This report is the second in a series of current term enrollment estimates from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, to be published every December and May. It includes national enrollment estimates as well as subtotals by institutional sector, region, enrollment intensity, age group, and gender. As of spring 2013, institutions…

"Current Term Enrollment Estimates," published every December and May by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, include national enrollment estimates by institutional sector, region, enrollment intensity, age group, and gender. In addition, state-level enrollments have been added to the series. Enrollment estimates are…

Using the Beginning Postsecondary Student Survey, we examine the effect on earnings of obtaining certificates/degrees from for-profit, not-for-profit, and public institutions. Students who enter certificate programs at any type of institution do not gain from earning a certificate. However, among those entering associates degree programs, there…

For-profit institutions are more visible today among policymakers, researchers, and investors, due in large part to the sharp rise in the number of students attending them over the last decade. From 2000 to 2009, enrollment in the for-profit sector tripled while enrollment in the public and not-for-profit sectors increased by less than 25 percent.…

This report is the first in a series of current term enrollment estimates from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, to be published every December and May. It includes national enrollment estimates, as well as subtotals by institutional sector, enrollment intensity, age group, and gender. As of fall 2012, institutions actively…

"Doing well by doing good" is the business mantra of the for-profit-college industry. But one does not have to look far to find people who question the slogan's sincerity or the very legitimacy of that model. And that was even before reports of some companies' abusive student-recruiting practices and questionable educational standards fed a public…

The "90-10" Rule is a federal law barring for-profit colleges from receiving more than 90% of their revenues from Department of Education federal student aid. It is modeled on the Department of Veterans Affairs' long-standing "85-15" Rule, which prohibits more than 85% of a program's students from receiving VA funding. It prevents for-profit…

The debate about the need for change in America's K-12 education system has been raging for decades. Teachers, parents, administrators and government leaders alike have been grappling with how to transform a system that has been failing too many students for too long, according to a recent Center for Education Policy study. Until recently, the…

First published in 1999, "American Higher Education in the Twenty First Century" offered a comprehensive introduction to the central issues facing American colleges and universities. This thoroughly revised edition brings the classic volume up to date. The contributors have rewritten every chapter to address major changes in higher…

As the education policy landscape shifts toward a system of outcomes-based accountability, evaluation and research have grown increasingly vital. This is especially true for for-profit education firms, which must overcome skepticism, scrutiny, or even outright hostility in a field that has long been suspicious of the profit motive and where the…

For-profit colleges are some of the biggest critics of the federal graduation rate, arguing that it gives an inaccurate image of their institutions. They point out that the official calculation doesn't take into account the vast majority of the students who attend their institutions, most of whom are neither "first-time" nor "full-time." So major…

For 25 years, "Exchange" has been tracking developments in the for profit child care sector. With this report, CEOs of organizations in the Exchange Top 50 have been asked to reflect on what have been the most significant developments in this sector over these 25 years. This article shares what they said.

Preparing employees for the immediate work in front of them is a challenge. While most companies are still mastering effectively training their own workforce, some, such as "Training" magazine Top 10 Hall of Famer The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, have set up for-profit academies open to the public. When Ritz-Carlton won the national Malcolm…

Critics say that for-profit career colleges--which, according to industry figures, enrolled 3.2 million students in the United States in 2009--have been plagued by deceptive recruiting practices that lure students into programs they could find elsewhere for much less money. Students often borrow tens of thousands of dollars to attend these…

For-profit institutions are more visible today among policymakers, researchers, and investors, due in large part to the sharp rise in the number of students attending them over the last decade. From 2000 to 2009, enrollment in the for-profit sector tripled while enrollment in the public and not-for-profit sectors increased by less than 25 percent.…