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The nation is facing a shortage of educators prepared to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student population. Latinos are the nation's fastest growing population but are underrepresented in higher-skilled occupations in the classroom and overrepresented in supportive roles with lower wages. This shows the need for employers and institutions to create pathways into the field of education as Latinos see the value to educate others and the community. To ensure America's future, institutions and employers in education must both play an active role in preparing, selecting, and sourcing Latino talent for a global economy. To bridge this gap, "Excelencia" has analyzed national datasets to connect employers in education with institutions that are graduating and preparing Latinos for the workforce. This brief identifies the top institutions graduating Latinos (2019-20) from certificates to the doctoral level in education. These top 25 institutions are meeting the nation's economic needs by intentionally serving Latino students and producing Latino talent. This brief also highlights institutions and their intentional efforts to support post-completion success by providing education credentials needed to support the current and future education workforce.

Texas depends on a talented workforce to fuel its economy, and Texans depend on our public education system to prepare them for the jobs of today and tomorrow. But unfortunately, workforce and public education systems often operate independently, making innovation and improvement difficult. Between now and 2036, over 70% of the jobs in Texas will require a postsecondary credential. But far too few Texas students will possess those credentials. Only 22% of Texas eighth graders currently earn a postsecondary degree or credentials within six years of high school graduation. This article examines the Texas Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative. It brings together the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), and the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). The Tri-Agency is focused on three priorities: (1) Pathways: Support efficient and flexible pathways to earning degrees, certificates, and other credentials linked to high-wage, in-demand jobs; (2) Support: Ensure students receive the support necessary to succeed at all stages of their education in their transitions to the workforce; and (3) Infrastructure: Create a robust infrastructure for interagency collaboration around common goals, data, and processes to ensure improved student outcomes and meet employers' needs.

This publication provides a summary of the outcomes of apprentices and trainees aged 15 years or over who undertook an apprenticeship or traineeship during 2022. It includes those who completed an apprenticeship or traineeship (completers) and those who cancelled or withdrew (non-completers). The figures are derived from the 2023 National Student Outcomes Survey. Information is presented on apprentices' and trainees' reasons for training, reasons for non-completion, employment outcomes, further study outcomes and satisfaction with the apprenticeship or traineeship. An apprentice or trainee is a person who undertakes a contract of training with an employer and a training provider.

In 2015, the Minnesota Legislature passed statute 135A.012 Higher Education Goal, which enacted a goal that 70% of Minnesota adults (ages 25-44) will have attained a postsecondary certificate or degree by 2025. In recognition of existing gaps in attainment, the law also sets 30% and 50% educational attainment benchmarks for all races and ethnicities as interim goals. Current estimates show that 63.0% of Minnesotans aged 25-44 years completed a postsecondary credential. This percentage has steadily increased compared to 2015 estimates (57.5%). In order to reach the 70.0% educational attainment goal set by the Legislature, however, Minnesota still needs an additional 104,420 persons age 25-44 to complete a postsecondary credential by 2025. This yearly report provides an update on where Minnesota is at in their state postsecondary educational attainment goal. [For the 2022 report, see ED625506.]

The purpose of this technical assistance paper is to assist education leaders and administrators in the consistent implementation of the Florida Career and Professional Education (CAPE) Act in Section 1003.491, Florida Statutes (F.S.). This technical assistance paper addresses questions on recent legislation, funding, and data reporting. [For the previous report, see ED616038.]

Postsecondary readiness enables students to pursue their dreams, contribute to society, and thrive in the global economy. Since many accountability systems include a postsecondary readiness indicator in formal evaluations of schools and districts, it benefits educators, families, researchers, policymakers, and other education partners to understand how postsecondary readiness is defined, measured, and used. This brief, produced by the Region 15 Comprehensive Center, explains how states define and measure postsecondary readiness, an important step toward improving how such measures function within state accountability systems. Region 15 Comprehensive Center staff identified four main findings about the use of postsecondary readiness indicators, the types of measures included in the indicators, and how much weight indicators are given in accountability systems: (1) More than three of four ESSA plans contained a postsecondary readiness indicator; (2) States included three main types of measures in postsecondary readiness indicators: academic, career, and military; (3) Postsecondary readiness indicators focused most heavily on academic and career measures and less on military measures; and (4) Weighting of the postsecondary readiness indicator varies widely from state to state.

I estimate the effect of attending an associate's degree in nursing program on nursing licensure. I use student-level academic data for all California community college students, matched to public records on all nursing licenses earned in the state. I produce causal estimates using random variation from admissions lotteries at a large nursing program. Enrolling in the program increases the probability of having an active nursing license by 59 percentage points within three years. By seven years the effect is smaller and not statistically significant. I estimate the value of a nursing license as approximately $5,000-$6,000 per year.

In Massachusetts, as is true nationally, teachers are less racially diverse than students. As of the 2021-22 school year, 87 percent of teachers in the state were White, compared with only 54 percent of students. In response to this disparity, Massachusetts lawmakers have proposed legislation targeting the shortage of teachers of color. In this report, the author uses data on Massachusetts K-12 public school students and teachers to provide evidence on three leaks in the teacher pipeline that policies could target to support teaching candidates of color. The sample consists of Massachusetts public school students from the high school graduating classes of 2003 to 2013 who indicated an interest in teaching by taking the state's Communications and Literacy Skills Test (CLST), which is required for teacher licensure.

The community schools strategy transforms a school into a place where educators, local community members, families, and students work together to strengthen conditions for student learning and healthy development. As partners, they organize in- and out-of-school resources, supports, and opportunities so that young people thrive. A growing number of states are investing in community schools as a strategy to address long-standing social inequities that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a review of state American Rescue Plan Act plans, as well as state legislative and state education agency websites and other online resources, this report describes community school initiatives in eight states. The report highlights three potential approaches to state support for community schools: (1) ongoing support through school funding formulas; (2) competitive grant funding; and (3) capacity-building supports (such as certification processes).

M-DCPS had 20,833 graduates in the 2021-2022 academic year as of June 2022. Most students, 89%, achieved a standard diploma (24 credits). Some students chose an alternative curriculum where 857 (4%) achieved an Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) diploma and 454 (2%) achieved an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma. An additional 364 (2%) students earned an Academically Challenging Curriculum to Enhance Learning (ACCEL) 18-credit diploma. Nearly a third of graduates earned the Superintendent's Diploma of Distinction for outstanding academics and community service. Florida's Scholar and Merit diploma designations were awarded to 5,797 (28%) graduates demonstrating academic strength and/or success in attaining career industry certifications. This year 2,986 (14%) students also earned the Florida Seal of Biliteracy, in Gold or Silver, demonstrating mastery of a foreign language. [For the previous report, "Summary of 2020-2021 Graduates by Diploma Type. Research Brief. Volume 2103," see ED618105.]

The classification of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) was formally recognized in federal legislation for capacity-building support to improve the access and quality of education for Latino and other low-income students. HSIs are defined as accredited, degree-granting public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education with 25% or more total undergraduate Hispanic full-time equivalent (FTE) student enrollment. The list of institutions identified as HSIs in this analysis is meant to assist in considering and analyzing the institutions that meet the basic legislative definition of a Hispanic-Serving Institution. The list of HSIs presented in this report was created using data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). [For the 2020-21 report, see ED627439.]

Latinos continue to make progress in college attainment and workforce participation. We have the fastest growth in postsecondary enrollment and completion, and our labor force participation is the highest of any group. However, Latino talent remains overrepresented in high-skilled, low-wage occupations (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022e). These three conditions create opportunities for increasing the numbers of Latinos earning college credentials, advancing to higher-paying occupations, and providing the talent the workforce needs. This report identifies the top institutions graduating Latinos (2019-20) from certificates to doctorates. These top 25 institutions are meeting the nation's economic needs by developing Latino talent that benefits our communities and workforce. The series is a resource for more informed dialogue about Latinos' college completion and propels new emphasis on tactical actions to improve workforce success. In turn, these opportunities depend on the actions employers and institutions take to increase Latinos' educational attainment and strengthen the links to the workforce and higher-paying job opportunities.

Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA; P.L. 89-329), as amended, authorizes programs that provide financial assistance to students to pursue postsecondary education at eligible institutions of higher education (IHEs). In academic year (AY) 2020-2021 (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021), 6,063 domestic institutions had written agreements with the Department of Education (ED) that allow them to participate in any of the Title IV federal student financial assistance programs. To receive Title IV assistance, students must attend an institution that participates in the Title IV programs. This report provides a general overview of HEA Title IV institutional eligibility requirements, as well as some institutional Title IV student aid program participation requirements. It first describes general eligibility criteria at both the institutional and programmatic level and then, in more detail, the program integrity triad. Next, it discusses several issues that are closely related to institutional eligibility: Program Participation Agreements, including the 90/10 rule and campus safety policies and crime reporting required under the Clery Act, and distance education.

This publication presents information on the vocational education and training (VET) undertaken by school students as part of their senior secondary certificate of education (SSCE). Students can undertake VET through a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship pathway, or other pathway. Highlights include: (1) In 2022, in Australia there were 242 945 VET in Schools students, consisting of: (a) 8.5% (or 20 765) school-based apprentices and trainees; and (b) 91.5% (or 222 180) students undertaking other VET in Schools programs; (2) An estimated 26.8% of the Australian population who were at school and aged 15 to 19 years participated in VET in Schools in 2022; and (3) In 2022, compared with 2021, the number of VET in Schools students in Australia decreased by 3.3%. Across a five year period, 2018 to 2022, the number of VET in Schools students in Australia increased by 5.3%.

This report summarizes survey findings from representative samples of 217 adult Americans 18 years and older who completed a degree or certificate program from a public or private nonprofit college and 169 adult Americans 18 years and older who completed a degree or certificate program from a for-profit college. For both groups, alumni were included in the sample if they completed their degrees or certificates within 15 years of survey fielding. A separate report summarizes findings from representative samples of current for-profit college students, for-profit non-completers, for-profit alumni, and community college students. The survey was designed by Public Agenda and fielded March 17 to May 31, 2022 by SSRS. Respondents completed the survey online in English and Spanish. The margin of error for the 217 nonprofit online alumni is ± 11.3 percentage points. The margin of error for the 169 for-profit online alumni is ± 12.4 percentage points. Margins of error for subgroups are larger.

The aim of this research was to identify the teaching practices and student support services that facilitate the successful online delivery of vocational education and training (VET), including in blended delivery. To achieve this, the research examined the characteristics of teaching approaches and student support services across eight qualifications delivered online, with these qualifications also representing diverse student cohorts (including apprentices and trainees), industry types and Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) levels. Using information collected from interviews with 37 registered training organisations (RTOs) who deliver at least one of the eight case-study qualifications, it explored: (1) how teaching practices and student support services vary across the diverse VET system (that is, differing RTO type, student cohort, training type and industry) and across delivery mode (that is, blended and fully online delivery, synchronous and asynchronous delivery); and (2) the elements of VET that are being delivered online, including for apprentices and trainees. [For the support document, see ED628927.]

Texas State Technical College (TSTC) single mission is graduating students who can go on to attain higher-paying jobs. The state's funding formula was specifically designed to hold TSTC accountable to accomplish this mission. Texas statute stipulates that TSTC will offer "courses of study in technical-vocational education for which there is demand" and "contribute to the educational and economic development of the State of Texas by offering occupationally oriented programs." In developing these programs, "primary consideration shall be placed on industrial and technological manpower needs of the state." This case study examines how TSTC, which focuses exclusively on economic advancement and is funded based on the economic benefits it provides to its graduates operates. Policymakers in other states who are looking to build more responsive and effective postsecondary institutions ought to take a close look at the financial structure that has enabled TSTC's unique success.

When the Obama administration implemented the first gainful employment (GE) rule in 2014 to protect students from education credentials that lead to unaffordable debts, virtually all programs at public institutions passed the test. The Biden administration is developing its own GE rule after the Trump administration repealed the Obama-era rule. A discussion draft of the rule released earlier this year included a new minimum earnings test based on high school graduates' earnings. One in five certificate programs at public institutions could fail this requirement, causing them to fail the overall GE rule and lose eligibility for federal aid. This essay examines the undergraduate certificate programs at public institutions that fail this proposed high school earnings test. Understanding the characteristics of these programs and the students they enroll can inform the ongoing development of the GE rule. This information can help policymakers judge whether the GE rule effectively targets low-quality programs and whether these programs leave students worse off than if they had never enrolled, the commonly cited rationale for a high school earnings test. [Additional funding for this essay was provided by the Stand Together Trust.]

In 2019, the John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity (the Institute) launched a training program to prepare people with lived experience in the criminal legal system for employment and promotions in human services. The Institute believes that workforce and leadership development for people with lived experience in New York City's criminal legal system are crucial for reform of that system and for an equitable pandemic recovery. This report offers key learnings of the Navigator Certificate in Human Services and Community Justice (the Navigator Certificate) to others who share the Institute's commitment to leadership development and career pathways for people impacted by the legal system. The report features essential elements of program design, highlights the journeys of Navigator students, and celebrates alumni perspectives.

The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (CCDBG Act, as amended) is the main federal law governing child care programs for low-income working families. The CCDBG Act authorizes discretionary appropriations to support grants to state, territorial, and tribal lead agencies. Lead agencies use these funds to subsidize the child care expenses of eligible children and to improve the overall quality and supply of child care. At the lead agency level, discretionary CCDBG funds are integrated with mandatory funds from the Child Care Entitlement to States (CCES). The CCES is permanently authorized in Section 418 of the Social Security Act. CCES funds generally must be spent according to CCDBG Act rules. Combined, the CCES and CCDBG are commonly called the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), and this report uses the term "CCDF" to refer to these joint funding streams, where appropriate. The CCDF is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This report addresses the following topics regarding the CCDBG: (1) Lead Agencies; (2) Subsidy Programs; (3) Quality Improvement Activities; (4) Licensing Requirements; (5) Health and Safety Standards; (6) Inspections; (7) Criminal Background Checks; (8) Consumer Education; (9) Limitations on Use of Funds; (10) Allocation of Funds; and (11) Funding and Children Served.

In 2015, the Minnesota Legislature enacted a goal that 70% of Minnesota adults (ages 25-44) will have attained a postsecondary certificate or degree by 2025. In recognition of existing gaps in attainment, the law also sets 30% and 50% educational attainment benchmarks for all races and ethnicities as interim goals. Current estimates show that 63.0% of Minnesotans aged 25-44 years completed a postsecondary credential. This percentage increased as compared to 2015 estimates (57.5%). This yearly report provides an update on where Minnesota is at in their state postsecondary educational attainment goal. While Minnesota is making progress towards the 70% educational attainment goal, attainment gaps persist among Black, Indigenous, and persons of color. In order for Minnesota to maintain economic growth and ensure continued prosperity, the state and its colleges must engage communities of color and American Indian communities in postsecondary education. [For the 2021 report, see ED616056.]

The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) developed the Adult Learner Leaders for Institutional Effectiveness (ALLIES) Framework to help guide institutional policies and practices in their work to support adult learners. This document begins by describing the Framework's series of planning and operational domains through which institutions can more effectively support today's adult learners. In the initial levels, the focus is on building a strong foundation through domains that are part of data-driven planning and organizational capacity building, including attention to policy and governance structures that better support adult learners. On that foundation are then built the program- and service-focused domains that address the adult learner's direct student experience. The report concludes with a vision for how institutions can use the new framework and change management process, along with guiding questions for institutional implementation. Appended are summaries of high-performing programs examined in this report. [For the companion report, "'It's a Little Stressful When I Think of It…': Results of a National Survey and Interviews with Never-Enrolled Adults on the Factors That Drive Them to Consider Postsecondary Education and the Barriers to Enrollment. A CAEL Research Brief," see ED624379.]

In the ESSA Leadership Learning Community (ELLC), education agency leaders, community organization leaders, and others have together taken on challenges facing schools and school leaders in their states. They have produced advice to state agencies on policy design and rollout, for example on official definitions of equity, on requirements for principal certification, and on approaches to improvement for schools that are identified for low student achievement. They have created new programs of professional learning for school leaders and contributed to changes in existing programs of preparation and professional learning. They have produced materials for statewide use by community members and educators, focused on equity or on ways in which parents and communities can work with their schools. These practical results have emerged in 11 participating states, in each case because a team brought together different voices to articulate a shared vision and act on it. This report provides a look at the accomplishments of the teams and how the ELLC structure and resources contributed to them. It explores the ways in which teams influenced policies and practices related to equity-focused leadership and school improvement, and what factors made a difference.

The Pell Grant is targeted to students with the greatest financial need, and many policymakers find the Pell Grant a useful policy lever for promoting access and success for students from lower- and moderate-income backgrounds. There are several examples where policymakers use Pell eligibility to allocate resources and hold colleges accountable for their outcomes; however, basic information about Pell access and completion is not well documented in policy research. To address this problem -- and to provide baseline statistics useful in policy conversations -- this analysis provides new information about Pell enrollments and degree completion rates for for-profit colleges and universities. The third in a, now, four-part series on the Pell Grant, this brief presents basic data trends, finding that for-profits that predominantly award certificates tend to have higher Pell Grant access and completion rates than other types of for-profits, although research consistently finds certificate programs provide weaker economic returns than other postsecondary credentials. Additionally, this brief finds completion rates for Pell Grant students at for-profits are increasing at a much slower pace (half a percentage point per year) than at public and non-profit institutions. [For Part I, see ED623192. For Part II, see ED623193. For Part IV, see ED623196.]

Conferred by businesses, industry groups, and state certifying entities, industry-recognized credentials (IRCs) are intended to signal that students have mastered specific workplace knowledge and skills. This first-of-its-kind study assesses the impact of specific IRCs earned in high school on various employment and postsecondary outcomes for students who do and do not attend college. The findings can help education leaders and policymakers improve CTE and IRC opportunities in order to boost student success in the labor market. [Foreword by Amber M. Northern and Michael J. Petrilli.]

The Performance Measures for Student Success Report is the North Carolina Community College System's major accountability document. This annual performance report is based on data compiled during the previous year and serves to inform colleges and the public on the performance of our 58 community colleges. In 2010, a review process was established to ensure the measures and methods for evaluating colleges were current and remained focused on improving student success. Every three years, a committee that is inclusive of college leaders; subject matter experts; and research and assessment professionals are appointed to review the measures and recommend deletions, revisions, and additions. Recommendations from the most recent review were approved in 2021 and this is the first report reflecting those changes. The current list of measures includes: (1) Basic Skills Student Progress; (2) Student Success Rate in College-Level English Courses; (3) Student Success Rate in College-Level Math Courses; (4) First Year Progression; (5) Curriculum Student Completion; (6) Licensure and Certification Passing Rate; and (7) College Transfer Performance. [For the 2021 Performance Measures, see ED615704.]

The Accountability Plan is an annual report that is closely aligned with the Board of Governors' 2025 System Strategic Plan. This report enhances the System's commitment to accountability and strategic planning by fostering greater coordination between institutional administrators, University Boards of Trustees and the Board of Governors regarding each institution's direction and priorities as well as performance expectations and outcomes on institutional and System-wide goals. Contents include: (1) Introduction; (2) Strategy; (3) Performance-Based Funding Metrics; (4) Preeminent Research University Funding Metrics; (5) Key Performance Indicators; (6) Enrollment Planning; (7) Academic Program Coordination; and (8) Definitions. [For "Florida International University Accountability Plan, 2021," see ED613745.]

W.S. 21-18-202 (h)(iii) mandates that the Wyoming Community College Commission (WCCC) develop performance benchmarks, outcome measures and other performance indicators which serve as the basis for annual reporting to the legislature and the governor. The annual reporting must include, but is not limited to, the following measures: (1) student goal attainment and retention; (2) student persistence; (3) degree and certificate completion rates; (4) placement rate of graduates in the workforce; (5) licensure and certification pass rates; (6) demonstration of critical literacy skills; (7) success in subsequent, related coursework; and (8) number and rate of students who transfer. In an effort to accommodate the mandate set forth in Wyoming statute and to streamline the performance indicator reporting process, the decision was made to specifically address the required performance measures. The Wyoming Community College Commission Statewide Strategic Plan adopted by the Commission in October 2020 has identified four primary goals and related objectives. All former and current strategic plans center around the Commission's mission. Wyoming community colleges provide dynamic lifelong learning environments through higher education, workforce development, innovative partnerships, and civic and global engagement that lead to responsible citizenship and economic, social, and cultural prosperity. Planning for the future of Wyoming's community colleges, the mission and purpose of the Wyoming Community College Commission is to provide coordination, advocacy, funding, and accountability. Current goals identified in the 2020-2025 strategic plan include: (1) Educational Attainment; (2) Affordability; (3) Program Alignment; and (4) Economic Development. This 2020-2021 Performance Indicator Report aligns the performance indicators required by statute with the objectives contained in the WCCC 2020-2025 Statewide Strategic Plan. Commission staff have matched the eight Wyoming statutorily required performance indicators with the new Strategic Plan's four goals. [For the 2019-2020 report, see ED612836.]

This report summarizes the results of the AISD CTE Program Analysis Scorecard for the 2020-2021 school year. The CTE Program Analysis Scorecard results focus on three components of program outcomes: (a) program alignment, (b) quality of instruction, and (c) access and equity. Program outcomes provide information about program effectiveness and help to facilitate decisions about program implementation and improvement.

To best train and support school leaders in their evolving roles, they require high-quality preparation and in-service pipelines that both address the changing demands on their positions and acknowledge the cascading effects that well-prepared leaders have on both student outcomes and in school culture and retention. Including school leaders in the policymaking process will help guide state leaders on the most effective approaches for their states and needs. To that end, this Policy Brief explores school leader representation on state and local boards of education and on statewide task forces and commissions. The brief also presents an overview of the school leadership pipeline and examples of recent legislative action in 13 states that supports development along the continuum.