A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Public Service Loan Forgiveness Through Critical Pragmatism and Equity
Date of Degree
2026
Degree Name
Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)
Department
Department of Counseling and Higher Education (CAHE)
Director
Mac, Jacqueline
Co-Director
Hutchings, Quortne
Committee Members
Hu, Xiaodan
Keywords
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), student loan debt, administrative burden, administrative data, critical pragmatism, equity, public policy, mixed methods, marginalized communities, higher education finance
Abstract
Student loan debt in the United States has surpassed $1.8 trillion, placing substantial financial strain on more than 42 million borrowers. Public service professionals—including teachers, social workers, nurses, and government employees—are among those most affected, as their essential work is often undercompensated. The federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program was created to reduce these burdens and strengthen the public service workforce, yet persistent administrative complexity, low approval rates, and inequitable access undermine its intended impact.
Guided by a critical pragmatism framework that integrates the outcome‑oriented inquiry of classical pragmatism with the equity‑centered critique of critical theory, this dissertation evaluates PSLF’s real‑world effectiveness and justice implications. Using a convergent mixed‑methods design, the study integrates descriptive quantitative analysis of publicly available PSLF administrative data with qualitative interviews capturing borrower experiences. This approach illuminates both system‑level patterns and the mechanisms through which administrative burden, information inequity, and employer capacity shape borrower outcomes.
Findings reveal that PSLF access is structurally contingent rather than merit‑based. Borrowers’ trajectories were influenced by employer administrative capacity, access to accurate information, timing of policy windows, and the complexity of program requirements. These structural conditions produced emotional and financial strain, delayed or blocked forgiveness, and disproportionately affected Black borrowers within the qualitative sample. The study offers equity‑driven policy recommendations aimed at simplifying program requirements, automating employment verification, enhancing servicer accountability, and expanding outreach to underserved communities.
By integrating program evaluation with equity analysis, this dissertation reframes PSLF not as a neutral administrative process but as a system whose design choices carry significant implications for economic justice and the sustainability of the public service workforce.
Publisher
Northern Illinois University
Rights Statement
In Copyright
Rights Statement 2
NIU theses and dissertations are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors, unless otherwise indicated.
Recommended Citation
Davis, Cathy, "A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Public Service Loan Forgiveness Through Critical Pragmatism and Equity" (2026). Dissertations of Practice. 130.
https://huskiecommons.lib.niu.edu/allgraduate-disspractice/130
