This chapter focuses on the overall themes, priorities, and "calls to action" that emerged from a discussion and reflection among community college leaders on the chapters in this volume.

Following a high-quality early care and pre-K experience, the kindergarten-through-third-grade years set the foundation upon which future learning builds; and strengthening this continuum creates opportunities for later success. Key components of a quality experience in K-3 include school readiness and transitions, kindergarten requirements,…

Teacher license reciprocity allows educators who hold a teaching license in one state to earn a license in another state, subject to meeting state-specific requirements. Reciprocity agreements allow states to work through variations in licensing systems to coordinate license transfers and fill vacant teaching positions with qualified candidates.…

Many public workforce training programs lead to industry-recognized, third-party awarded credentials, but little research has been conducted on the economic benefits of these credentials in the labor market. This paper provides quasi-experimental evidence on the labor market returns to industry-recognized credentials connected to community college…

Research on charter schools tends to focus on direct and immediate effects on student outcomes. However, there may be unintended indirect effects on, for example, the teacher labor market. Charter schools tend to hire teachers with fewer traditional teaching credentials, which may reduce the equilibrium quantity of teachers who have traditional…

The problem addressed in this study was the trend of students completing health sciences stackable credentials not pursuing the related health sciences associate degree after completing the stackable credential, despite the availability of the streamlined pathway. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study utilizing semi-structured…

This study examines College and Career Readiness (CCR) policy implementation through the lens of "decoupling." We investigate how high schools have jointly implemented Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Industry-Based Certifications (IBCs), and whether there is evidence of "curricular-credential decoupling" via…

Teacher preparation programs are essential to ensure pre-service teachers are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to teach in the PK-12 learning environment, but are rooted in a traditional paradigm of a compacted curriculum with little room for more content. The addition of Computational Thinking (CT) becomes one more thing to add to…

Given the complex roles of special educators, it is important that they be offered tailored professional development (PD) opportunities. Unfortunately, most PD tends to occur in "sit-and-get" formats, with generalized content that may or may not meet the needs of attendees. Districts are starting to investigate the use of…

Adult students without a high school credential are consistently denied access to programs offered by community colleges and four-year institutions. With a workforce that is in need of employees, employers have identified soft skills that are necessary for success in the workplace. Alabama offers a free program for students that includes these…

The U.S. centuries-old four-tiered degree system (associate, baccalaureate, masters, doctorate) can be insurmountable for many and hinders those who do not complete any given tier. The nation's credential landscape is increasingly confusing, with nearly one million unique credentials awarded from postsecondary education institutions and related…

Several challenges exist in the implementation of integrated care given that SUD/Addiction treatment has historically been segregated from the broader health care system (Office of the Surgeon General, 2016). One expression of the gap that persists is that for counselors who want to administer SUD/Addiction and mental health counseling, or…

This policy brief, produced by the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as part of the Region 10 Comprehensive Center, is one in a series examining selected topics related to Wisconsin's educator workforce. The goal of this brief is to summarize key trends in the use of emergency credentials within…

The current study investigates Talk Aloud Problem Solving (TAPS) for master's level students at Endicott College in preparation for the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB) exam. The exam format of multiple-choice questions was used as the basis for acquisition and utilization of a TAPS skill repertoire. The purpose was to add to the…

The new world of work demands not only academic knowledge and skills but also transferable skills such as communications, creativity, and collaboration--skills that are rarely captured formally. Meeting that demand will require a new approach to the high school diploma. The opportunity is ripe to redesign credentials to enable competency-based…