MICROBOL -- Micro-credentials linked to the Bologna Key Commitments -- is a two-year project co-funded by Erasmus+ KA3 Support to Policy reform, and more specifically "Support to the implementation of EHEA [European Higher Education Area] reforms". It is linked to the aims of the new Erasmus+ Programme and the EHEA to increase access to…

Dual enrollment programs, which allow high school students to earn postsecondary credits through partnerships between secondary and postsecondary institutions, are one of several approaches to enabling students to earn postsecondary credit while in high school. These programs provide high-achieving students with access to more rigorous coursework,…

A major concern on microcredit repayment remains a major obstacle to the Micro Financial Institutions (MFIs) and Financial Intermediaries (FIs) in Kenya. The health of MFI sector in Sub Sahara Africa (SSA) is a cause of concern due to the increased portfolio at risk (PAR). This region records the highest risk globally. Its PAR 30 is greater than 5…

Although competency-based education (CBE) has existed since the early 1970s adult-focused degree programs, interest in CBE has spiked in recent years due to the increased attention on higher education affordability and accountability. This article reviews the extant literature on CBE to address the following questions: (a) What are the definitions…

This article explores how a composition program at a minority serving, Midwestern university used an accelerated learning approach in its general education composition course sequence. Using research in the area of literacy theory and developmental education, as well as assessment data, the program designed a two-course general education…

Safety net programs emerging from the War on Poverty and later antipoverty efforts such as Head Start, Medicaid, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), among others have reduced poverty, and strengthened longer-term outcomes for poor children, leading to better health and greater economic…

Every child deserves the chance at a great education and the American dream. Unfortunately, decades of student achievement data reveal that the increasingly costly U.S. district school system does not provide an excellent education for all students. State lawmakers around the country are now seeking ways to enhance the ability of families to…

This report follows up on previous work that examined the fiscal effects of private school voucher programs. It estimates the total fiscal effects of tax-credit scholarship programs--another type of private school choice program--on state governments, state and local taxpayers, and school districts combined. Based on a range of assumptions, these…

Annually, thousands of U.S. students fail high school introductory biology. The language demands of biology are large, and science teachers are often unprepared to support students' language needs. Here, we describe a 4-week summer high school introductory biology course executed in a large West Coast city. Our aim was to help 33 students recover…

The Iowa Department of Education (Department) collects information on developmental education (Dev. Ed.) from Iowa's 15 community colleges on an annual basis. Dev. Ed. courses are offered in mathematics, reading, writing, English as a Second Language (ESL), and in other subject areas, such as financial literacy and skill building. These credits do…

The Voluntary Framework of Accountability (VFA) is the principal institutional accountability and improvement framework for community colleges with measures defined to encompass the full breadth of the community college mission and the diversity of students' goals and educational experiences. The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)…

The problem of a prepared workforce is perennial. Part of the challenge is one of supply and demand, as education systems attempt to produce graduates with the technical competencies required for the current jobs available. In the new service- and knowledge-based economy, however, soft skills are cited as a greater need by today's employers.…

This report--written by Amy Ellen Duke-Benfield and Brian Sponsler--provides an overview of current public benefit policies and encourages states to look beyond traditional financial aid sources and free college programs to better support student success among students with low incomes. The brief calls for adopting states to adopt policies that…

As we work and study in our increasingly globalized society, there is a growing trend of Chinese piano students choosing to pursue their higher education in the United States. Elite music institutions in America are also seeking and recruiting a large number of Chinese pianists. This trend raises questions regarding the similarities and…

"Getting Prepared 2018" examines Minnesota public high school graduates from the classes of 2009-2017 who enrolled in postsecondary education and those enrolled in developmental education. This report provides insight into the academic readiness of Minnesota public high school graduates. Developmental education adds to the overall cost…