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The 2023-2024 AASA Superintendent Salary & Benefits Study marks the twelfth consecutive edition of this report. The 2023-2024 version employed a slightly revised and updated survey instrument. The survey tracked the demographics, salary, benefits, and other elements of the employment agreements of school superintendents throughout the country. This year's study results are based on 2,706 complete responses -- the highest response rate since inception of the study in 1999. The survey was distributed online and relied on superintendents responding to 66 items with the understanding that the report of findings would contain no personally identifiable information. Therefore, readers must consider the data descriptive and not necessarily representative of all superintendents. The study is intended to provide superintendents with actionable information needed to negotiate and manage their compensation and benefits.

Nationally, more than 75% of individuals who are credentialed to teach are prepared in traditional college- or university-based teacher education programs (TEPs). But the college and employment pathways that prospective teachers take to TEP enrollment and completion have not been comprehensively examined. A better understanding of how credentialed individuals find their way into TEPs helps us understand the sources of new teacher supply early in the prospective teacher pipeline. With that in mind, we analyze pathways into and through TEPs using historical postsecondary and unemployment insurance data from Washington state. We find that the pathways are quite varied with around 40% of bachelor's-level TEP completers spending at least some time in community colleges and less than 40% enrolling and finishing at the same university directly after high school. Pathways to master's TEP completion are even more varied, with almost half of the completers having prior employment experience. For researchers, this varied landscape raises important questions about the relationship between pathways, candidate persistence, and eventual job performance. For policymakers, the results suggest that efforts to recruit the next generation of teachers need to look beyond the pool of students already enrolled at a 4-year university to include students at 2-year colleges or in the labor force who might be interested in entering a TEP.

This summary report presents selected findings from the full report which describes the experiences of 2015-16 bachelor's degree earners during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 4 years after graduation. The findings in this report are based on data from the 2016/20 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B:16/20), which took place in 2020. Findings include professional and personal experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, federal student loan repayment, employment status and characteristics, changes to work arrangements, and unemployment compensation during the COVID-19 pandemic. [For the full report, see ED622730.]

This First Look presents selected findings on the work and life experiences of recent bachelor's degree earners before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings in this report are based on data from the 2016/20 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B:16/20), which took place in 2020. B&B:16/20 is the second follow-up in a national study of students who completed the requirements for a bachelor's degree during the 2015-16 academic year. The first follow-up (ED596248) took place in 2017 and asked graduates about their bachelor's degree programs and any education or work in the first year after they earned their degree. This report describes the experiences of 2015-16 bachelor's degree earners during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, four years after graduation. Findings include professional and personal experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, federal student loan repayment, employment status and characteristics, changes to work arrangements, and unemployment compensation during the COVID-19 pandemic. [For the summary to this report, see ED622732.]

This technical supplement to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment and Training (E&T) evaluation final reports presents details of the technical approach used for creating analysis variables and estimating impacts of treatment group services on outcomes, including employment, earnings, and SNAP participation. It also describes the statistical approach used to measure participants' receipt of services and the costs grantees incurred when planning the pilots and providing services. The supplement begins with an overview of the evaluation design and data sources. Next, it discusses imputation procedures used when constructing the analysis data files (Chapter II). It then explains the construction of analysis weights (Chapter III), followed by the approaches used to estimate statistics measuring individuals' participation in services and activities (Chapter IV). The supplement then describes the approach used to estimate impacts for all individuals enrolled in the pilot and for subgroups of individuals (Chapter V). Finally, it discusses the approach used to measure and analyze pilots' planning and implementation costs and estimating the pilot benefits relative to their costs (Chapter VI). This supplement describes the technical approach used to produce findings presented in the 10 pilot-specific final evaluation reports and cross-pilot summary report. [Title cover varies: "Expanding Opportunities & Reducing Barriers to Work: Final Report Technical Supplement. (Evaluation of USDA, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment and Training Pilots)." For the Final Summary Report, see ED620374.]

Prior work on teacher candidates in Washington State has shown that about two thirds of individuals who trained to become teachers between 2005 and 2015 and received a teaching credential did not enter the state's public teaching workforce immediately after graduation, while about one third never entered a public teaching job in the state at all. In this analysis, we link data on these teacher candidates to unemployment insurance data in the state to provide a descriptive portrait of the future earnings and wages of these individuals inside and outside of public schools. Candidates who initially became public school teachers earned considerably more, on average, than candidates who were initially employed either in other education positions or in other sectors of the state's workforce. These differences persisted at least 10 years into the average career and across transitions into and out of teaching. There is therefore little evidence that teacher candidates who did not become teachers were lured into other professions by higher compensation. Instead, the patterns are consistent with demand-side constraints on teacher hiring during this time period that resulted in individuals who wanted to become teachers taking positions that offered lower wages but could lead to future teaching positions.

Since March 2020, a number of laws have been enacted to provide relief to people and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These include the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA; P.L. 116-127) and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act; P.L. 116-136), both enacted in March 2020; the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260), enacted in December 2020; and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA; P.L. 117-2), enacted in March 2021. The laws enacted in response to the pandemic include a wide array of provisions, some of which are amendments to existing programs, benefits, and authorities, and others that are newly established. Many of these provisions were enacted on a temporary basis, where Congress specified an expiration date or a limited period during which they would remain in effect. Some provisions had been set to expire in 2020 or 2021 and were extended with the enactment of P.L. 116-260 or P.L. 117-2, both of which also established a number of additional pandemic relief provisions. For certain other provisions, Congress specified that availability would be tied to the duration of a declared emergency or disaster. This report identifies provisions enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that are set to expire during the 117th Congress (i.e., before January 3, 2023). These provisions are presented in a series of tables organized by subject matter. The expiring provisions that are within the scope of this report are primarily those that define the authority of government agencies or other entities to act, usually by authorizing a policy, project, or activity. These include provisions that temporarily suspend or delay the period during which a provision of law, regulation, requirement, or deadline is in effect; establish a moratorium on a particular activity; or provide authorization for certain provisions of law, regulation, or other requirements to be waived.

The Agricultural Act of 2014 authorized $200 million for the development, implementation, and evaluation of up to 10 pilot projects to test innovative strategies to increase employment and reduce the need for SNAP among program participants. The 10 States that received grants were California, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Mississippi, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington. Grantees began implementing their pilots between January and April 2016, and all pilot services concluded by April 2019. The Final Summary Report presents employment, earnings, SNAP participation, and other outcome findings that cover a 36-month period for individuals enrolled in the pilots by December 2017. It also presents findings from the implementation evaluation and cost-benefit analysis. The report summarizes findings from the 10 pilot-specific final evaluation reports. This summary highlights the methods and findings of the final summary report. [For the Final Summary Report, see ED620374.]

We conduct a survey-based experiment with 2,776 students at a non-profit university to analyze income insurance demand in education financing. We offered students a hypothetical choice: either a federal loan with income-driven repayment or an income-share agreement (ISA), with randomized framing of downside protections. Emphasizing income insurance increased ISA uptake by 43%. We observe that students are responsive to changes in contract terms and possible student loan cancellation, which is evidence of preference adjustment or adverse selection. Our results indicate that framing specific terms can increase demand for higher education insurance to potentially address risk for students with varying outcomes.

This document includes seven technical appendices that accompany the main report, "Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grant Program: Round 4 Early Outcomes Study Report." The appendices include: (1) Baseline Data; (2) Follow-up Survey Data; (3) Unemployment Insurance Wage Data; (4) Service Impacts; (5) Methodology for Estimating Outcomes by Program; (6) Implementation Data Collection; and (7) Expanded Results. [This document was produced in partnership with Capital Research Corporation. For the main report, see ED610190.]

This resource outlines a menu of actionable strategies for local leaders for workforce-related recovery efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and corresponding recession. These strategies focus on evidence-based interventions and approaches which promote inclusive recovery. We categorize these strategies by goal, type of action, and phase of pandemic reopening so local leaders can choose options best suited for their current circumstances. For each strategy we provide a description, supporting evidence, specific actions for local leaders, and useful examples and resources.

Part 3 of the Houston Longitudinal Study on the Transition to College and Work (HLS) examined: (1) Supply and demand for labor in the Houston area and Texas, including an examination of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's (THECB) "60×30TX" strategic plan; (2) In-demand occupations and skills in the Houston area; and (3) Early career wages and unemployment receipt among high school graduates from the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Results indicated the Houston area and Texas are projected to fall 20 and 10 percentage points short, respectively, of reaching the "60×30TX" goal, an effort aimed at ensuring 60 percent of Texans ages 25-34 complete a postsecondary credential by 2030. Regardless, data showed a positive relationship between education and earnings. The higher wages associated with a postsecondary credential might be related to the short supply of high-skilled workers in the Houston area and Texas. Many Houston-area jobs required high levels of education and paid competitive annual wages. However, occupations with low supply growth and high demand growth required only moderate levels of education but high levels of interpersonal skills. An analysis of HISD graduates seven years after high school uncovered considerable gaps in early career wages and unemployment insurance receipt by gender, race and ethnicity, and economic disadvantage. In particular, female graduates continued to earn less than males, and black and Asian graduates earned less than whites. The results ultimately showed students who completed a postsecondary degree or certificate often earned higher wages than peers with only a high school diploma. [For the appendices, see ED607721; for the brief, see ED607722. For "Transitioning to College and Work, Part II: A Study of Potential Enrollment Indicators," see ED607702.]

This document is the appendices for "Transitioning to College and Work Part III: Labor Market Analysis in Houston and Texas." The report examined: (1) Supply and demand for labor in the Houston area and Texas, including an examination of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's (THECB) "60×30TX" strategic plan; (2) In-demand occupations and skills in the Houston area; and (3) Early career wages and unemployment receipt among high school graduates from the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Results indicated the Houston area and Texas are projected to fall 20 and 10 percentage points short, respectively, of reaching the "60×30TX" goal, an effort aimed at ensuring 60 percent of Texans ages 25-34 complete a postsecondary credential by 2030. Regardless, data showed a positive relationship between education and earnings. The higher wages associated with a postsecondary credential might be related to the short supply of high-skilled workers in the Houston area and Texas. Many Houston-area jobs required high levels of education and paid competitive annual wages. However, occupations with low supply growth and high demand growth required only moderate levels of education but high levels of interpersonal skills. An analysis of HISD graduates seven years after high school uncovered considerable gaps in early career wages and unemployment insurance receipt by gender, race and ethnicity, and economic disadvantage. In particular, female graduates continued to earn less than males, and black and Asian graduates earned less than whites. The results ultimately showed students who completed a postsecondary degree or certificate often earned higher wages than peers with only a high school diploma. Eleven appendices are included in the document. [For the full report, see ED607703; for the brief, see ED607722.]

COVID has led colleges to brace for potential enrollment declines in the Fall, which would devastate budgets and potentially decrease the likelihood a student ever earns a degree. We take an early look at California's FAFSA applications up through mid-June, to anticipate how students may be responding to this crisis. We find that COVID did not affect most of California's "traditional" high school graduates due to an early deadline for financial aid, which exists in a number of states. From early March to mid-June, FAFSA applications among freshmen declined 18%, relative to prior years. Although there were initial declines in applications among more experienced students, these quickly rebounded and are now 9% higher relative to prior years. The largest FAFSA increases occurred in counties that saw the most dramatic increases in Unemployment Insurance claims.

This is an update to the report "Deeper in Debt: Women and Student Loans." Americans today carry $1.54 trillion in student loan debt. That number has more than doubled over the last decade--increasing at nearly six times the rate of inflation. Women are particularly burdened, holding nearly two-thirds of all outstanding loans--around $929 billion. Even before coronavirus upended the global economy, the gender wage gap made it harder for women to repay their student loans. More women than men reported difficulty making payments during the first year after graduation (23.2% vs 21%, respectively). The global economic shutdown will only exacerbate the student debt problem. Record-high unemployment, the loss of supplementary income and inadequate benefits will make it harder for recent graduates--and for women in particular--to pay back their student loans. [For the original report, see ED580345.]

Advances in data science and computing power are rapidly shifting the opportunities available to citizens, changing how systems interact with almost every aspect of our lives: as students, job seekers, patients, citizens and consumers. This report presents the Annie E. Casey Foundation's point of view on the use of advanced analytics in social programs and policy, based on an exploration of the promise and consequences of advanced analytics for youth, families and communities. It also outlines a set of principles that distinguish between the useful, acceptable and harmful applications of new tools. Developed through broad consultation with data scientists, civil rights groups, public leaders and family advocates convened by the Foundation, as well as extensive consultation with Foundation staff and leadership, these principles represent points of agreement between those who are optimistic about the good these tools can do for families and those who remain extremely concerned about their abuse: (1) Expand opportunity; (2) Provide transparency and evidence; (3) Empower communities; and (4) Promote equitable outcomes.

California has long been a national and global leader in developing and maintaining quality higher education options, as well as in providing financial aid and consumer protections for Californians who access that education. However, although California's colleges and the state government do collect, receive, and report a great deal of data, these data have not been effectively connected to present accurate, understandable, and comparable employment outcomes information in a transparent way for policymakers, students and families, institutions, researchers, and others. In the absence of a statewide data system in California, the California Community Colleges (CCC), California State University (CSU), and University of California (UC) have each initiated their own independent efforts to share higher education outcomes data. However, the data each independently share are slightly different, and there is no consistency in format or presentation among any of the segments. The result is that higher education employment outcomes data available in California are not comparable because of inconsistency in data definitions and reporting between the segments and individual schools; incomplete because it does not include vital elements that students and policymakers need to know; and inaccessible because it is not housed centrally for statewide use. This report provides an overview of higher education employment outcomes data currently available in California, highlights where data are lacking, and makes recommendations for the state to improve the data's availability, comparability, and usability by: (1) Creating and developing a secure, private, central statewide database that collects and houses studentlevel education, employment, and wage data for all higher education institutions in California; (2) Even in the absence of a statewide database, making verified employment and wage outcomes data newly available to students at private schools by requiring that the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) and the Employment Development Department (EDD) share data in the same way that public segments do; and (3) Creating a publicly accessible dashboard that presents accurate, comparable education employment outcomes data by school and by program. In addition, this report also highlights qualities of several systems developed in other states, which can serve as examples as California develops a model statewide system.[This report was written with assistance from Debbie Cochrane, Lindsay Alhman, Neha Dalal, Veronica Gonzalez, and Jessica Thompson.]

Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a contagious bacterial infection that can occur sporadically in healthy individuals. Symptoms are typically similar to other common diseases, which can result in delayed diagnosis and treatment until patients are critically ill. In the United States, IMD outbreaks are rare and unpredictable. During an outbreak, rapidly marshalling the personnel and monetary resources to respond is paramount to controlling disease spread. If a community lacks necessary resources for a quick and efficient outbreak response, the resulting economic cost can be overwhelming. We developed a conceptual framework of activities implemented by universities, health departments, and community partners when responding to university-based IMD outbreaks. Next, cost data collected from public sources and interviews were applied to the conceptual framework to estimate the economic cost, both direct and indirect, of a university-based IMD outbreak. We used data from two recent university outbreaks in Oregon as case studies. Findings indicate a university-based IMD outbreak response relies on coordination between health care providers/insurers, university staff, media, government, and volunteers, along with many other community members. The estimated economic cost was $12.3 million, inclusive of the cost of vaccines ($7.35 million). Much of the total cost was attributable to wrongful death and indirect costs (e.g., productivity loss resulting from death). Understanding the breadth of activities and the economic cost of such a response may inform budgeting for future outbreak preparedness and development of alternative strategies to prevent and/or control IMD.

This policy brief describes how State VR agencies are using and can use benefits planning services, as a VR agency-funded service, to help SSDI and SSI beneficiaries address concerns and fears about the potential loss of cash benefits and healthcare benefits (i.e., Medicaid and/or Medicare) as they move into jobs paying substantial wages. The brief highlights a range of definitions for benefits planning services and the scope of services that may be provided through a benefits planner; describes common elements of a quality benefits planning program (including initial training, continuing education, and available technical assistance); provides examples of existing state VR agency models for delivering benefits planning services; and explains why state VR agencies should fund benefits planning services. This policy brief is directed at a primary audience of state VR agency staff-administrators, VR counselors, and other staff. [The Vocational Rehabilitation Youth Technical Assistance Center (Y-TAC) is a project of the Institute for Educational Leadership.]

Administrative data on employment and earnings, commonly referred to as wage data or wage records, can be used to assess the labor market outcomes of workforce, education, and other programs, providing policymakers, administrators, researchers, and the public with valuable information. However, there is no single readily accessible federal source of wage data which covers all workers. Noting the importance of employment and earnings data to decision makers, the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking called for the creation of a single federal source of wage data for statistical purposes and evaluation. They recommended three options for further exploration: (1) expanding access to systems that already exist at the U.S. Census Bureau; or (2) the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); or (3) creating a new database at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). This paper reviews current coverage and allowable uses, as well as federal and state actions required to make each option viable as a single federal source of wage data that can be accessed by government agencies and authorized researchers. Congress and the President, in conjunction with relevant federal and state agencies, should develop one or more of those options to improve wage information for multiple purposes.

Now, more than ever, corporate and higher education leaders recognize the role the business community should play in the preparation of a highly skilled workforce to preserve the nation's competitiveness and economic opportunity in response to swift technological change and increasing global competition. This report examines how Travelers (Community Relations, Human Resources and other staff), K-12 and postsecondary education partners and community stakeholders are collaborating to provide a supportive ecosystem that allows historically underrepresented students to attain bachelor's degrees and gain entry into the insurance and financial services industry. Travelers EDGE can provide important insights for leaders in higher education, business and policy on increasing opportunity for the most vulnerable populations of students to succeed in college and successfully transition into the workforce.

This paper examines the U.S. social insurance system, which we define broadly to include both programs supported by dedicated taxes and other federal programs that provide income support, assistance in meeting basic needs, or services to improve economic opportunity. The paper considers the social insurance system as a whole as well as its component parts, providing an overview of major federal programs in the areas of education and workforce development, health, income support, nutrition, and housing. The paper covers how the social insurance system is organized, how eligibility is determined and who benefits, how the benefits and services are delivered, and how the system affects poverty and inequality. We focus primarily on the system as it operated prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also look at how various programs respond to economic downturns. Coming at a time when policymakers will start shifting their focus from using the social insurance system to provide relief from the pandemic and recession to considering what changes should be made in the system on an ongoing basis, the paper also reprises an array of proposals to strengthen the system in various ways that The Hamilton Project has commissioned in recent years.

As the United States grapples with COVID-19 and the dangerous dislocations it has brought to the American economy, it may be hard to turn our attention to an ongoing issue like workforce development. But we would argue there is no better time. While jobs have been returning, an unprecedented 26.5 million Americans filed for unemployment over a five-week period ending in April, 2020. This crisis provides an opportunity to consider how Americans are prepared for jobs; what jobs they are prepared for; and how resilient and adaptable American workers, and the workforce system as a whole. This commission report offers a vision of education connected to local careers and shows how to make it a reality through partnerships and policy. With 11 recommendations to help states build strategic industry sector partnerships, the report covers policies, funding and building the capacity of educators. It also spotlights innovative solutions from around the nation.

The Department of Education, Division of Community Colleges, will annually provide the State Board of Education with The Workforce Training and Economic Development (WTED) Fund Annual Progress Report. Administration and oversight responsibility for the fund was transferred from the Iowa Economic Development Authority to the Iowa Department of Education, effective July 1, 2013 (FY 2014). This report is the second annual progress report produced and distributed by the Iowa Department of Education. The full report outlines the programs, projects, and initiatives that the community colleges have implemented during the past fiscal year. All 15 community colleges submitted progress reports indicating they have fulfilled the required 70 percent threshold for training projects within Iowa's targeted industry clusters (86.5% expended in cluster areas). The clusters are defined in statute as advanced manufacturing, information technology and insurance, alternative and renewable energy, and life sciences which include the areas of biotechnology, health care, and nursing technology. The following Detailed Expenditures, Participants and Completers by Program and College are appended: (1) Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC)-01; (2) North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC)-02; (3) Iowa Lakes Community College (ILCC)-03; (4) Northwest Iowa Community College (NCC)-04; (5) Iowa Central Community College (ICCC)-05; (6) Iowa Valley Community College District (IVCCD)-06; (7) Hawkeye Community College (HCC)-07; (8) Eastern Iowa Community Colleges (EICC)-09; (9) Kirkwood Community College (KCC)-10; (10) Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC)-11; (11) Western Iowa Tech Community College (WITCC)-12; (12) Iowa Western Community College (IWCC)-13; (13) Southwestern Community College (SWCC)-14; (14) Indian Hills Community College (IHCC)-15; and (15) Southeastern Community College (SCC)-16.

The purpose of this presentation is to present information on how to develop one's career as an independent TESOL professional (e.g. adjunct instructor, freelancer, contractor or consultant). The methodology used to present this information is active practitioner reflection. The discussion includes topics such as various types independent consultants, financial literacy for independent educational professionals, incorporation, insurance, pro bono work and membership in professional organizations. Recommendations are embedded throughout the paper. In conclusion, the author recommends that independent TESOL professionals adopt a pro-active stance to their own career management and development, which includes taking charge of one's own finances and understanding business basics of contacting and freelancing. (Contains 2 tables.)

This report presents findings from the "CalYOUTH Wave 4 Youth Survey." CalYOUTH (the California Youth Transitions to Adulthood Study), is an evaluation of the impact of the California Fostering Connections to Success Act on outcomes during foster youth's transition to adulthood. CalYOUTH includes collection and analysis of information from three sources: (1) transition-age youth; (2) child welfare workers; and (3) government program data. The study, directed by Dr. Mark Courtney at the University of Chicago and conducted in collaboration with the California Department of Social Services and County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA), is being carried out over an 8-year period from 2012-20. The study addresses three research questions: (1) Does extending foster care past age 18 influence youths' outcomes during the transition to adulthood (e.g., outcomes in education, employment, health, housing, parenting, and general well-being)?; (2) What factors influence the types of support youth receive during the transition to adulthood in the context of extended foster care?; and (3) How do living arrangements and other services that result from extending foster care influence the relationship between extending care and youth outcomes? The "CalYOUTH Wave 4 Youth Survey," conducted when the young people participating in CalYOUTH were 23 years old, follows up on surveys of the same young people when they were approaching the age of majority in California's foster care system and again when they were 19 years old, and 21 years old. Results from the "CalYOUTH Wave 4 Youth Survey" are summarized in this report. The report provides feedback for all parties interested in improving youths' transitions from foster care to adulthood. [This report was funded by the Reissa Foundation. For "Findings from the California Youth Transitions to Adulthood Study (CalYOUTH): Conditions of Youth at Age 21," see ED614177.]

Employers may not know the best way to reach out or how to structure opportunities for young people to explore careers within their organization. In addition, employers may be uncertain about liability, privacy policies, and safety regulations for employees under the age of 18. State and federal laws and policies pertaining to youth employment can be difficult to navigate. However, in most cases, laws related to working with young people do not differ significantly from those for adult employees. Increasing the number of internships and other work-based learning opportunities available to young people is essential for closing the skills gap and preparing youth for successful careers. This brief, which addresses employers' most frequently asked questions, is intended to demystify practical issues related to opening workplaces to students under 18. While there are many ways for employers to engage in work-based learning, much of the material in this brief is focused on internships. Because internships are more intensive than other forms of work-based learning, employers offering internships often need resources that address common questions. The explanations below are intended to clarify misconceptions and encourage employers to open their minds and their doors to young people. The answers to the questions in this brief are meant to serve as a starting point for employers considering internships for high school students. However, because policies and regulations vary considerably across the country, it is not possible to provide definitive answers to all questions; employers should consult their human resources departments, legal counsel, and insurers, as appropriate. Links to resources on such topics as orientation, safety, and training appear throughout this brief and at the end in a list of resources and materials. [This report was produced under the Pathways to Prosperity Network, an initiative of Jobs for the Future and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.]

As the nation's largest provider of postsecondary education, community colleges are instrumental to workforce development, but measuring student outcomes is challenging after students have left for the workplace. Many states use existing administrative data such as unemployment insurance records to calculate employment outcomes at minimal marginal cost, often disaggregated by field of study and award type, but they miss certain segments of the workforce and are significantly limited in the detail they can provide. Surveys cover individuals not included in administrative data and collect other important details, but they are expensive to administer and may not yield results that can be reliably disaggregated by field of study or award type. Ideally, community colleges would use both administrative record matching and surveys to provide a comprehensive measure of workforce preparation and employment success.

Many states struggle with collecting reliable and valid state-level data that can be leveraged to maximize the use of funds. This is particularly challenging when providing early intervention services in states where Medicaid uses clinic rates that are lower than the natural environment rates covered by state or federal Part C funds. This state spotlight presents various strategies that the Arizona Department of Economic Security's Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP) used to identify the use of diverse funding sources at the program level and to encourage providers' use of Medicaid funding by enhancing the state's data system and acquiring a Medicaid rate increase for speech-language services. [This resource was developed by members of the NCSI Data Use Service Area Team in collaboration with Ardith Ferguson and Maureen Casey.]

This report presents findings from the "CalYOUTH Wave 3 Youth Survey." CalYOUTH (the California Youth Transitions to Adulthood Study) is an evaluation of the impact of the California Fostering Connections Act on outcomes during foster youth's transition to adulthood. CalYOUTH includes collection and analysis of information from three sources: (1) transition-age youth; (2) child welfare workers; and (3) government program data. The study, directed by Dr. Mark Courtney at the University of Chicago and conducted in collaboration with the California Department of Social Services and County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA), is being carried out over a 6-year period from 2012-18. The study addresses three research questions: (1) Does extending foster care past age 18 influence youth's outcomes during the transition to adulthood (e.g., outcomes in education, employment, health, housing, parenting, and general well-being)?; (2) What factors influence the types of support youth receive during the transition to adulthood in the context of extended foster care?; (3) How do living arrangements and other services that result from extending foster care influence the relationship between extending care and youth outcomes? The "CalYOUTH Wave 3 Youth Survey," conducted when the young people participating in CalYOUTH were 21 years old, follows up on surveys of the same young people when they were approaching the age of majority in California's foster care system and again when they were 19 years old. Results from the "CalYOUTH Wave 3 Youth Survey" are summarized in this report. The report provides feedback for all parties interested in improving youth's transitions from foster care to adulthood. [For "Findings from the California Youth Transitions to Adulthood Study (CalYOUTH): Conditions of Youth at Age 19," see ED614175.]

Financial aid programs enable students from families with fewer financial resources to pay less to attend college than other students from families with greater financial resources. When income is uncertain, a means-tested financial aid formula that requires more of an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) when income and assets are high and less of an EFC when income and assets are low provides insurance against that uncertainty. Using a stochastic, life-cycle model of consumption and labor supply, we show that the insurance value of financial aid is substantial. Across a range of parameterizations, we calculate that financial aid would have to increase by enough to reduce the net cost of attendance by 30 to 80 percent to compensate families for the loss of the income- and asset-contingent elements of the current formula. This compensating variation is net of the negative welfare consequences of the disincentives to work and save inherent in the means-testing of financial aid. Replacing just the "financial aid tax" on assets with a lump sum would also reduce welfare. [The James O. Freedman Presidential Scholars program and the Nancy P. Marion Academic Enrichment Fund at Dartmouth College provided financial support.]

Despite government commitments to Education for All (EFA) and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to improve access to education, more than 18 million primary-aged children remain out of school in the Asia-Pacific (UNESCO, 2014). Given the impact of education on individuals, societies, and economies, there is great urgency for governments to provide alternative interventions for these children to receive basic education outside the conventional school system. Flexible learning strategies have been an effective vehicle in equipping out-of-school children with foundational literacy and numeracy skills, as well as life competencies for the 21st century. However, in spite of their strong potential to achieve EFA goals, the disconcerting reality is that education programs for disadvantaged children have been chronically underfunded across the Asia-Pacific region. This stems from a range of different causes, including non-formal education's poor societal image, decreasing foreign aid to education and governments' tendency to prioritize other subsectors that are perceived to be more important, such as primary and higher education. With swelling numbers of out-of-school children in the region and the EFA agenda still unfinished, there is a need more than ever to ensure increased, sustainable and stable financing for education for out-of-school children. In recent years, innovative financing for development has not necessarily created new financial mechanisms but rather creatively leveraged existing funding and revenue streams to produce impactful outcomes. Having proven to be highly successful in health and other sectors, innovative financing strategies may effectively supplement traditional sources of education funding, such as government resources and official development assistance. However, unlike in health, the complexity of education systems makes it challenging to establish direct links between investments and tangible, measurable and sustainable results. This therefore begs the question: What role can innovative financing play in improving the education sector? This booklet aims to serve as a rapid reference for policymakers in the region who wish to familiarize themselves on non-traditional financing approaches. It compiles successful cases drawn from various sectors that not only break new ground but offer feasible fiscal solutions to better support educational interventions for out-of-school children. A list of key resources and links is included.

This article discusses the recent actions taken by states to protect patients with medical debt. The Biden administration has recommended that states prevent the accumulation of medical debt, limit coercive debt collection practices, and purchase and eliminate medical debt. While most states have not enacted laws to prevent the accrual of medical debt, many have implemented protections for individuals who already have medical debt. Some states have strengthened financial assistance standards, regulated billing and collections practices, and enacted protections related to medical debt lawsuits. Additionally, some states have started buying and forgiving medical debt. However, there is still a need for systemic, upstream solutions to prevent medical debt from accruing in the first place. [Extracted from the article]