‘A Necessary Start’: Statement on Release of New Gainful Employment Rule
Washington, D.C. (May 18, 2023) – Higher Learning Advocates (HLA) released a statement in response to the U.S. Department of Education’s recent release of their proposed Gainful Employment Rule. “Transparency and accountability are pivotal to ensure today’s students finish a program of study financially better off than when they started. Higher Learning Advocates applauds the…
Read MoreCompletion with Quality and Value: Why Credit for Prior Learning Stands out as a College Completion Fund Strategy
While the fate of the Build Back Better Act is currently unclear, there are parts of the proposed legislation that could survive in some form. One important part of the proposal is the College Completion Fund, a fund that could provide as much as $550 million for scaling evidence-based programs to improve retention and completion…
Read MoreImproving Workforce Success among America’s College Students
As the presidential campaign of 2020 kicks into high gear, the stagnation of worker earnings in recent decades has drawn much attention and comment from the candidates. Yet, outside of advocating for a few trendy proposals like free college, the candidates have said little to date on how to improve education and skills, especially those…
Read MoreMy Dream for HEA: Meaningfully Prepare Every Teacher and Principal for Success – Throughout Their Career
New teachers and principals are often told that the first year is “trial by fire” or “sink or swim.” Too many educators leave the profession, and others are far less effective in those early years than they could be. Experienced teachers, on the other hand, often lack career advancement opportunities that allow them to take…
Read MoreAn In-depth Look at Student Enrollment Factors
A Q&A with Jonell Sanchez, Vice President of Education Solutions for The National Student Clearinghouse Insights & Outlooks: There is currently a ban on the creation of a federal student unit record system, but there is increased interest from policymakers in understanding student success metrics– specifically around persistence and retention. Given your experience and the…
Read MoreA Q&A with Andre Perry, David M. Rubenstein Fellow for the Brookings Institution
Insights & Outlooks: How did you originally develop a passion for education, both personally and as a career? What are the issues that inspire you most today? I got my first job in the summer of 1990 as a rising sophomore at Allegheny College in Meadville, Penn. The Pennsylvania Department of Education hired me as…
Read MoreSupporting First-Generation Students: The Power of Peers
Attending college as a first-generation or low-income student can be a difficult path. Though neither of my parents graduated from high school, they encouraged their five children to go to college. Thankfully, by the time it was my turn, I had four older siblings who had kept their promise to my parents — four mentors…
Read MoreAre short-term credentials really the best thing since sliced bread?
The accelerating pace of workplace change raises the specter that formal degrees no longer meet workplace demands and might not be providing the skills and competencies that employers require and workers need. This sense of urgency has shined the spotlight on short-term credentials. Short-term credentials—such as certifications, certificates, and badges—appear attractive because they purport to…
Read MoreA Q&A with Gardner Carrick, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for The Manufacturing Institute, The National Association of Manufacturers
Insights & Outlooks: What are the most important education and training priorities for the manufacturing sector today? Manufacturers across the country are facing a workforce crisis. Surveys of the members of the National Association of Manufacturers have shown finding and retaining a qualified workforce to be the top concern for nearly two years running. This…
Read MoreThe New Credentials Marketplace
Princeton economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton documented the shocking increase in “deaths of despair” – the rising mortality rates for middle-aged White Americans with a high school education or less. While conversations continue about how best to prepare people for the future of work, the Case and Deaton data reminds us of the human…
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