free and reduced-price meals. All these populations of students saw higher rates of FAFSA completion and enrollment at a Minnesota college compared to non-participating students with the same demographics. Idaho was one of the first states to introduce a direct college admissions program, rolling it out in 2015. Initial evaluations show that it yielded an increase in first-time undergraduate enrollments by more than 8% and in-state student enrollments by almost 12%. Since then, private companies and other states have jumped into the direct admissions business. For example, the Common Application (Common App) piloted a direct admissions program since 2021, offering admission to students who created a Common App account and provided enough academic information but had not yet completed all of their open applications. It has since expanded the program. Other companies, like Niche, Concourse and SAGE scholars have also entered the market, and an increasing number of colleges have come on board. How much direct admissions would change the college application landscape has always been unclear. But with colleges and universities facing the upcoming demographic cliff where the number of graduating high school senior will begin a decline expected to last more than a decade, look for more institutions to turn to strategies like it as they attempt to boost their enrollment numbers.
