The national higher ed landscape as we know it:
U.S. colleges and universities enroll nearly 16 million students. Among the undergraduate population, 4 in 10 students leave college before completing a degree. Today, there are 39 million Americans with some college and no degree.
Supporting Students
So all learners have the tools to succeed.
We can do this by supporting:
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Parenting students
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Students of color
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Students from low-income backgrounds
Now is the time to:
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Streamline SNAP benefits for eligible students
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Equitably expand access to public transportation for today's students
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Remove barriers to affordable, high-quality child care for parenting students
Connecting Opportunities
So multiple pathways through learning are valued and connected.
We can do this by connecting:
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Workers and learners to on-ramps that lead to quality programs, work, and further education
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Learners to workforce development, higher education, and employment pathways
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The 39 million Americans who have some college and no credential with a route to return to higher education
Now is the time to:
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Expand Pell Grants to make high-quality, short-term programs affordable
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Reset academic and financial standing for returning students
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Increase access to credit for prior learning
Delivering Value
So postsecondary programs provide value for learners in their pursuit of a career and further education.
We can do this by ensuring:
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Institutions can innovate and evolve while providing high-quality education
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Students are protected from low-quality education
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Data collection is improved to include all students
Now is the time to:
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Ensure gainful employment includes earning and repayment metrics that support today's students' success
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Incentivize accreditors to assess institutions' measurements of student outcomes
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Count all students in national data systems