The latest reports that inform Lumina’s work, as featured in
our monthly newsletter.
Grapevine survey
More students are enrolling in college, but funding to support them is not keeping pace. Findings in this annual survey from the State Higher Education Executive Officers and the Center for the Study of Education Policy at Illinois State University show total state fiscal support for higher education declined nationwide by 7.6 percent from FY2011 to FY2012. More »
Preparing for Change
This report, from Education First and Editorial Projects in Education, describes states’ plans for changes in teacher professional development, curriculum, and teacher-evaluation systems. More »
Year Two of Implementing the Common Core State Standards: States’ Progress and Challenges
The Common Core State Standards establish common expectations of what students need to know for success in college and careers, but most states will not have their standards in place until 2014 or later because of financial challenges, concludes this report from the Center on Education Policy. More »
Find the Best Colleges for You
This free resource from Consumer Reports aims to make the college-search process more efficient for prospective students and families. Published in both English and Spanish, this resource surveyed and interviewed more than 2,500 students and educators to come up with the key information and resources to consider when choosing a college. More »
Focus on the Finish
Community colleges are the future of the Illinois workforce, and they must do more to increase the number of state residents with college credentials, says this report from Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon. This report suggests several steps to boost degree-completion rates in Illinois, which has adopted Lumina’s Goal 2025 to increase the proportion of Americans holding high-quality college degrees and credentials to 60 percent by the year 2025. Among the report’s suggestions: Create closer ties with K-12 to improve college readiness and tie state funds to the success of colleges in helping students earn a certificate or degree or transfer to a four-year university. More »
