This digest discusses ways in which high schools and community colleges can cooperate in order to support more successful student transitions. The digest describes five types of collaborations that achieve this goal: (1) K-16 partnerships; (2) dual credit programs; (3) tech prep programs; (4) middle college high schools; and (5) distance learning…

Worker displacement is more closely related to structural features associated with firms than to the characteristics of the individuals who lost their jobs. Despite economic growth, large numbers of displaced workers continue to experience difficulty in making labor market adjustments. Programs to retrain and reemploy displaced workers exist at…

The high school curriculum in the U.S., especially during the senior year, tends to lack in academic intensity. This document argues that not only are high school seniors not being challenged during their senior year, but they are also not preparing for college during that time. A wasted senior year, or "senior slump," can result in…

since the economic difficulties of the 1980s and 1990s, community colleges have had to reconcile limited resources with open door admissions policies and a broad institutional mission. College budgets have not generally increased sufficiently to compensate for rising costs, with state-level financial support for higher education falling by 9.5% to…

With the growing demand for accountability by legislators, outcomes assessment has become a much higher institutional priority for community colleges. According to a recent survey, two-thirds of the states have implemented formal assessment initiatives, compared to a very few states only 1 year earlier. Institutions, however, must be careful that…

A large number of students enrolling in community colleges do not aspire to or complete the associate degree. Instead, they attend community colleges for a multitude of reasons, including job training or retraining, licensure, preparation for transfer, and avocational pursuits. Given the preponderant pattern of part-time attendance and diversity…