News

Colleges See Steep Decline In Student Transfers During Pandemic

The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s second COVID-19 Transfer, Mobility, and Progress Report reveals a steep decline in student transfer and mobility this fall.

New Postsecondary Education in Prison Resources, Welcome Bethany Miller and Our 2020 Support of Our Community

• Best Practices for Postsecondary Education in Prison Programs Released by Vera Institute of Justice
• COVID-19 Crisis and Transfer: What Institutions, Systems and States Can Do Today
• Bethany Miller Joins the Education Grantmaking Team

COVID-19 Crisis and Transfer: What Institutions, Systems and States Can Do Today

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased attention given to transfer students and further exposed weaknesses within the college transfer system. With the current crisis, we support the need to build urgency around stronger and better transfer pathways and issue a call to action to institutions, systems and states for accelerating the development of these pathways. Ascendium-funded briefs recently produced by the Aspen Institute provide recommendations that can be implemented today to improve outcomes for transfer students, both in the short- and long-term.

Training for Online Math Teaching, a New Rural Podcast Series and New Resources

• College Math Instructors Praise Timely Training for Online Teaching
• Vera Institute of Justice Works to Develop Guidelines and Supports for Postsecondary Education in Prison
• Podcasts Raise Up Leaders in Rural Places

Grant Explores How to Take Competency-Based Education to a System Level

The Kentucky Community and Technical College System Foundation is launching a yearlong planning project to research what it would take to implement a competency-based education platform at scale within its general education, career, technical and workforce training programs. Ascendium’s investment of $614,000 supports the project under our grantmaking focus area Streamline Key Learner Transitions.

“First Look” NSC Report Shows COVID-19 Impact on Student Transfer Muted

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s “First Look” report on the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on transfer students shows transfers from two to four-year colleges are up slightly, but an expected transfer pattern from four-year to two-year institutions has not materialized. The pandemic’s greater impact appears to be first-time and returning students deciding not to enroll this fall.

Why Equity in Transfer and Why Now?

Data clearly show equity gaps in student transfer rates. This fact, coupled with the national spotlight on systemic racism, has prompted the launch of the Equity Transfer Initiative, a two-year project funded by Ascendium Education Group and ECMC Foundation. The overall goal of the project is to ensure total alignment of at least five programs between two- and four-year institutions that lead to employment.

How the Pandemic is Affecting College Student Transfers

Ascendium and the ECMC Foundation are supporting a new research series steered by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Nine reports will be created and will provide up-to-date information about how the pandemic is affecting student success and completion rates.

Maintain Momentum Grants Top $4.5 million, Plus New Fellowships, Resources, Grants and Events

• Maintain Momentum Initiative Supports AAC&U, NCAN, Yes We Must
• Education Writers Association, Ed Trust Launch Fellowship Programs
• How-to Guide will Benefit Community College Leaders and Stakeholders

New Grants, New Report on Postsecondary Education in Prison Metrics, Strong Start to Finish

• New Grants Support a Spectrum of Student Success Initiatives
• IHEP Releases Groundbreaking KPI Framework Report
• Strong Start To Finish Shows Early Promising Results: Case Studies