With the emergence of digital credentialing and platforms to support learners and workers with entering and traversing the increasingly skill-based education and workforce ecosystem, Learning and Employment Record (LER) technologies have been identified as a promising solution for individuals to share and access their learning- and skills-data and…

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…

American businesses and industries have long identified shortages in key career and technical areas--some of these areas require two- or four-year college degrees, whereas others simply require industry certifications. Career and technical education (CTE) has the potential to play a central role in filling these gaps. The current Carl D. Perkins…

On August 30, 2006, Montana state educational and policy leaders participated in the Montana Education Forum to discuss ways to improve student transition from high school to postsecondary education and careers. The forum was sponsored by the League for Innovation in the Community College and the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and…

On August 1, 2006, Hawaii state educational and policy leaders participated in the Hawaii Education Forum to discuss ways to improve student transition from high school to postsecondary education and careers. The forum was sponsored by the League for Innovation in the Community College and the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and supported…

While the majority of adults who take the General Educational Development (GED) test do so in order to continue their education, few go on to enter postsecondary education. Yet, these same adults stand to make substantial economic and personal gains when they use their adult secondary credential to move from the ranks of high school dropout to…

To thrive in the 21st century economy, all young people will need some education beyond high school. Whether in two- or four-year colleges or in programs granting credentials for employment in family-sustaining careers, obtaining postsecondary education and training has become imperative---all the more so in an era when employers now require the…

The feasibility of youth apprenticeship in the United States was assessed by examining problems and successes of programs that include components of the apprenticeship model. The approach to analysis of youth apprenticeship was to break down the model into four components: student participation, educational content, location of instruction, and…

This guide, which is one of three guides designed to provide state and local leaders, policymakers, practitioners, and other stakeholders with information about the work-based learning component of the School to Work Opportunities Act, deals with connecting activities performed by school-to-work coordinators. The introduction traces the history of…