The passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA)r estricted access to postsecondary education for women on welfare. This article discusses the consequences of this aspect of PRWORAand the effect of higher education on women on welfare. The Parents as Scholars (PaS)Pr ogram of Maine—an innovative state program that allows women on welfare to attend college—is described, and data on the experiences of 222 Pas participants are presented. The participants reported increased selfesteem, enhanced opportunities, enriched lives, better relationships with their children, and excitement about their futures.
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