Here are some new resources and news for the field of higher education.
Federal Higher-Ed Tax Breaks Now Exceed Cost of Grants for Lower-Income Students The cost of tax deductions that previous research has shown disproportionately help wealthier families pay for college continues to outpace what the federal government spends on grants for low-income students, a new study points out. (Hechinger Report, February 23)
AP Participation Is Up As access to Advanced Placement courses continues to grow, student success rates are also improving, according to the 2016 AP Program results for the class of 2016. “The Advanced Placement Program has radically expanded access without compromising quality,” said David Coleman, president and CEO of College Board, which oversees the AP Program. (Inside Higher Ed, February 22)
Aligning Curricula with Manufacturers’ Needs Groups representing advanced manufacturers have teamed up with the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) to create a committee of six educators who will try to identify how colleges can modify their curricula and industry certifications to better meet manufacturers’ hiring needs. (Inside Higher Ed, February 23)
Tennessee Sees ACT Gains After Becoming First State to Fund Retakes for All Students Last fall, Tennessee became the nation’s first state to pay for its students to retake the ACT college entrance exam. On Tuesday, Education Commissioner Candice McQueen said the investment paid off. (Chalkbeat, February 14)
Massachusetts-An Alternative to Remedial College Classes Gets Results Boston College is taking a different approach to help students with weak academic records by using a set of learning strategies that require no more than one three-credit class.(Washington Post, February 14)
