RT @EspinozaNotes: 69% of new jobs created by three federal #infrastructure laws will be open to people w/o a bachelor's degree. These good….

RT @EspinozaNotes: Our Making College Work Campaign is driving policy change that makes college work for everyone – for new majority learne….

RT @EspinozaNotes: It's also time to modernize higher #education policies to ensure equitable college access, completion, and connection to….

In the run up to SOTU the White House issues an important executive order on apprenticeship. The goal is to expand registered apprenticeship in the federal workforce and to promote the use of registered apprenticeship through federal grants and contracts.

RT @biancaquilan: New: The Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act is expected to be taken up for a House vote under suspension next week. The shor….

This includes equitable access to financial aid, building supports for students, ensuring postsecondary credential value, transparency, and quality, as well as aligning skills to employer needs. @SkillsCoalition.

To grow our economy, we must facilitate economic mobility by providing supportive and affordable postsecondary pathways for students who face barriers to accessing and completing education and training.

High quality postsecondary credentials are a bridge to meaningful employment, career advancement, higher pay, and future education and job opportunities. Yet many students face long-standing barriers in accessing and completing such programs.

Ultimately, our postsecondary education policies must meet the needs of all students, including those who want to earn a career-related credential – certificate, industry or apprenticeship certification, occupational license, or associate degree to further their career.

Today’s markup of the College Cost Reduction Act highlights the need to make critical reforms to our higher education system.

We must uplift good credentials and programs and provide debt-free pathways for students and workers.

We must ensure that we are adequately protecting students from programs and providers that have poor outcomes. Often people of color, women, and first-generation college students are disproportionately enrolled in these types of low-quality programs.

NSC has done significant research and technical assistance in states developing quality standards for non-degree credentials. These quality metrics consider demand, employment and earnings outcomes, stackability to additional credentials, and portability to multiple employers.

We must ensure that this expansion of aid protects students and provide a good return on investment – both for taxpayers and for students who invest their time and money. One of the main reasons students enroll in these programs is to improve their earnings and career prospects.

Today’s markup is a big step forward for enacting legislation to expand Pell Grant eligibility for students enrolled in short-term education and training programs. Often these students face challenges in accessing financial assistance to pursue their education goals.

Interested in Gainful Employment and assessing quality for non-degree credentials? Read about NSC's work with states.

Final rule: Fact Sheet:

ED released its final regulations for Gainful Employment last evening. The rule includes earning metrics (both debt-to-earnings and an earnings threshold ) that will be applied to non-degree programs at non-profits and virtually all programs at for-profits. Key links👇.

Our new report, The Non-Degree Credential Quality Imperative, encourages state policymakers to invest in quality NDCs; shares how we’ve worked with states to define, measure, and track quality; and offers takeaways for how to advance quality assurance.