Increasing Indiana's college completion rates is the most important goal for the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, as completion is the most powerful tool to measure success. To achieve economic security or success in today's economy, education beyond high school is vital and ongoing, as most new jobs created today require some form of…

Early postsecondary opportunities (EPSOs) provide more than 5.5 million secondary learners annually an intentionally designed authentic postsecondary experience (such as dual or concurrent enrollment) leading to college credit that counts toward a recognized postsecondary degree or credential. Career Technical Education (CTE) courses make up…

Colorado, like other states across the country, utilizes dual enrollment as a strategy to cultivate seamless P-20 pathways and increase credential completion. Dual enrollment programs provide high school students with the opportunity to enroll in college-level courses, simultaneously earning both high school and college credit, often at greatly…

We examine the impacts of early college high schools, small schools of choice located on college campuses. These schools provide a no-cost opportunity for students to earn college credit--or a 2-year degree--while in high school. Using rich administrative data on multiple cohorts of students and quasiexperimental methods informed by the…

In this brief, the authors propose three measures of "early momentum" for two reasons: Research is beginning to show that these near-term metrics predict long-term success, and the metrics focus attention on initial conditions at colleges that are particularly important for solidifying the foundation for student success. While these…

This topic paper details how dual and concurrent enrollment programs can help states overcome workforce readiness and postsecondary access and completion challenges and how governors can strengthen these programs by using their bully pulpit, agenda setting authority and budgetary authority to do so. It concludes with a number of examples of how…

Misconceptions on affordability remain a barrier to postsecondary access for millions of potential students. When students recognize financial aid availability during secondary school years, they gain the capability to better establish a curricular path that aligns with postsecondary aspirations. This dissertation assesses the use of…

Expanding pathways from high school to higher education is essential for Colorado to reach its goals of increasing college completion rates, erasing attainment gaps and increasing high school student engagement. Colorado, like other states across the country, utilizes dual enrollment as a strategy to cultivate seamless P-20 pathways and increase…

This report examines the structural divide between for-credit and noncredit postsecondary education and the problems it presents for people seeking better jobs with higher pay. It highlights innovative ways that some community colleges are trying to bridge the gap nationally--creating more seamless pathways between credit and noncredit…

The "Degree Qualifications Profile (DQP)" is a postsecondary learning outcomes framework that specifies what students should be expected to know and be able to do at the associate's, bachelor's, and master's levels. First introduced at the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) 2011 annual meeting, over four…

Supporting adult learners as they complete their postsecondary certificates and degrees is essential to meeting our state's educational attainment goals and meeting the employment needs of students and Washington employers. Academic Credit for Prior Learning (ACPL) is awarded when a student's prior learning is assessed and found to be the…

Across New England, an increasing share of jobs will require some postsecondary education by 2020. Yet, the National Student Clearinghouse findings demonstrate that student pathways to a degree or credential are not always straightforward. In New England, approximately 25% of all students who earned a bachelor's degree had previously attended a…

Adults who pursue postsecondary education often bring with them considerable college-level learning that they acquired from their work, military, or life experience. Through prior learning assessment (PLA), they may be able to have this learning evaluated for college credit. One form of PLA is individualized assessment, in which students prepare a…

Pursuant to statute (23-1-113 [9] C.R.S), the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) is required to submit a report concerning the postsecondary academic progress and success of the preceding six high school graduating classes. This report covers the high school graduating classes of 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. This report has…

Through Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1599 (E2SHB 1599) the Legislature tasked the State Board of Education (SBE) with providing an analysis of the equity and adequacy of the new graduation pathway options through stakeholder outreach and engagement. SBE has solicited and received feedback on the graduation pathway options. In the…