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EDUCATION PHILANTHROPY DIVISION OF ASCENDIUM EDUCATION GROUP

Resource Library

Sharing knowledge is at the heart of our mission. Explore Ascendium’s growing library of publications that examine the complex challenges facing postsecondary learners, and how we’re helping our partners address them.

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WestEd

Translating Opportunity: Improving Postsecondary Pathways for Multilingual Learners of English

September 2023
Multilingual learners of English play a vital role in U.S. society but are often marginalized, misunderstood, and underserved in postsecondary education. This report offers recommendations to help educators, policymakers, researchers, and others better serve this diverse population with effective and equitable policies and programs.
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Inside Higher Ed

Modernizing Postsecondary Policy to Better Support Adult Learners

September 2023
Adult learners are more likely to experience stops, starts, and transfers on their postsecondary education journeys than the 18-to-22-year-old residential, dependent learners. This report aims to identify federal- and state-level policies that hinder adult learners while offering policy perspectives that could create more accessible, affordable paths for them through postsecondary education.
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Education Commission of the States

A State Policy Framework for Developmental Education Reform

September 2023
Developmental education reforms such as multiple measures for placement, co-requisites, and math pathways are proven to reduce barriers for learners from low-income backgrounds and increase postsecondary student success. This framework provides a guide for codifying these reforms in policy to promote scaling and sustainability.
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learning from students
University of Washington

Learning from Students: How Teams Rethink Their STEM Transfer Process Through Student Input

August 2023
This brief documents the work of postsecondary education partners to collect student input and translate that data into improvements for learners using STEM transfer pathways. It includes the strategies they used to collect input, as well as insights on what constitutes input, what forms of input are most needed, and how partners can best learn from students.
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workforce alignment study
Urban Institute

Workforce Alignment Study: Maximizing Workforce Success for College Students

August 2023
This suite of resources provides information for policymakers, institutional and system leaders, and practitioners on effective workforce aligned strategies and policies that help learners from low-income backgrounds complete short-term career and technical education credentials that lead to good jobs.
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TennCoach
Tennessee Board of Regents – The College System of Tennessee

The Tennessee Coaching Project: Next Steps Advisors (Pilot Semester Overview)

August 2023
The Tennessee Coaching Project extends support for adult learners with some postsecondary education but no degree through course-focused success coaches known as Next Steps Advisors. These coaches help them navigate the unique challenges and barriers they face returning to postsecondary education to complete their degree.
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EP UrbanInstitute
Urban Institute; The American Indian College Fund

Project Profile: Family-Friendly Tribal and Rural Campuses

July 2023
A project of the Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success initiative, the Urban Institute, in partnership with The American Indian College Fund, generates insights from tribal colleges and universities about how to best serve learners with child caregiving responsibilities. With these insights, an update will be made to a widely used toolkit that supports parenting and caregiving learners on rural campuses.
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EP GAStateUniversity
Georgia State University Research Foundation

Project Profile: Expanding College Access for Rural and Underserved People in Georgia

July 2023
A project of the Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success initiative, Georgia State University examines the impact and importance of e-Campus, a distance learning initiative, on rural learners, particularly those from low-income backgrounds. Evidence will be generated on how the initiative enhances equity and how other institutions can make their student success initiatives more equitable.
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EP UniversityofWash
Community College Research Initiatives (CCRI)

Project Profile: Mapping Effective Mentorship for Rural Community College Students

July 2023
A project of the Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success initiative, the University of Washington’s Community College Research Initiatives addresses the gap in knowledge regarding rural-serving community colleges and mentorship strategies to support rural learners across the nation. A database of mentoring strategies at rural community colleges will be created to advance the understanding of the way to implement evidence-based solutions for mentoring.
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EP WesternIllUniversity
Western Illinois University

Project Profile: Surfacing the Needs of Paraeducators Enrolled in Rural Teacher Preparation Programs

July 2023
A project of the Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success initiative, Western Illinois University examines Paraeducator Teacher Education Option (PTEO) programs. PTEO programs are an alternate pathway to a teaching credential and to the teaching workforce serving rural learners from low-income backgrounds. Stakeholders in rural school districts that employ paraeducators will benefit from the action-oriented research generated.
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EP UniversityofIdaho
University of Idaho

Project Profile: The Effect of Institutional Programs and Practices on Low-Income Rural College Students’ Academic, Psychosocial, and Workforce-Related Outcomes

July 2023
A project of the Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success initiative, the University of Idaho examines the programs and practices that improve rural college students’ educational outcomes and their transition into the workforce. Data, descriptive reports, and insights will be collected, analyzed, and stored within a new dashboard available to stakeholders who make decisions related to rural postsecondary education.
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EP DigitalPromise
Digital Promise Global

Project Profile: Exploring the Effectiveness of Skills Training and Wage-Based Incentive Programs on the Social Mobility of Rural Early Childhood Education Providers in Tennessee

July 2023
A project of the Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success initiative, Digital Promise explores the effectiveness of a skills training program and a wage-based incentive program on the upward mobility of rural early childhood education providers in Tennessee. Findings from the evaluation of these programs will inform policy makers and institutions implementing similar programs in support of their early childhood education workforce.
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