There are nearly 1 million credentials in the United States that students and workers can take advantage of, but how information about these credentials is collected and communicated is oftentimes inconsistent and hard to access. In February, we invited a group of postsecondary and workforce development experts to consider how policymakers can…

This report describes the adult student's experience with prior learning assessment (PLA) using student record data from 72 degree-granting postsecondary institutions in the United States, primarily focusing on the data from 69 of those institutions based on the more detailed data provided by those institutions to the study. Researchers from the…

This report describes the adult student's experience with prior learning assessment (PLA) using student record data from 72 degree-granting postsecondary institutions in the United States, primarily focusing on the data from 69 of those institutions based on the more detailed data provided by those institutions to the study. Researchers from the…

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…

In the 2018 calendar year, 42 states and Washington, D.C., passed a total of 146 policy actions related to Career and Technical Education (CTE) and career readiness, including legislation, executive orders, board of education actions, budget provisions and ballot initiatives. While roughly 100 fewer policies were passed in 2018 than in 2017, this…

Issues of postsecondary education access and attainment have a direct impact on individuals' social and economic mobility, the labor market, and the nation's ability to stay globally competitive. Sample surveys--cross-sectional or longitudinal surveys of a subpopulation of individuals--on precollege experiences and preparation, postsecondary…

Creating smart, coherent education policy is painstaking work; there are technical, budgetary, and political challenges at almost every turn. But it is some of the most important work that state leaders can undertake. As Ohioans prepared to elect a new governor in late 2018, we at the Fordham Institute began rolling out a set of policy proposals…

The concept of "teacher quality" has undergone a profound transformation in the last decade. Through the late 1990s, most policymakers assumed that educator effectiveness was immeasurable and that our only hopes to increase it were tied to classroom experience and academic credentials. Yet since 2001, through a series of notable research…

As states develop accountability systems for their high school career and technical education (CTE) programs, the number of students who earn industry-recognized credentials is being considered as a measure of student success and program quality. Using data from a longitudinal study we explored the value of industry-recognized credentials for high…