Transitioning from college can be a process in life that fills students with trepidation. They may experience feelings of uncertainty and anxiety over issues related to transferring to another college, going on to graduate school, entering military service, or moving into the world of work. Recognizing that these topics may cause distress to their…

In an American economy where the advancement of technology and globalization means that a high school diploma alone is no longer able to provide family-sustaining earnings to many, certificates represent one piece of a multi-pronged solution on the road to a workforce with 60 percent postsecondary attainment. Though certificates currently aren't…

The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) contains several important provisions that make postsecondary education more accessible and affordable for young adults with disabilities. This is particularly true for students with intellectual disabilities, as the law created new comprehensive transition and postsecondary programs and provided…

More than 32,000 young people in the United States exit the foster care system in a typical year by aging out to independence (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2011). Despite available financial support for post-secondary education through the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999, only 20% of college-qualified foster youth attend college and…

A system of qualification options has evolved that is complementary to company-based and school-based vocational training. Thus far, these alternatives have been largely disregarded by vocational education research. Yet with respect to the number of annual entries, those alternatives are currently nearly as significant as conventional vocational…

Until the past decade, college wasn't much of an option for students who have significant intellectual impairments. Vanderbilt University's Next Steps program is one of many created for students with severe cognitive disabilities in the last 10 years. The programs have grown in number from about 15 in 2002 to almost 170 now, as tracked by Think…

As an open-access institution and a tribal college, Salish Kootenai College (SKC, Pablo, Montana) accepts all students who walk through the doors. Part of SKC's mission is to provide educational opportunities and access for students who are historically underrepresented in higher education. In recent years, national attention has focused on the…

Over the past decade, there has been a deepening interest in youth and adult postsecondary transitions, be these from school to work or from high school to college. This work, based on a wealth of evidence and numerous programs, has developed a variety of best practices for improving students' transition experiences and success in the workforce,…

In this article, we present multiple assertions relevant to the plight of students who are underserved and structurally positioned to transition out of school unable to access labor market rewards. First, we juxtapose economic realities against collective ideologies about the role of education in creating opportunities for individuals. Second, we…

"The Rural Institute Transition Projects E-News" is a quarterly newsletter produced by the Rural Institute Transition Projects. This issue contains the following: (1) Work Experiences and Paid Employment (Norciva Shumpert, Michael Callahan & Ellen Condon); (2) Making the Most of Each Work Experience (Ellen Condon); (3) Emerging Leader Perspective:…

In terms of opportunities for college, the society is not a level playing field, according to David Conley, professor and director of the research center for educational policy, University of Oregon. Middle and upper classes have far more access to the right information than others. Conley adds that when a person goes to college, he/she needs a…

The authors draw on some powerful practitioner research they have been associated with recently to envision ways in which a national curriculum might redress the inequities experienced by Australia's most disadvantaged young people.

To address the economic crisis facing the country, the President signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) into law on February 17, 2009. This sweeping legislation provides $789 billion to jumpstart the economy and boost employment. This act includes $463 billion in new spending and $326 billion in tax relief directed at those…

The Maine Department of Education (MDOE) is at the forefront of national efforts to align high school curriculum to college and career readiness standards. Embarking on a mission it calls A Personal Journey for Next Generation Learners, Maine has employed several key strategies to ensure all of its students graduate from high school with the…

Recommendations of the California Postsecondary Education Commission on proposed state-funded outreach and support service programs for ethnic minority and low-income postsecondary students are provided, along with descriptive data. With a focus on 1983-1984 budget issues, attention is directed to four types of programs at state institutions:…