![Minnesota Collegiate System Focuses on Low-Income Students](http://townsquare.media/site/67/files/2014/09/RS6707_134814054-scr.jpg?w=300&h=200&zc=1&s=0&a=t&q=89&w=980&q=75)
Minnesota Collegiate System Focuses on Low-Income Students
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is putting an emphasis on addressing basic human needs in hopes of improving results for its growing proportion of low-income students.
The assistance provided by the state's largest higher education system reportedly includes everything from work-study jobs and housing referrals to cash for child care and on-campus food banks. Many of the system's 31 schools also have retrained some staff and faculty on how to interact with students facing poverty.
More than one-third of the system's students are eligible for income-based federal Pell Grants, compared to less than one-fourth of its students a decade ago.
Around 390,000 students are enrolled in Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.
More From AM 1240 WJON
![Minnesota Colleges Participating in the Free Tuition Program](http://townsquare.media/site/67/files/2019/04/St.-Cloud-Technical-and-Community-College-1.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Is Driving In A Funeral Procession Legal in Minnesota?](http://townsquare.media/site/65/files/2023/01/attachment-GettyImages-1610845.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Big student loan forgiveness plan announced by Biden](http://townsquare.media/site/669/files/2021/08/attachment-GettyImages-1334915311.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![AmeriCorps Looking for 26 Tutors to Work at St. Cloud Schools](http://townsquare.media/site/67/files/2017/01/Kids-Reading.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![St. Cloud Students Can Soon Learn Somali or Ojibwe as Language Electives](http://townsquare.media/site/65/files/2021/12/attachment-neonbrand-zFSo6bnZJTw-unsplash-11.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![13 MN Colleges Considered within the Top 500 Best in the Country](http://townsquare.media/site/68/files/2021/10/attachment-RS27805_GettyImages-813019744-scr.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Sending Kids off to School? This Minnesota Community College Among the Best in the Country](http://townsquare.media/site/65/files/2021/08/attachment-element5-digital-jCIMcOpFHig-unsplash.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Governor Lays Out Education Plan to Help All Students Succeed](http://townsquare.media/site/67/files/2019/09/Tech-High-School-5.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Can I Eat These Mushrooms I Found?](http://townsquare.media/site/65/files/2020/09/IMG_18761.jpg?w=980&q=75)