Grant from Ascendium Helps Advance Clearinghouse Research
A new grant from Ascendium’s Education Philanthropy is helping the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center broaden its work to better understand and elevate the experiences of students from low‑income communities.
Ascendium has been a long‑time partner in this effort. Its previous support funded the creation of the Neighborhood Income Measure, a tool that, for the first time, allowed Clearinghouse analysts to examine students’ socioeconomic backgrounds at scale and include this information in research reports.
“We are incredibly grateful to Ascendium for its partnership and vision. Their continuous support allows us to pursue rigorous research that can truly make a difference for students from low‑income communities,” said Zhewei Gregory, Managing Director of Research Development & Philanthropy at the Clearinghouse.
Three Projects Made Possible by This Grant
With this latest grant, the Clearinghouse is undertaking three major projects designed to deepen insight, inform institutions and policymakers, and support learners nationwide.
- National Report on Students from Low‑Income Communities: The Research Center will produce a national report examining the composition, pathways, and outcomes of students from low-income communities as they transition into and through college.
- Methodological Research and Dissemination: Research Center analysts will conduct additional methodological research to refine the Neighborhood Income Measure. This work will result in:
-
- A user’s guide for internal and external Clearinghouse stakeholders
- A peer-reviewed journal article introducing the measure to the broader research community
- Application to PDP Data through PDP Insights Series: The Research Center will partner with the Clearinghouse’s Postsecondary Data Partnership (PDP) team to apply the Neighborhood Income Measure to PDP data. This analysis will explore how students’ academic experiences and pathways relate to their socioeconomic backgrounds.
“Collectively, these three projects advance the Clearinghouse’s efforts from merely identifying disparities to comprehensively understanding the pathways, patterns, and structural obstacles influencing student outcomes on a national level,” said Gregory. “The projects enable institutions and policymakers to make evidence-based decisions and incorporate the neighborhood income measure effectively into practice.”
Why This Work Matters
The Clearinghouse’s unique student‑level, longitudinal data enables insights that no other organization can provide at a national scale. This project marks the first effort of its kind to systematically understand the pathways and outcomes of students from low-income communities, moving beyond deficit framing to provide a nuanced, data‑driven picture of these learners’ experiences.
Advancing Upward Mobility for Learners from Low-Income Backgrounds
Importantly, this project strongly aligns with Ascendium’s vision of advancing upward mobility for learners from low-income backgrounds. By organizing data around neighborhood income quintiles, the research directly supports efforts to identify inequities, understand systemic barriers, and uncover opportunities for targeted interventions.
Making an Impact Across Higher Education
By working at a national level, the Clearinghouse can help create shared understanding and alignment across colleges, policymakers, funders, and researchers, ultimately leading to more effective, coordinated solutions that benefit all learners.
- Colleges and universities will gain actionable insights to guide equity-focused strategies
- Policymakers and funders will receive evidence to inform programs that address socioeconomic disparities
- Researchers will benefit from a validated measure and methodological resources that enable deeper analysis
Further Impact of Research Grants
Having resources through grants like this gives the Clearinghouse the capacity to invest in strong methodology, thoughtful analysis, and effective dissemination — elements that are essential for translating research into real‑world impact.
“Such support also allows us to build stronger partnerships across institutions and organizations and turn complex data into insights that can improve outcomes for students,” said Gregory. “The possibility of continued support also signals trust in our mission and strengthens our ability to create lasting impact for learners who have historically been underserved.
Additional Resources:
Measure student outcomes. Grow student success.
The Postsecondary Data Partnership (PDP) can help you gain a fuller picture of student progress and outcomes, meet various reporting requirements, and identify where to focus your resources.
You have questions.
We have data.
You will benefit from rich insights that are only available from Clearinghouse-managed data and our Custom Research team. No one can match the breadth and comprehensiveness of our education data.
