The Case for Degree Apprenticeships in Tech

Dec. 7, 2021
The Urban Institute is partnering with South Carolina State University to build a consortium of neighboring historically Black colleges and universities that offer apprenticeship as a career pathway into cybersecurity and information technology careers. This report provides details about the various roles and responsibilities of the key players in the program and shows how a…

Less Is More

Nov. 23, 2021
Current teacher talent pipelines are deficient to meet students’ and schools’ needs and demands, suggests a report from the American Enterprise Institute. Reforming teacher certification laws to allow and empower individuals from diverse backgrounds—with different work experience and community ties—to enter the teacher workforce can help address teacher shortages, the report states.

Early College High School Is Changing Students’ Lives and Futures in Lawrence, Massachusetts

Nov. 12, 2021
Hundreds of students at Lawrence High School in Massachusetts are getting a head start on their college careers thanks to an innovative model that helps students prepare for and earn college degrees while in high school. This report from Jobs for the Future explains the early-college program and how why it deserves to be scaled.

Youth Apprenticeship Playbook

Oct. 29, 2021
Young people in registered apprenticeship programs earn money while they learn and develop skills for a rewarding career. Although successful youth apprenticeship programs are partnerships between high schools, private-sector businesses, and intermediary organizations, only one organization leads or sponsors the program. This report from the Urban Institute outlines an apprenticeship model where high schools are…

The Effects of Middle School Remediation on Postsecondary Success

Sept. 16, 2021
High school graduation rates in the United States are at an all-time high, yet many of these graduates are deemed not ready for postsecondary coursework when they enter college, according to a report from the American Institutes for Research. The study examines the short-, medium-, and long-term effects of remedial courses in middle school using…

Homeless and Foster Youth, Racial Inequity, and Policy Shifts for Systemic Change

March 11, 2021
Given the economic benefits of a college degree, higher education can be particularly beneficial for homeless and foster youth. However, homeless youth are less likely to enroll in college, and nearly three quarters of foster youth who begin college do not complete a degree or certificate within six years. This policy brief from Ithaka S+R…

An Apprenticeship FAQ

March 1, 2021
Modern apprenticeships offer a talent development approach that onboards more diverse talent as well as internal infrastructure to create a learning culture. However, employer buy-in and awareness are major barriers to expanding and modernizing apprenticeships outside trades such as construction or electricians. This report from the Brookings Institution presents questions that employers who are new…

Innovative Strategies to Close Postsecondary Attainment Gaps

Oct. 29, 2020
A new report from the Institute for Higher Education Policy offers insight into how the Chamber of Commerce in Nashville, Tennessee, is helping neighbors connect in order to promote college access and degree completion. As a result, area institutions, including Nashville State Community College, are seeing an increase in enrollment of students of color.

Student Debt Forgiveness Calculator: Reengagement Revenue Info

April 29, 2019
This calculator tool equips you with cost/revenue information needed to help make the case for using debt forgiveness as a strategy at your institution to re-enroll adult learners who stopped out. Although this tool relies on best-case-scenario assumptions regarding re-enrollment and sustained progress, the calculations can be used to set a baseline and begin the…

Better Training and Better Jobs

Feb. 22, 2018
A report from the Center for American Progress proposes “recalibrating” the country’s workforce development system to ensure that training improves worker productivity and leads to high-quality jobs. The report recommends giving workers more influence in training investment decisions that happen at the local level, as well as expanding public and private sector investments in high-quality…