Here are some new resources and news for the field of higher education.
Updated College Scorecard Released by U.S. Department of Education On September 27, the U.S. Department of Education updated the College Scorecard with refreshed data and a new feature that allows uses to compare up to 10 institutions at the same time. The College Scorecard includes data from postsecondary institutions about graduation rates, cost, the average earnings of graduates and repayment rates for loans.
Takes Two to Tango: Essential Practices of Highly Effective Transfer Partnerships Using student records from the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) for the entire 2007 fall cohort of first-time-in-college community college students nationwide, the authors identify partnerships of two- and four-year institutions that were more effective than expected (controlling for student and institutional characteristics) in enabling community college entrants to transfer to a four-year institution and earn a bachelor’s degree. From in-depth interviews with faculty, staff and students at the identified highly effective partnership institutions, the authors found a set of common essential transfer practices. The practices were grouped under three broad strategies: 1) make transfer a priority, 2) create clear programmatic pathways with aligned high-quality instruction, and 3) provide tailored transfer advising. (Community College Review)
How to Pay for Free Community College The popularity of college promise programs – or tuition-free initiatives for community colleges and in some cases for four-year degrees – has been growing across the country in the last few years. (Inside Higher Ed)
Unequal Opportunity in Illinois: A Look at Who Graduates and Why it Matters With poverty rates in Illinois increasing and postsecondary attainment more important than ever, this publication reveals low completion rates, persistent achievement gaps, and other hurdles to college. The report is a meta-analysis that draws from public data and published studies to highlight trends that have broad implications in Illinois, where nearly half of high school graduates are low-income and over 40 percent are Black or Latino. The data paints a grim picture of the achievement gaps between rich and poor. (The Partnership for College Completion)
The Rural Higher-Education Crisis When it comes to college enrollment, students in Middle America—many of them white—face an uphill battle against economic and cultural deterrents. (Atlantic)
Workforce Development, Free Speech and Sanctuary Campuses: Higher Ed Groups Unpack Top State Concerns Budget allocations for higher education vary from state to state, but most states included increases in their budgets for higher ed in the next fiscal year. However, a drastic drop in allocations in the previous fiscal year means that many states will actually be increasing higher ed spending less than they did only two years prior, according to presenters during a webinar co-hosted by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the Education Commission of the States, and the National Conference of State Legislatures. (Education Dive)
Group Attempts New Twist on Accreditation The Quality Assurance Commons for Higher & Postsecondary Education is a new group that is exploring alternative approaches to accreditation in higher education. With funding from the Lumina Foundation and through the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, the QA Commons announced a pilot project to assess higher education programs at 14 institutions around the country. (Inside Higher Ed)
FL – FSU Introduces Dual-Degree Major for Education Majors to Address Teacher Shortage
Already there are 107 students enrolled, with a goal of 180 in the next few years. With the new dual-degree track introduced, FSU is phasing out its traditional bachelor of science in education major. (Tallahassee Democrat)
