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.
Preparing Rural Americans for the Postpandemic Economy: Lessons from Utah
June 2022
Rural communities face different labor market challenges than urban areas. However, there are opportunities for significant change as the U.S. emerges from the pandemic. This brief from The Conference Board looks at labor market challenges and solutions for rural America, using rural Utah as a case study.
No Middle Ground: Advancing Equity Through Practice
June 2022
No Middle Ground provides a guide for incorporating equity into Complete College America’s evidence-based strategies for college completion. The report outlines the importance of language and intentionality in creating programs and policies to disrupt dysfunctional systems and pave the way for all students to complete college.
Informed Self-Placement Today: An Exploratory Study of Student Outcomes and Placement Practices
June 2022
Informed Self-Placement is a placement system in which students decide their math and English placement level based on information provided by colleges. This report from CAPR provides an opportunity for institutions to evaluate their placement systems relative to the degree of choice and guidance provided, and to consider changes that may boost student progression and success.
Diving Into Place-Based Education Programs (Part VI)
June 2022
The final installment in a six-part series, this Rural Matters podcast episode highlights place-based education programs, particularly how they can benefit rural learners and communities. Place-based learning involves engaging the community, which can help make college learning more accessible, relevant and motivating to first-generation learners and learners from low-income backgrounds.
Rural Educator Academy Background, Brief and Core Competencies
June 2022
Created by The Community Colleges of Appalachia, the Rural Educator Academy (REA) is a unique, two-pronged approach to professional development for rural postsecondary educators. Through REA, a community of practice has formed to identify ways leaders can improve student success for learners from low-income backgrounds while also focusing on equity. A curriculum for training will be produced from the REA professional development program.
Research Evidence on Ask-Connect-Inspire-Plan Onboarding Practices
May 2022
New research behind a framework aimed at enriching learners’ experiences as they choose and plan a program of study has been shared by the Community College Research Center (CCRC). This brief describes the motivation, research evidence and equity implications that allow CCRC’s Ask-Connect-Inspire-Plan framework to serve as a useful strategy for colleges to engage learners and encourage completion.
The Importance of Digital Skills and Leadership in Rural Postsecondary Education (Part V)
May 2022
The fifth in a six-part podcast series, this Rural Matters episode features a discussion with leaders of two organizations working with rural community colleges to prepare students for the digital economy. These organizations focus their work on helping rural college leaders to understand and use data so that they can identify barriers faced by learners from low-income backgrounds and create equitable pathways to career success.
Evaluating the Student Experience at Community College Baccalaureate Programs
May 2022
Community college baccalaureate programs can be an invaluable resource for students who otherwise lack avenues for obtaining a four-year degree. In this brief, New America profiles three students who describe what it was like to work toward a bachelor’s degree and why they chose to enroll at a community college to do so.
Rural America’s Tech Employment Landscape: How to Increase Tech Talent and Tech Employment
May 2022
Two national surveys, a labor market data analysis and more than 50 interviews have culminated in the release of this Center on Rural Innovation report on tech employment in rural America. The report provides knowledge and recommendations to policymakers, funders, training providers and leaders at local and national levels around how to address the supply of and demand for tech talent in rural communities.
The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center
COVID-19 Transfer, Mobility and Progress: Spring 2022 Report
May 2022
The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center has released its eighth report in a series which analyzes undergraduate transfer enrollment and pathways throughout the COVID-19 health crisis. This report examines data from the spring 2022 term, with numbers indicating transfer enrollment dropped another 6.9% over last year.
Creating Seamless Pathways for Military Service Members: A Scaling Guide
April 2022
An evaluation of the Military Credentialing Advancement Initiative (MCAI), this scaling guide by DVP-PRAXIS outlines three cases for approaching military-to-civilian learning for postsecondary systems, institutions and training organizations. By supporting new pathways between military competencies and high-quality civilian credentials, we hope to encourage broader recognition of individuals with military training and experience upon entering the workforce.
Lighting the Path to Remove Systemic Barriers in Higher Education and Award Earned Postsecondary Credentials
April 2022
This report from the Institute of Higher Education Policy shares key findings from Degrees When Due, a three-year, nationwide completion initiative to re-engage learners and build institutional capacity. Structural barriers to re-enrollment, persistence and completion are identified and recommendations are offered for policymakers at the institutional, state and federal level.