Here are some new resources and news for the field of higher education.
NJ Colleges Trying to Reverse ‘Summer Melt’ of Students Colleges and universities are consistently looking for ways to chip away at the percentage of students who vanish between spring and fall. (NJ 101.5)
Opening Credits: An Introduction to PLA Policies Allowing students – especially adult and military – to earn college credit for knowledge and experience gained outside of a classroom can accelerate their time to graduation and help states reach their attainment goals. This new Policy Analysis guides you through four main elements of Prior Learning Assessment policies and provides state examples and questions to consider when reviewing your state’s approach.
Study: Dual Credit Improves Graduation Time but May Not Reduce Debt The University of Texas System surveyed its campuses to learn about the impacts of dual credit high school classes on the students who take them. They found that these classes can speed up the amount of time it takes students to graduate, but may not make a difference in the amounts of debt students incur in their undergraduate years. (KXAN)
This Map Shows the States Where the Student Loan Crisis Hits the Hardest Student loan debt in the U.S. now totals more than $1.5 trillion, but students in some states are getting hit harder than others. (CNBC)
Enrollment Is Down at Teacher Colleges. So They’re Trying to Change Colleges of education are in a Catch-22: They’re needed more than ever to produce well-trained teachers as school districts struggle to fill certain positions. But fewer and fewer people are enrolling in their programs. That’s one of the findings in a comprehensive report of the state of teacher preparation by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, released today for the organization’s 70th anniversary. The report examines the steps colleges of education have taken to revamp themselves in light of increasing challenges for the teaching profession.
Minnesota’s Public Colleges to Expand Credit for ‘Prior Learning’ Metro State helped launch the Prior Learning Assessment Network this spring to promote the use of alternative ways of earning credit in the Minnesota State college and university system. (Star Tribune)
Report Shows Drop in Students in Teacher Ed A report released by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) shows a decline in enrollment in colleges of education and many impending faculty retirements. The association used data from an “array of governmental and organizational sources” to produce the report. (Inside Higher Ed)
Redesigning State Financial Aid: Principles to Guide State Aid Policymaking This special report examines four principles for state leaders to consider as they develop or evaluate financial aid reform efforts.
TN – Study Shows Economic Impact of Community, Tech College System As part of its commitment to student success and workforce development, the Tennessee Board of Regents asked the Center for Economic Research in Tennessee (CERT) at the state Department of Economic and Community Development to conduct the study in order to better understand the economic impacts the College System and its graduates have on Tennessee and its residents. (Elk Valley Times)
Report: Federal Student Loan Defaults: What Happens After Borrowers Default and Why This report aims to expand the window into federal student loan defaults beyond the event of default itself. It attempts to provide the most robust look to date of what happens to student loans after a borrower defaults and why. Ultimately, this information should help policymakers evaluate the current set of policies related to default collections as well as pose new questions for researchers to explore.
IL – New Law Lets Students Take Unlimited Dual-Credit Classes A new state law will allow Illinois high school students to take an unlimited number of dual-credit courses and earn both high school and college credits. (Associated Press)
New Higher Education Act Proposals Make Changes, but Are They Significant for Aspiring Educators? Until last week, Congress has made little movement to amend or overhaul the Higher Education Act (HEA) since the GOP-led House education committee approved the Promoting Real Opportunity, Success, and Prosperity Through Education Reform (PROSPER) Act last December. But leading up to Congress’ August recess, three new bills were released that have implications for aspiring educators and the programs that prepare them.
