Resource Library

Our 2023 report reflects on our continued efforts to build evidence and share actionable insights through our grantmaking. Inside, you’ll read how our philanthropy catalyzes change to postsecondary education and workforce training systems so more learners from low-income backgrounds can achieve their goals. You’ll also get insights into the upcoming year.

The John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education, the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, and additional partner institutions share new evidence on the most useful learner success metrics and how postsecondary education institution governing boards can best use them to fulfill their roles. Focused on how good key metrics can lead to actionable outcomes, this article is part of a larger initiative to leverage the power of governing boards to oversee, envision, and drive equitable learner success.

In this episode, the Future U. podcast hosts two innovators to discuss the leading role community colleges can play in growing America’s apprenticeship programs. Mitchell Harp, dean of apprenticeship programs at Trident Technical College, and Pierre Dubuc, CEO of OpenClassrooms, consider barriers and solutions to apprenticeships, including engaging employers and supporting learners in apprenticeship programs and career development.

This brief summarizes the results of two major studies that shed light on the feasibility of implementing guided pathways reforms at scale and whether implementation of practices leads to better student outcomes. Additionally, the brief offers recommendations for community colleges undertaking guided pathways reforms.

This case study highlights the efforts of Delta Compass, a workforce collaborative addressing current and future labor needs in a rural region of the U.S. They are an example of an organization that is responsive to local employment needs, working together with employers and the community college system to fill jobs in healthcare, education, and manufacturing.

This case study details the recent activities of Upskill NWA. Primarily focused on healthcare professions, Upskill NWA provides comprehensive, individualized support to help learners complete requirements and secure employment. By working with area colleges and universities, the efforts of Upskill NWA are an example of how community-based stakeholders can collaborate to meet local workforce needs.

This case study spotlights People Inc. of Virginia. The organization provides a wide range of services that help advance workforce opportunities in rural America, including work-based learning and on-the-job training. Because they collaborate with employers and community organizations, their work is a good example of what can be accomplished through rural partnerships.

Most colleges have traditionally used standardized tests to help place learners in the math or English course level that best suits their prior learning and preparation. But those tests are a bad predictor of learners’ actual abilities, resulting in many learners – especially those from low-income backgrounds – being placed in courses they don't get college credit for and delayed on their path to a degree. Multiple Measures Assessment (MMA), the use of multiple forms of information about learners beyond just a single standardized test score, is proven to work better at helping learners get into the best courses for them. In this report, MDRC and the Community College Research Center explore how to implement and sustain the use of MMA.

Community college baccalaureate programs are growing in Texas as they have the potential to offer more streamlined paths for learners to credentials that lead to good jobs. This brief offers policymakers and practitioners more information on who enrolls in these programs and what happens to graduates in the labor market so they can understand how these degrees can serve learners from low-income backgrounds.

Sectoral training programs can offer flexible, affordable, and accessible pathways to upward mobility and career achievement. With the goal of helping to scale and strengthen sectoral training programs, this brief from MDRC focuses on the challenges providers and workers face and the current opportunities to collaborate with providers in applying evidence, innovating, and expanding effective practices.

This brief provides a snapshot into the process and progress of the STEM Transfer Partnership (STP) initiative. STP teams worked together for over 18 months to better understand and dismantle the obstacles for low-income STEM transfer students interested in completing a bachelor’s degree. Their documentation can serve new, future transfer partnerships by providing direction and inspiration.

This report provides a nuanced look at the status of educational attainment and employment in rural areas, finding that rural workers today are as likely as those in urban areas to hold a good job — one that pays a living wage for their region. But the report also shows that racial and gender disparities exist in who gets access to those jobs, even as rural areas grow more diverse. As rural economies shift and populations continue to decline and evolve, these communities need greater investment in education and workforce training to ensure future economic vitality.