Access to Education: Implications of Alternative Measures of Access Derived from Quantitative and Qualitative Data

Marya R. Sosulski, University of Wisconsin at Madison

Many welfare recipients believe that getting a college education is their best option for improving their life chances, but achieving their goals may depend on the access they have to education and work (e.g., using college classes to fulfill TANF work requirements). This study aims to re-frame the term “access,” providing a holistic definition synthesizing human capital, social capital, and social exclusion perspectives. Using combined quantitative and qualitative analyses of data from three waves of the Illinois Families Study (IFS) since 1997, I examine how recipients’ understanding of access to education compares with their utilization of resources, leading to human and social capital gains for welfare recipients. Concurrent analyses of IFS survey data and qualitative interviews show that welfare policy, in-kind welfare programs, family networks, and social and civic participation are associated with educational attainment and self-efficacy for former recipients, considering gender, racial-ethnic group affiliation, and geographic area of residence.