Resource Archive

An analysis reveals the rapid growth of state investments in short-term credential pathways. Total investments now exceed $5.6 billion across 70 initiatives in 32 states.

College students today often face a variety of challenges academic pressures, social and family stresses, financial/ economic hardship stresses, a rapidly shifting technological environment, an increasingly polarized political environment, and more.

MDRC researchers share practices likely to support part-time student success.

The national higher education policy landscape and state-level attainment have changed significantly since 2008, with Lumina playing a leading role. Through Strategy Labs and its strategic partnerships, Lumina has fostered a legacy of state-level support that has been instrumental in advancing goals for educational attainment and workforce alignment. This sustained focus on building state capacity,…

Feelings of anxiety related to college searches and admissions applications align with key socio-demographic markers of wealth and status, according to this report from the Art & Science Group. Specifically, students from underrepresented backgrounds report more stress around the process than their higher-income peers.

Students and employers overwhelmingly view microcredentials as critical to career readiness. According to a new report from Coursera, 85 percent of students who have earned a microcredential say it improves job prospects, and 91 pecent believe it will help them succeed once employed.

The U.S. labor market is at a crossroads. Despite unemployment holding steady at around 4.2 percent, many sectors and their employers face a persistent struggle to fill positions. This challenge is driven by several interconnected factors: an aging population, lagging labor force participation, and a widening gap between our education/training system and labor market demand…

As institutions navigate the evolving higher education environment to position themselves for long-term success, understanding how teaching and learning professionals perceive and respond to these shifts is essential for identifying the support they need to thrive in their roles and effectively serve students.

When local community and labor market needs call for a new bachelor’s program, community colleges can welcome new students with a range of life and work experiences to pursue this degree and meet community needs, states this report from New America.

The transition from high school to early adulthood is a time when students must learn how to handle elements of daily life independently, and it is a particularly challenging time to experience food insecurity. Students who previously had access to food benefits in high school, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program may have trouble…

Concerns about the Trump administration’s plans for higher education are the basis of this report by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, which outlines the top public policy issues facing higher education governing boards.

More than a million U.S. students now participate in private school choice programs because of recent growth in vouchers, tax credit scholarships, education savings accounts, and tax credits. Given the rapid expansion in these programs, it is important to understand how they affect the students who participate in these programs and the students who remain…

A new report from Urban Institute explores how state-level policies shape the effectiveness and quality of Registered Apprenticeship Programs in the United States. Through interviews with the Office of Apprenticeship and four state apprenticeship agencies, the research examines policies on supervision, hiring, recordkeeping, wages, and Equal Employment Opportunity.

Learn more about student perspectives on free speech on college campuses Despite national debates suggesting that students face suppression of their views on college campuses, the latest Lumina Foundation-Gallup study tells a different story. The Beyond the Headlines: The Reality of Free Speech on College Campuses report finds that most bachelor's degree students, regardless of political…

If community colleges are to build back enrollment after more than a decade of declines and address concerns about the value of a college education, they must ensure that their workforce and transfer programs are worth completing in that they prepare students to secure good jobs or transfer successfully.

Today’s job market is constantly evolving, and today’s graduates are entering it with both confidence and conviction.

In the fall 2022 semester, more than half of college students took at least one online course, and approximately 20 percent of public four-year college students and 32 percent of community college students engaged exclusively in online education. This makes understanding how to effectively support online learners is critical. While research suggests that some forms…

National surveys continue to show a significant gap between community college students’ aspirations and their bachelor’s attainment. Only 16 percent of community college students earn a bachelor’s degree within six years of entry—far fewer than the 80 percent who enter college with that goal. Yet, proven models nationwide demonstrate it doesn't have to be this…

Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. We envision a system that is easy to navigate, delivers fair results, and meets the nation’s need for talent through a broad range of credentials. Our goal is to prepare people for informed citizenship and success…

As more young people seek alternatives pathways to college, apprenticeships have become increasingly popular. While the “earn and learn” model of apprenticeship seems to be the obvious choice to address labor market needs, it remains underutilized because of varying levels of available funding, experts contend.