Transfer students face many challenges integrating into a 4-year college that affect their retention and success, yet very little research has documented how to create wraparound programming to support them. There remains a need to establish retention models that are adaptable and can serve a variety of students and institutions. The Learning…

In 2014, the Florida Board of Governors deemed the University of Florida (UF) the state's flagship institute for online learning; UF Online was born. UF was to offer a portfolio of fully online undergraduate degrees at reduced tuition and fees to increase undergraduate access to the state university system by first-time-in-college and transfer…

Education Commission of the States (ECS) conducted interviews with members of the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) in six states to gather insights into current and critical state policy issues. This summative paper outlines the findings of these interviews, which took place between May and July 2021. The interviews also gathered input…

The Florida state profile consisted of interviews with five participants from three National College Attainment Network (NCAN) member organizations in the state. It was evident that leaders in Florida were focused on workforce efforts, specifically career and technical education (CTE) and rapid credentialization, with all three organizations…

A barrier that students and mid-career professionals often face in attempts to advance their education level is that the coursework completed and credits earned in one institution of higher education (IHE) may not transfer to another. To address this issue, states have developed a variety of articulation policies and agreements to facilitate the…

This volume contains the technical appendices for "Higher Education Articulation Agreements: A Study of State Policies Covering the Early Care and Education Workforce." The study provides an in-depth examination of how six states and their institution of higher educations (IHEs) have implemented articulation policies that include…

A barrier that students and mid-career professionals often face in attempts to advance their education level is that the coursework completed and credits earned in one institution of higher education (IHE) may not transfer to another. To address this issue, states have developed a variety of articulation policies and agreements to facilitate the…

The Microbiology and Cell Science (MCS) Department at the University of Florida (UF) developed a new model of a 2 + 2 program that uses a hybrid online approach to bring its science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum to students. In this paradigm, 2-year graduates transfer as online students into the Distance Education in…

In 2012, five foundations launched the Credit When Its Due (CWID) initiative that was "designed to encourage partnerships of community colleges and universities to significantly expand programs that award associate degrees to transfer students when the student completes the requirements for the associate degree while pursuing a bachelor's…

Despite widely shared aspirations, the vast majority of community college students do not continue their studies at four-year colleges. In November 2013, "Jobs for the Future" convened higher education leaders and researchers to explore state-level policy strategies for restructuring community college in ways that enhance student…

The outcomes states gain from investing in postsecondary financial aid programs remain hotly debated, leading to great interest in developing programs that are both cost-effective and productive in helping states meet goals. In the 2012-13 academic year, states collectively provided approximately $11.2 billion in financial aid to students enrolled…

Many states are experimenting with mechanisms for making college more affordable while maintaining quality and access. This report examines promising or innovative state programs to improve college affordability and credential attainment. Many of these approaches show innovative thinking and bear watching to see if they result in meaningful…

State-level interest in meeting workforce needs and facilitating adults' baccalaureate attainment is changing conceptions of the applied associate degree and the mission of the community college. In this article, the author draws on data from a recent study about the applied baccalaureate degree (Townsend and Bragg, 2008) to describe the growing…

In spring 2012, after a year of intensive data analysis and planning, the colleges participating in Completion by Design announced strategies for creating clear, structured routes through college for more students, often referred to as accelerated, structured pathways to completion. These strategies contain elements unique to each college, but all…

This "Policy Alert" summarizes an earlier report, State Policy and Community College-Baccalaureate Transfer, which examined the role of state policy in influencing community college-baccalaureate transfer. The "Policy Alert" looks at the importance of two-year to four-year transfer, and offers recommendations for improvement to…