This Western Governors University (WGU) study examines alumni outcomes based on Gallup’s measures of workforce and life outcomes—including employee engagement, well-being and emotional attachment to the university. The study maps these outcomes back to graduates’ reflections on their undergraduate experiences.
Competency-based education programs are growing in popularity and are seen by schools as an important way to reach adult learners and emphasize job readiness among graduates, a new study shows.
Community colleges are uniquely situated to address a paramount national challenge: reducing economic inequality. Students who complete an associate’s degree have higher rates of employment and significant earnings gains over those with only a high school degree or a general equivalency diploma (GED). With 86 percent of high school graduates going on to further postsecondary education and training, experts are increasingly emphasizing the central importance of high-quality programs that provide ample support to ensure that a high percentage of entrants graduate and enhance their lives and careers. As institutions that serve all students regardless of background and preparation and are located close to where students live and work, community colleges are pivotal in efforts to reduce economic inequality and restore the American Dream—but can only succeed if they are adequately funded.
New research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia analyzes the impact of a financial aid program offered by Rutgers University-Camden that grants mostly lower-income first-year undergraduate students from New Jersey a full or partial tuition discount after all need-based federal, state, and institutional grants are applied. The study says the program substantially boosted enrollment of lower-income New Jersey students at the university, with students reporting less financial stress, reduced reliance on student loan debt, and the ability to work fewer hours at jobs.
More colleges and universities view competency-based education (CBE) programs as a model to serve nontraditional students and improve workforce readiness, according to this report from the American Institutes for Research.
If you were making one of the most important and expensive decisions of your life, how much of the necessary information would you want to have? About 100 percent? 75 percent? Would you settle for 50 percent?
Learning frameworks can help ensure that credentials are built on solid foundations of learning.
When Congress voted to restore year-round Pell in the 2017 omnibus budget, some declared victory. Students can now use these funds over summer terms and potentially accelerate degree completion. While this was a definite win, the fight to keep the Pell program well-funded continues.
After last year’s racially motivated violence in Charlottesville, Lumina Foundation was among organizations that said the country must move beyond words to action. Today, in partnership with Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, we are announcing the Lumina Fund for Racial Justice and Equity.
Ask about anybody leaving the service what they’d like next, and the answer is usually, “a good job.”