Thursday marks the first day Wisconsin eighth graders can sign up for the Wisconsin Covenant, a program proposed by Gov. Jim Doyle that guarantees students who commit to the covenant a place in the Wisconsin higher education system and a financial aid package.

In the face of scrutiny by state legislators, several UW-Madison professors compiled a summary detailing how the Wisconsin Covenant can succeed.

“The reality of higher education in Wisconsin is that high school graduates from low-income families are much less likely to attend college even when they have the same academic qualifications as wealthier students,” said Sara Goldrick-Rab and Douglas Harris, both UW-Madison assistant professors of educational policy studies in the School of Education, in their draft of the policy brief.

The brief offers independent research-based principles and strategies on how to make the covenant work and aid in guiding its development and direction.

The three guiding principles include targeting scholarships based on merit and financial need, offering grants for tuition, fees and some living expenses for the lowest-income students and providing students with academic and application support to help maintain a B average throughout high school, staying out of trouble and performing community service.

“By targeting [the program], you first focus it on the kids who really need it and in that way you close this gap in college access and incompletion,” Goldrick-Rab said.

However, legislators and the public have posed questions regarding financial issues and how the policy will work.

“I believe the money has to come from the legislature, primarily through increasing money for financial aid,” Goldrick-Rab said, stressing Doyle’s request for additional financial aid funds from the legislature must be met.

In the brief, the authors stated the Covenant has the potential to raise student expectations and improve academic preparation for college.