The latest reports that inform Lumina’s work, as featured in
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Prior Learning Assessments
Prior learning assessments–which measure what students have learned outside of a college classroom–can motivate students, particularly those who haven’t had the best academic experiences, to persist in their studies and earn degrees, says this report from the Center for American Progress. More »
The Transformation of Higher Education through Prior Learning Assessment
This Change Magazine feature takes an in-depth look at the potential of Prior Learning Assessment, or PLA, as a pathway to raise higher education productivity and help millions of students who may have stopped short of a degree complete their education. More »
Leveraging Service Blueprinting to Rethink Higher Education
Transformative thinking is essential to higher education reform, argues a recent study from the Center for American Progress. The study focuses on “service blueprinting,” a technique where companies–i.e. colleges and universities–put themselves in the customers’- i.e. students’-shoes to find out what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to be changed. More »
Trends in Student Aid
This College Board report provides annual data on grants, loans, work-study and education tax benefits available to assist students and families in paying for postsecondary education. More »
Trends in College Pricing 2011
This College Board report provides up-to-date information on undergraduate tuition, fees, room and board, and other expenses. It also includes information on revenues and expenditures of colleges and universities, as well as related topics. More »
The Hidden Costs of Community Colleges
Students who drop out of community college before their second year cost taxpayers nearly $1 billion annually, according to an analysis by the American Institutes for Research. This publication shows federal, state, and local governments spent nearly $4 billion from 2004 to 2009 on first-year, full-time, community college students who failed to graduate. The report includes state-by-state figures. More »
Learning at a Distance: Undergraduate Enrollment in Distance Education Courses and Degree Programs
From 2000 to 2008, the number of undergraduates enrolled in at least one distance education class rose from 8 percent to 20 percent, according to this report from the National Center for Education Statistics. More »
One Year Out: Findings From A National Survey Among Members Of The High School Graduating Class Of 2010
Eighty-six percent of young Americans one year out of high school believe a college degree is essential to their future, reports this survey from the College Board. Still, the majority of 2010 high school graduates surveyed admit they could have been better prepared for the rigors of college by taking more math, science and writing-intensive course work in high school. More »
Projections of Education Statistics to 2020
In the next decade, more Americans are expected to attain a college degree, according to this report from the National Center for Education Statistics. The report predicts 26 percent more associate’s degrees and 21 percent more bachelor’s degrees will be produced in the United States. Other predictions: Between 2009 and 2020, college enrollment will increase 1 percent for White students and 46 percent for Hispanics. More »
A Better Measure of Skills Gap
A report from ACT presents a new methodology for conducting a skills gap analysis that is applicable to economic and workforce developers and measures skills needed for in-demand jobs. More »

