| Research, Analysis & Educational Resources |
- Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center- MassBudget provides independent research and analysis of state budget and tax policies, as well as economic issues, with particular attention to the effects on low- and moderate-income people. MassBudget also produces reports on specific topics such as education, health care, economic development and tax policy.
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- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities- The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is one of the nation’s premier policy organizations working at the federal and state levels on fiscal policy and public programs that affect low- and moderate-income families and individuals. They conduct research and analysis to help shape public debates over proposed budget and tax policies and to help ensure that policymakers consider the needs of low-income families and individuals in these debates. They also develop policy options to alleviate poverty.
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- Who Pays?- Who Pays? is a comprehensive analysis of state and local tax systems in all fifty states produced by the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy. The study, released on November 18, 2009, shows that on average, state and local tax systems require the poorest taxpayers to pay the highest effective tax rates.
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- The Project on Student Debt- For Americans of all socio-economic backgrounds, borrowing has become a primary way to pay for higher education. The Project on Student Debt works to increase public understanding of this trend and the implications for our families, economy, and society. Recognizing that loans play a critical role in making college possible, the Project’s goal is to identify cost-effective solutions that expand educational opportunity, protect family financial security, and advance economic competitiveness.
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- State Higher Education Executive Officers- The State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) is a nonprofit, nationwide association of the chief executive officers serving statewide coordinating boards and governing boards of postsecondary education. They produce the State Higher Education Finance (SHEF) reports, a vast trove of data relating to public higher education.
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- Grapevine- Since 1960, Grapevine has published annual compilations of data on state tax support for higher education, including general fund appropriations for universities, colleges, community colleges, and state higher education agencies. Each year’s Grapevine survey has asked states for tax appropriations data for the new fiscal year and for revisions (if any) to data reported in previous years.
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- College Board Advocacy and Policy Center-The College Board Advocacy & Policy Center was established to help transform education in America.Guided by the College Board’s principles of excellence and equity in education, we work to ensure that students from all backgrounds have the opportunity to succeed in college and beyond. We make critical connections between policy, research and real-world practice to develop innovative solutions to the most pressing challenges in education today.
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- WTF? “Where’s The Funding?” Teach-in- The “WTF? Where’s the Funding? Teach-in” was held on Tuesday, April 5, 2011, from 11:30-4:00 in the Student Union at UMASS Amherst. The Teach-in was part of a national teach-in called by Fightbackteachin.org, that was live-streamed to 276 campuses nation-wide. The Teach-in at UMass Amherst featured 16 speakers talking on a range of topics from student debt, austerity, the attack on unions, and what people can do about it.
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- The Student Loan Debt Clock- The total owed on student loans is now more than what is owed on credit cards. It’s anyone’s guess when this bubble will burst, but you can follow it second by second on this clock. Plan to take note when student debt hits a trillion dollars around May 8, 2012.
- Student Debt Consolidation – [Recommended by a reader] The obvious benefit of consolidating student debt is the consistency of paying a single bill. Another benefit of debt consolidation is that it will often result in a lower interest rate than the original loans. When it comes to Federal consolidated loans, interest rates are fixed. When consolidated, the repayment terms of the loan can be extended up to 30 years with lower monthly payments.
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Knowledge is power. PHENOM works hard to put together reports and publications which can help guide politicians to the right legislation, and spur community members into action. We couldn’t do it alone, and we owe a debt of gratitude to the organizations below for much of the information we use. .
