ACCESS & SUCCESS: COLLEGE COSTS
Rio Salado: High student success at a low cost
At Rio Salado College just outside Phoenix, tuition is $60 per credit hour for in-state students and $147 per credit hour for out-of-state students. The college has more than 42,000 students and only 31 full-time faculty members. How successful are the students? One hundred percent of the college's teacher preparatory students pass the state's Educator Proficiency Assessment. More...

ACCESS & SUCCESS: COLLEGE COSTS
Online learning can enhance quality, reduce college costs
Using technology properly can enhance learning for underserved students and reduce college costs. Learn more and read The Future of Course Redesign and the National Center for Academic Transformation: An Interview with Carol A. Twigg from Innovate, a journal of online education.

SUCCESS: INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
Institutional strategies for student success
Many students who begin postsecondary education drop out before completing a degree. The March issue of Student Success, an Education Policy Institute publication, examines student retention on college campuses. 

SUCCESS: INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
Basic facts about HSIs
Some states are linking long-term economic projections and
sustainability to the educational levels of their Latino community, yet Latino youth complete college at lower rates than other students. Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) play a critical role in enhancing Latino's educational achievement, according to a new report from Excelencia in Education. Read Inventing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (PDF) to learn more about HSIs. 

ACCESS: COLLEGE COSTS
Higher education to face increasing financial pressure,
analysis warns
All states face potential budget deficits, which will limit higher education funding, according to a recent policy alert. The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems report reveals that colleges and universities - and the students who enroll in them - are more likely to face continued financial strain. More... (PDF)

ACCESS: ACADEMIC PREPARATION
Students not ready for college reading, study shows
A rigorous high school curriculum is key to college success. However, 51 percent of 2005 ACT-tested high school graduates are ready for college-level reading. See Reading Between the Lines: What the ACT Reveals about College Readiness in Reading. Also, read What We Know about Access and Success in Postsecondary Education.

ACCESS: STATE POLICY
How some states are strengthening the education pipeline
Aligning high school standards with college and work expectations can prepare more students for success beyond high school. A new survey conducted by Achieve shows how states are preparing youth for college, the workplace and citizenship. Read Closing the Expectations Gap 2006: An Annual 50-State Progress Report on the Alignment of High School Policies with the Demands of College and Work.

ACCESS: ACADEMIC PREPRATION, INFORMATION & ENCOURAGEMENT
Silent epidemic: High school drop-out rates
A high school degree is a first step to postsecondary access, yet nearly one-third of all U.S. public high school students fail to graduate from high school. For students of color, the rate declines to approximately 50 percent. A new report by Civic Enterprises, and funded by the Gates Foundation, shows schools can do more to lower the nation's drop-out rate. More... (PDF)