INTERACTIVE STATE COMPARISONS
A new survey by Opportunity America, Lumina Foundation and Wilder Research explores what makes community colleges different from four-year colleges and universities: their student profile and distinctive mission.
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, state policymakers are awash with federal funding. They should use it wisely to help community colleges realize their potential as engines of economic competitiveness and upward mobility.
LABOR MARKET RELEVANCE ⓘ
Workforce education that isn’t aligned with the local labor market is worthless—a waste of learners’ time and taxpayers’ money.
FUNDING ⓘ
Pell Grants don’t generally cover the cost of noncredit workforce programs, so students must find other ways to pay.
DATA ⓘ
Policymakers seeking to make good on the promise of noncredit workforce education need more information.
LIFELONG LEARNING ⓘ
Noncredit workforce students seeking to advance their careers should be able to return to college later in life for more education.
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