This study from ACT draws a link between rigorous coursework in middle school and college readiness. It says students who aren’t on track for college and career readiness by eighth grade will face an uphill battle to attain that level More »

Schools must stop seeing high school graduation as their ultimate goal and start seeing themselves as a launch pad for college and career success, according to this white paper published by College Summit. The paper advocates adopting college proficiency as More »

The nation’s economic downturn is putting added pressure on already-strained state budgets. According to this report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, at least 21 states have made cuts to public university budgets or are planning tuition increases More »

While more states use data to drive student success and accountability, no state is gathering all of the information potentially available, according to this report from the Education Sector. This report provides guidelines for designing a model state higher education More »

Between 1996 and 2002, Pell awards grew steadily and more rapidly than the list prices of public two-year and four-year colleges. At the same time, states and institutional grants to lower-income students grew in real terms during these years, resulting More »

A recent analysis suggests that male and female students experience developmental education differently. This issue of Data Notes, an Achieving the Dream publication, shows female students are more likely to persist and outperform their male counterparts; earn higher grade-point averages; More »

In an economic downturn, colleges and universities are often first in line for reduced state support. This policy brief from the American Association of State Colleges and Universities examines how states are using dedicated funding sources, or earmarking, to compensate More »

This report from the College Board’s Commission on Access, Admissions and Success in Higher Education addresses the sobering reality that the next generation of U.S. workers is likely to be less educated than the retirees they replace. To boost college More »

Each year, 65,000 students who graduate from U.S. high schools share something in common: They are among undocumented students from immigrant families who cannot afford to pay nonresident or out-of-state tuition and fees for college. This publication from the Higher More »

Many community college students say their coursework is challenging, but evidence suggests institutions can do more to promote student success. Findings from this publication, the 2008 Community College Survey of Student Engagement, show that 67 percent of full-time students spend More »