In this study, I examined neoliberal discourses upheld by policy actors engaged in the college completion agenda that perpetuated power structures maintaining white supremacy by relying on the success of racially marginalized communities to meet postsecondary attainment goals. With philanthropic foundations playing an increased role in advancing an advocacy-focused agenda to increase postsecondary attainment across states, there was also a need to better understand the relationship between state policy actors and foundations. As a national champion of postsecondary attainment goals, I identified the Lumina Foundation as a key policy actor in leveraging its advocacy-focused agenda to influence state policy actors and policies. I used critical policy discourse analyses to analyze discourses through interviews and a document analysis concerning postsecondary attainment goals, including the addition of racial equity goals embedded within those attainment goals. My findings indicated that policy actors, across Lumina and the four states under study, perpetuated common neoliberal discourses that tied economic success to the educational success of racially marginalized communities within a white supremacist system. In the final chapter, I included recommendations for key stakeholders to disrupt neoliberal ideologies of white supremacy in postsecondary attainment goals, reframe deficit-based racial equity discourses, and advocate for antiracist policies focused on community voices versus economic benefits.
","abstract_html":"<p>In this study, I examined neoliberal discourses upheld by policy actors engaged in the college completion agenda that perpetuated power structures maintaining white supremacy by relying on the success of racially marginalized communities to meet postsecondary attainment goals. With philanthropic foundations playing an increased role in advancing an advocacy-focused agenda to increase postsecondary attainment across states, there was also a need to better understand the relationship between state policy actors and foundations. As a national champion of postsecondary attainment goals, I identified the Lumina Foundation as a key policy actor in leveraging its advocacy-focused agenda to influence state policy actors and policies. I used critical policy discourse analyses to analyze discourses through interviews and a document analysis concerning postsecondary attainment goals, including the addition of racial equity goals embedded within those attainment goals. My findings indicated that policy actors, across Lumina and the four states under study, perpetuated common neoliberal discourses that tied economic success to the educational success of racially marginalized communities within a white supremacist system. In the final chapter, I included recommendations for key stakeholders to disrupt neoliberal ideologies of white supremacy in postsecondary attainment goals, reframe deficit-based racial equity discourses, and advocate for antiracist policies focused on community voices versus economic benefits.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["McCoy-Simmons, Casey"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Ph.D.","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Sarah S. Hurtado","Cecilia M. Orphan","D-L Stewart","Debora M. Ortega"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2024,"date_issued":"2024-06-15T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2024-06-15T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:01:48Z","subjects":["Critical policy discourse analysis","Higher education policy","Interest convergence","Postsecondary attainment goals","Racial neoliberalism","Education","Education Policy","Higher Education","Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration","Public Policy","Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies","Social and Behavioral Sciences"],"languages":["English (eng)"],"rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
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"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Power Behind Postsecondary Attainment Goals: A Critical Policy Discourse Analysis"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Sarah S. Hurtado","Cecilia M. Orphan","D-L Stewart","Debora M. Ortega"],"dc:creator":["McCoy-Simmons, Casey"],"dc:date.available":["2026-08-01T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["In this study, I examined neoliberal discourses upheld by policy actors engaged in the college completion agenda that perpetuated power structures maintaining white supremacy by relying on the success of racially marginalized communities to meet postsecondary attainment goals. With philanthropic foundations playing an increased role in advancing an advocacy-focused agenda to increase postsecondary attainment across states, there was also a need to better understand the relationship between state policy actors and foundations. As a national champion of postsecondary attainment goals, I identified the Lumina Foundation as a key policy actor in leveraging its advocacy-focused agenda to influence state policy actors and policies. I used critical policy discourse analyses to analyze discourses through interviews and a document analysis concerning postsecondary attainment goals, including the addition of racial equity goals embedded within those attainment goals. My findings indicated that policy actors, across Lumina and the four states under study, perpetuated common neoliberal discourses that tied economic success to the educational success of racially marginalized communities within a white supremacist system. In the final chapter, I included recommendations for key stakeholders to disrupt neoliberal ideologies of white supremacy in postsecondary attainment goals, reframe deficit-based racial equity discourses, and advocate for antiracist policies focused on community voices versus economic benefits.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/2404"],"dc:language":["English (eng)"],"dc:rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
"],"dc:subject":["Critical policy discourse analysis","Higher education policy","Interest convergence","Postsecondary attainment goals","Racial neoliberalism","Education","Education Policy","Higher Education","Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration","Public Policy","Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies","Social and Behavioral Sciences"],"dc:title":["The Power Behind Postsecondary Attainment Goals: A Critical Policy Discourse Analysis"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ph.D."]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:01:48Z"}