New study shows some KCTCS students suffer from housing, food insecurities; majority believe college is a good investment
Published on Apr 20, 2023
Fifty-two percent of students from the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) who participated in a new study said they were housing insecure. The study from Trellis Research also revealed that more than a quarter of the students participating said they had low food security.
“We know our students face a number of nonacademic barriers, which can impede their ability to come to class or even stay enrolled in college,” KCTCS Acting President Larry Ferguson said. “Over the last several years, our colleges created food pantries to assist our students who need food and hygiene items, and that is just one way we are helping break those nonacademic barriers.”
It’s undeniable that food pantries are essential. For example, so far this academic year, more than 900 Owensboro Community and Technical students have visited the Pathfinder Pantry to receive food and hygiene products.
KCTCS survey participants also said they have concerns about their overall finances. Two thirds of those surveyed said they would have trouble getting $500 in cash or credit in an emergency. Twenty-six percent said they would not be able to get that amount from any source. These numbers are slightly higher than those reported by other students from public, two-year colleges who took the survey.
However, 63% of KCTCS students participating in the survey said they were aware their college offered support services to help with financial issues. Twenty percent said they had received emergency aid from their college.
Because the majority of KCTCS students receive some type of financial aid, the colleges offer information on financial literacy, financial aid recommendations, and workshops to help students and parents complete financial aid applications.
To further assist students, KCTCS colleges have formed a partnership with Family Scholar House. This partnership helps students with issues such as housing, food, gasoline cards and childcare. Additionally, Family Scholar House has provided colleges a kiosk that provides information about how to access local resources for a variety of social services.
The nonprofit also offers health and wellness coaching, technology assistance, success coaching and much more. Family Scholar House offers all of its services at no cost to the student or the college.
Other findings from the Trellis survey of KCTCS students showed:
- 59% worry about having enough money to pay for school.
- 37% ran out of money six or more times in the past year.
- 73% use Pell or other grants to pay for college. This is higher than the national rate of 62% for public, two-year college students.
- 48% indicated experiencing generalized anxiety disorder and 34% said they suffered from depression. This is nearly identical to the national numbers for public, two-year college students.
Because mental health issues have been on the rise for several years, KCTCS colleges offer students assistance either via a web-based service call TAO or through local partnerships with mental health care providers.
On the positive side, three quarters of those surveyed agreed or strongly agreed the cost of college is a good investment for their financial future. This is contrary to some recent surveys about four-year universities.
“Landing a good job in today’s workplace requires education after high school, whether that is a degree, an industry-specific certification or other credential,” Ferguson said. “KCTCS is the most affordable option for Kentuckians who need to earn a postsecondary credential. That’s one reason why KCTCS is number one nationally in the number of credentials awarded per capita by two-year public colleges and is Kentucky’s largest provider of workforce training.”
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About the Survey
Trellis conducted the web-based nationwide study in fall 2022. It included 36,000 students from 89 colleges and universities in 23 states. Nearly 2,800 KCTCS students participated.
Trellis Company is a nonprofit 501(c)(3). Trellis Research provides colleges and policymakers insight into student success through the lens of college affordability. With more than three decades of experience studying key issues such as student debt, student loan counseling, and financial barriers to attainment, our research team explores the roles of personal finance, financial literacy, and financial aid in higher education.
About KCTCS
The Kentucky Community and Technical College System is the Commonwealth’s largest postsecondary institution with 16 colleges serving nearly 100,000 students each academic year. Every college has multiple locations to ensure a campus is located within a 30-minute drive of 95% of all Kentuckians. KCTCS is also Kentucky’s largest provider of workforce training, dual credit classes and online education. Through partnerships with business and industry, we align our programs to meet the needs of local employers. Our colleges are united in their commitment to making life better for our students, communities and the citizens of Kentucky. Since our creation, we have served more than one million Kentuckians.
