Each year, millions of students access financial aid to attend postsecondary programs by completing the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA). Completing a FAFSA determines students' eligibility for Pell grants, federal work-study, and federal loans and thus smooths more students' paths to attaining bachelor's and associate degree…

"Beyond Good Intentions" provides a guide for states to craft equity-driven policies that are specific, actionable, measurable and well funded. It outlines four major steps states should take when considering and creating new policy: (1) Examine the Data to Set the Goal for the Policy: Specific types of data to consider when identifying…

Higher education remains a pivotal driver of social and economic mobility, with college graduates earning significantly more over their lifetimes compared to their peers without a degree. However, the benefits of higher education remain out of reach for an increasing number of students, as enrollments decline and stopout rates climb. In recent…

Reverse transfer has been part of the United States post-secondary landscape for more than a decade, in the form of statewide, system-wide, regional, and institutional transfer agreements. Reverse transfer agreements, as structured in the US, allow a college student in an associate degree program who transfers to a university before completing the…

This interactive resource provides a comprehensive summary of the various entities that make up postsecondary governance ecosystems in each state and the District of Columbia. It also: (1) Focuses on and provides in-depth information about statewide coordinating boards/agencies and governing boards. If statewide boards do not exist, then…

Ensuring the safety and security of students is vital to creating a positive learning environment. Active shooter situations at postsecondary institutions resulted in about 150 casualties between 2000 and 2017. This prevalence of gun violence at postsecondary institutions, which is often viewed in the context of larger conversations around gun…

This is the executive summary for the report, "College Acceleration in Action: Five School Perspectives." The first College Acceleration Playbook, "Accelerating Students from High School to College and Careers: A Playbook for State Policymakers" (ED612490) identifies a series of non-negotiables that states, colleges,…

Over the year, Advance CTE and the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) tracked state activity, cataloged final state policy actions, and categorized trends based on the policy areas of focus. "State Policies Impacting CTE: 2023 Year in Review" provides an analysis that spans 47 states that enacted 115 policies, which…

This document is part of the "50-State Comparison: Postsecondary Governance Structures," which provides a comprehensive summary of the various entities that make up postsecondary governance ecosystems in each state and the District of Columbia. This document provides an overview of each state's postsecondary governance structures. [View…

At least 46 states have set postsecondary attainment goals to improve the educational opportunities and livelihoods of their citizens and to meet workforce demands in a changing labor market. While the data is still emerging, the widespread use of administrative holds by postsecondary institutions may be undermining state education and workforce…

The overwhelming majority of families rely on public education for a foothold in the American Dream, making it perhaps the most consequential expression of America's core value of opportunity for all. State policymakers are the constitutional stewards and primary funders of America's public schools. They have the awesome responsibility of guiding…

As state leaders across the country seek strategies that will drive progress toward their postsecondary attainment goals, many have used data to analyze the current attainment levels of different segments of the state's residents. Reverse Transfer, sometimes referred to as degree reclamation, is a policy strategy that can be used to aggregate the…

The Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities in Canada released "Ontario's Differentiation Policy Framework for Postsecondary Education" in 2013. This chapter examines the mandate as it pertains to the college sector.

Over the year, Advance CTE and the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) tracked state activity, cataloged final state policy actions and categorized trends based on the policy areas of focus and today, published State Policies Impacting CTE: 2022 Year in Review. This year's report provides an analysis that spans 37 states who…

This brief tells the story of two states, Arizona and New Hampshire, and their efforts to set ambitious goals for increasing educational attainment among their residents. Based primarily on interviews with key state leaders, these stories highlight the unique path each state took to prioritize its goals for postsecondary attainment and are…