The prospect – some say threat –  of the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA) has animated many lively discussions regarding the value of higher education, the integrity of the accreditation process, and the effectiveness of the existing accountability framework. With the possibility of a vote on reauthorization this summer, here ...

As the signature federal student aid program providing college access to low and middle-income Americans, the Pell Grant program is a vital bridge to higher education opportunity. Pell Grants have enabled millions of Americans to pursue higher learning by distributing need-based aid to students who otherwise would not be able to afford tuition. Fu...

As the signature federal student aid program providing college access to low and middle-income Americans, the Pell Grant program is a vital bridge to higher education opportunity. Pell Grants have enabled millions of Americans to pursue higher learning by distributing need-based aid to students who otherwise would not be able to afford tuition. F...

Voices of Today’s Students campaign shares stories about the triumphs and tribulations students face and the various pathways they take through higher education WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 22, 2018) — Today, Higher Learning Advocates, a national bipartisan advocacy organization working to modernize higher education policy, announced the launch o...

A student entering college today is more likely to leave with debt than a degree, and 31 million Americans have some college credit, but no degree or credential at all. Yet the degree is still the North Star for economic opportunity: a bachelor’s degree-holder earns one million dollars more over their lifetime than their peers with only a hig...

National higher education policy should be built around the needs and priorities of students, who are taking different pathways through higher education as part-time students, adults, workers, transfers, parents, and more. At Higher Learning Advocates’ first Champions Network briefing on Capitol Hill, “Unlocking College Opportunity for Today’...

Recently, retail giant Walmart, the largest private employer in the nation, made big news in higher education by announcing a new tuition assistance program available to all of its U.S. employees. Walmart’s new program will enable its workers who do not currently hold a college degree to enroll at one of three universities for only…

Joey Hatch, a recently retired construction executive and member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, credits his career success to a journey through higher education that started forty-five years ago— at college and career night put on by his local high school. “I love telling my story of how I got involved in higher education…

The key to assuring higher education quality in the U.S. is accreditation, the complex system used by the Federal government as a gate-keeping mechanism to over $130 billion annually in federal student aid. But federal accreditation policy has become almost entirely focused on compliance and bureaucratic procedures, instead of what counts: student ...

Today’s students deserve a system of higher education that delivers high-quality results and a guarantee of economic success and upward mobility. The key to assuring higher education quality in the U.S. is accreditation, the complex system used by the Federal government as a gate-keeping mechanism to over $130 billion annually in federal student ...

Dr. José Luis Cruz has a national reputation as a powerful voice for equity, opportunity and accountability in higher education. As an innovative administrator and advocate for low-income students, he has been at the forefront of efforts to enact effective policies that can deliver a high-quality college education for all of today’s students. Dr...

Issue Update: Accreditation Reform Armed with Better Data, Will Accreditors Finally Have to Act? In the midst of key conversations happening at last week’s NACIQI meeting, Policy & Advocacy Director Emily Bouck co-authored a blog post with Michael Itzkowitz from Third Way and Clare McCann from New America, discussing the new comprehensive com...