ABSTRACT
Indiana was the fi rst state to develop a comprehensive approach to improving educational opportunities for low-income students. The Twenty-First Century Scholars Program (TFCS) was modeled after the “I have a dream” program in New York City schools. Any low-income student who took a pledge to prepare for college would receive a promise of fi nancial aid equal to tuition; in addition, programs would be created so that the families of the students could learn how to help them prepare for and succeed in college. Governor Evan Bayh signed the program into legislation in 1990, but it was controversial and began as an unfunded mandate. In 1990, the Lilly Endowment partnered with the state by funding the parent component, and eventually the state funded its grant obligation. TFCS has been treated as a national model (Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, 2002), with features of the program being replicated in other states.
