Just as COVID-19 has intensified health inequities and economic losses, pending state budget crises threaten to worsen the already bleak financial position of colleges and universities—entities that contribute to healthy state economies.

Recognizing the urgency of the moment, Lumina Foundation, in partnership with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and HCM Strategists, worked with experts in higher education policy and finance to develop a framework to help state leaders meet this historic challenge. The framework offers principles, analyses, advice, and examples of best practices.

For some time now, community and business groups around the country have been pushing schools and colleges to improve high school graduation and college enrollment and completion rates—especially for low-income, Black, and Hispanic students. Many were making measurable progress—and, in turn, increasing the supply of skilled workers to compete in the global economy.

With the pandemic disrupting in-person education and straining budgets, there is growing fear that this momentum may be reversing.

With many classrooms and dormitories lightly used or even empty during this strange, pandemic-shadowed fall term, pressure is mounting for colleges and universities to bring more students to campus in the next semester despite the recent surge of the coronavirus.

Students are tiring of remote instruction, and parents are tired of paying for it. Many also point to schools that have managed to house and teach large numbers in person this fall and wonder why, with adequate safeguards, that can’t happen everywhere.