Retention of administrators is related to student achievement, but little is known about factors related to the retention of special education directors. The authors examine whether educational credentials, certifications, and number of years served are related to the number of years served as local education agency special education director.

High-quality non-degree workforce programs at community colleges, including both credit-bearing and non-credit programs, play a crucial role in equipping low-income and marginalized workers and learners with the skills and credentials they need to secure quality jobs and careers in a variety of occupations. Financing these programs can be a…

Postsecondary institutions, and particularly community colleges, are positioned well to train more and more of the nation's entry- and middle-skill workers. The New World of Work (NWoW), a program that promoted teaching and learning soft skills, was designed in 2012 and operated briefly in over 75 community colleges in California. The program…

This study used a survey conducted from September 2021 - November 2021 to examine the perceptions of College Credit Plus (CCP) educator credentialing for college in high school programs known as dual enrollment. Over 400 responses were received representing educators from southwest Ohio. Respondents spanned roles in public schools of…

This chapter proposes a glossary of terms related to the market for new credentials, based on established and emerging consensus definitions.

This report describes how six Colorado community colleges used $1.4 million of pandemic relief funding to support individuals pursuing short-term credentials. The authors examined state and college decisions about program eligibility, student eligibility, grant amounts, funding uses, and application requirements as well as outcomes for those…

What professional development do assessment professionals need to succeed in higher education? To meet the rising demands in the field, assessment professionals seek ways to improve their skill sets. The current study utilized survey responses from over 200 higher education assessment professionals across the United States to assess the amount of…

Leadership is of paramount importance to any organization, as leaders can set the tone for the organization's employees. The path to leadership in childcare can be markedly different from other professions, as there is no qualifying criteria; however, previous research has identified that for leaders to be effective they must possess skills,…

Undergraduate art therapy education programs in the United States have endeavored to prepare students for graduate level art therapy training and entry level positions in art facilitation since the mid-1970s with minimal published guidelines or established professional standards. The authors reviewed the art therapy literature regarding current…

This study examines the extent to which students obtain postsecondary credentials in the career technical education (CTE) fields of focus they choose in high school. Using school fixed effects models, we find that focusing on a particular CTE field in high school is associated with an increased probability of enrolling and obtaining a…

The School Social Work Association of America's national certified school social worker (NCSSW) credential was launched in April 2021. Because the certification is so new, it has not yet been evaluated. Without information on the benefits of the NCSSW credential, it is difficult to promote the certification, to help the certification grow, or to…

When examining career pathways, post-secondary institutions such as community colleges align education and training to career success, aiming to connect students to gainful employment. Career pathways support the skill needs of industries and incorporate competencies in an occupation or field represented by certificates and degrees awarded by the…

This brief provides an overview of the burgeoning credential marketplace for young adult talent developers--the community-based, entrepreneurial organizations that work with young people ages 16 to 24, many of whom are seeking a faster and less costly route into the labor market. These organizations play an important role in helping young people…

For educational developers (also called academic or faculty developers) to facilitate change toward effective teaching and learning practices at any level, they must build trust and communicate credible expertise, often while conveying 'second-hand' educational knowledge to academics who then act on that knowledge in their own work. In this…

As the 21st century job market continues to advance, more jobs are requiring post-secondary training. Currently less than fifty percent of the United States population has a post-secondary degree or credential (Duke-Benfield et al., 2019). Thus, there is a need for expanding pathways to higher education to meet the needs of a changing workforce.…