The study compared the Outcome Measures (OM) to the traditional Graduation Rates (GR) to ascertain if OM portrayed the performance of higher education institutions differently than GR and to determine which of the two metrics aligned better with accountability policy objectives. GR refers to the percentages of first-time, full-time students who…

This comprehensive strategic plan lays out a vision for an education system that offers every Rhode Island student the opportunity to be a lifelong learner. While this plan is informed by the events of the pandemic, it looks beyond to address the root issues that impede students from thriving at every level of their education. It lays out…

California is home to more of the "super rich" than any other state (Pastor & Braun 2015), and yet Californians, on average, have become poorer since the turn of the century. With cost of living taken into account, California now claims the nation's highest rate of poverty (Fox 2017). California's disparities extend beyond economic…

What are the qualities of classroom, school, and district processes and practices in rural high schools with higher-than average graduation rates? How do these processes and practices compare with rural schools with histories of average graduation rates? In this study, six schools were sampled for a multiple case study of rural high school…

In 2011, a prominent Texas business group erected provocative billboards condemning low completion rates at the state's community colleges and questioning the value of tax dollars spent there. The Texas Association of Business put up the signs to prod community colleges to do more to increase student success and help create a better educated…

In response to mounting concerns about the cost of college, lawmakers have proposed major new partnerships between the federal government and states to tackle college affordability. The Education Trust maintains that any new federal-state proposal aimed at making college more affordable must also simultaneously address completion problems by…

REL Midwest conducted a systematic review of research on interventions that may improve academic outcomes for Black students. The review entailed a search for studies that provide evidence at Tier I (strong evidence), Tier II (moderate evidence), or Tier III (promising evidence) according to the Every Student Succeeds Act, and explicitly mention…

This report provides a view of Career and Technical Education (CTE) and multiple path approaches, along with information on evaluations of its effectiveness. CTE integrates mathematics education within technical and occupational courses, establishing high standards with the expectation that such programs can qualify graduates for postsecondary…

Oregon's Legislature in 2011 affirmed a clear and ambitious goal for the State, known as the "40-40-20" goal, which states that by 2025 all adult Oregonians will hold a high school diploma or equivalent, 40% of them will have an associate's degree or a meaningful postsecondary certificate, and 40% will hold a bachelor's degree or…

The Department of Education Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2014-2018 describes the key policy and operational priorities for the agency. The Plan details the Department's strategic performance goals, objectives and indicators of success over the next five years. The Plan also provides an overview of our Fiscal Year 2014-2015 agency Priority…

The nation is in an era of policy reform aimed at improving the productivity and effectiveness of higher education. Major philanthropies and policy groups have converged around variations of the ambitious college completion goals announced by President Obama at the beginning of his administration. But at the same time, many state governments,…

The credentials primarily awarded by community colleges--certificates and associate degrees--play a unique role in advancing college completion rates. Given the current economic climate and high unemployment rates, there exists a clear demand for, and focus on, quickly returning people to a changing work environment through education and training.…

In this report the authors use key outcome measures to summarize student performance within each higher education system; describe the degree of progress derived from system-level initiatives; and offer recommendations to address impediments and reduce demographic disparities. This report is a starting point for determining how everyone can…

In 1997, policymakers in Kentucky enacted perhaps the most sweeping higher education reform legislation of any state in the past two decades. Kentucky's Postsecondary Education Improvement Act (House Bill 1) has been heralded by many higher education leaders across the U.S. as one of the great success stories--a rare instance when a state's…

Across all levels of education, young men's comparatively lower levels of educational achievement and attainment, as well as problematic behavioral trends (e.g., sexual assault, binge drinking, property destruction, suicides, campus shootings), have garnered attention from journalists, educators, school administrators, parents, and others.…