The efficiency and effectiveness of the nation's human capital pipeline has become a prime area of focus in the policy arena, spurred on by international data that show the U.S. lagging in high school and college completion. For policymakers, education leaders, and even students and parents, it is becoming increasingly clear that the transition…

With a great deal of fanfare, the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education released its national higher education report card, "Measuring Up 2004," in mid-September. The report, the third in a biennial series, issues grades to the 50 states in five primary categories: (1) Preparation: How well are young people in high school being…

Few phenomena in recent history have generated investment, debate, and analysis as online/e-learning. Whether by Internet, video network, or other means, online course and program delivery has been heralded--and dismissed--as a vehicle for revolutionizing teaching and learning in higher education. However, after about a decade of start-ups,…

As the economic and social capital of higher education continue to rise, so too does interest in how the public views colleges and universities and the policies affecting them. A number of organizations have recently put a finger on the public pulse, asking about access, prices, priorities, and a host of other issues. One series of polls in…