Resources

Today's Credentials

Playbook for Transfer Pathways to the Liberal Arts

How to Design and Implement Statewide Pathways From Community Colleges to Independent Colleges

March 16, 2022

Bachelor’s degree attainment for community college transfer students is one underutilized but essential pathway for reducing equity gaps in higher education. One way to achieve this at scale is through state-level initiatives dedicated to supporting transfer from community colleges to not-for-profit independent colleges. This report from Ithaka S+R looks at successful statewide transfer initiatives in…

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Today's Credentials

Reengaging Adult Learners to Complete College Degrees: Learning From Tennessee

Jan. 28, 2022

This report highlights innovative policies and practices from the Tennessee Reconnect program as an example of an effort to help thousands of adult learners in New York City earn a credential.

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Today's Credentials

The Degree Reclamation Playbook

Jan. 13, 2022

At least 36 million Americans have stopped short of earning a college degree. A new “playbook” from the Institute for Higher Education Policy distills more than a decade’s worth of best practices into a practical guide to help institutions support individuals with some college credits but no degree.

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Today's Credentials

Building Ohio’s Workforce Through Stackable Credentials

June 10, 2021

Ohio is a leader in scaling stackable credential programs. The state passed initial legislation on stackable credentials nearly 15 years ago, and it has since rolled out a series of initiatives that expand opportunities for individuals to stack credentials. Have institutions changed the programs that they offer? Are students stacking credentials, and, when they do, are they…

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Today's Credentials

Strategies for Improving Postsecondary Credential Attainment Among Black, Hispanic, and Native American Adults

Aligning Short-Term Credentials with Community College Degree Programs

May 25, 2021

This set of three studies from the Community College Research Center examines what states and community colleges can do to address the needs of Black, Hispanic, and Native American adult learners who are pursuing postsecondary education and training as a path to re-employment, better jobs, and higher incomes.

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Today's Credentials

Making Information About Credentials More Actionable

Through Increased Transparency and Quality Assurance

May 21, 2021

Seven state leadership organizations and five workforce, education, and data advocacy/technical assistance experts have come together to build awareness, understanding, and demand for how policy can integrate credential transparency into education and workforce development state strategies. This brief from Credential Engine explores the ways that credential transparency can be supported, integrated, and leveraged within states.

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Today's Credentials

The Short-term Credentials Landscape

What We See and What Remains Unseen

May 5, 2021

Given the rapid growth in short-term programs, and policymakers’ fast-growing interest to invest federal higher education dollars into very-short-term credentials, we explore what the research does—and does not— show us about such credentials’ utility in the labor market. With concerns about equity, our review of the literature guides us towards caution, as a strong push…

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Today's Credentials

Innovative Strategies to Close Postsecondary Attainment Gaps

Reclaiming Earned Degrees Through Reverse Transfer

Feb. 23, 2021

Across the country, students are unwittingly leaving postsecondary credentials on the table without institutions awarding the associate degrees they have earned. Many of these students are from populations that have been historically excluded from or overlooked in higher education, including Black, Latino, Indigenous students, and students from low-income backgrounds. This report from the Institute for…

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Today's Credentials

Counting U.S. Postsecondary and Secondary Credentials

Advances Since First Credential Count Estimate

Feb. 19, 2021

The credential landscape is vast—and it continues to grow. A recent report from Credential Engine shows 967,734 unique credentials in the United States. As in previous reports, the research demonstrates a need to dramatically improve transparency in the credential marketplace to promote economic growth and individual mobility.

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Today's Credentials

Counting U.S. Postsecondary and Secondary Credentials

Credential Count Approaches 1 Million

Feb. 11, 2021

The credential landscape is vast—and it continues to grow. A new report from Credential Engine shows 967,734 unique credentials in the United States. As in previous reports, the new research demonstrates the need to dramatically improve transparency in the credential marketplace to promote economic growth and individual mobility.

Download PDF Continue Reading