News

New Projects Examine Barriers for English-Language Learners

English-language learners are a diverse, rapidly growing subpopulation of learners who disproportionately come from low-income backgrounds. Community college programs dedicated to serving these learners provide a critical onramp to acquiring not only critical language skills but also credentials, which can lead to good-paying jobs. However, these pathways are often hampered by curricular misalignment, operational inefficiency, and ineffective classroom practices. A pair of groundbreaking research initiatives from WestEd and Community College Research Center are studying structural barriers for English-language learners with an eye toward broader reforms.

Meet Our New Program Officer for Strategic Engagement, Learn How Rural Community Colleges Are Helping Learners, and More

• Introducing Our New Program Officer for Strategic Engagement, Amy Kuether
• Rural Community Colleges Utilize Strengths and Assets to Improve Learner Success
• Perspectives from the Field: Community Colleges Connect Learners to Credentials that Meet Local Workforce Needs

Amarillo College and Imperial Valley College Win Aspen Institute Prize for Community College Excellence

The biennial prize is the nation’s signature recognition for America’s community colleges. This year’s honorees are two rural-serving schools that beat national rates by achieving 8 and 12 percentage point improvements in graduation rates over four years.

Lifting Up Postsecondary Education in Prison During Second Chance Month and More

• It’s Time to Change the Way We Think About Incarcerated Learners
• Three Takeaways from RAND Corporation’s Report: Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Prison Education
• Record Number of Wisconsin Apprentices Receive Tools of the Trade Scholarships

Keith Witham Named New Vice President - Education Philanthropy, Q&A with AHEP’s Ved Price and More

• A Message from Our New Vice President - Education Philanthropy, Keith Witham
• Q&A: AHEP’s Ved Price on the State of Postsecondary Education in Prison Programs
• Grant Partners Selected for Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success

Over $69 Million in New Grants, the Learning and Impact Team Welcomes Jessa Valentine and More

• $69 Million+ in New Grants Highlighted by Investments in Job Pathways, Partnerships and More
• Jessa Valentine Joins Learning and Impact Team
• CORI Research on Digital Skilling is Put into Practice

Coalition of 15 Research Universities Awarded Grant to Boost Student Success in Key Courses

At most campuses, large, introductory courses typically have the highest DFW rates – ­the percentage of students who receive grades of D or F, or withdraw from a course. The University Innovation Alliance is engaging over 1,000 students in a study to address significant pandemic-driven increases in these rates.

$69 Million+ in New Grants Highlighted by Investments in Job Pathways, Partnerships and More

Ascendium’s philanthropy is off to a fast start in 2023 with the recent approval of 34 grants totaling over $69 million. Included in these grants is support for initiatives to connect learners from low-income backgrounds with good jobs, strengthen conditions for partnerships to emerge between colleges and employers, invest in high-quality postsecondary education in prison systems and more.

Trends We’re Watching in 2023, Promising IT Career Training Pathways for Learners and More

• Postsecondary Education Trends We’re Watching in 2023
• Investing in IT Career Training Pathways Shows Promise for Adult Learners
• Partnership with The Chronicle of Higher Education Elevates Learner Voices

Postsecondary Education Trends We’re Watching in 2023

With 2022 in the rear view, Ascendium has kicked off the new year with optimism and excitement. We’ll continue to work closely with our grant partners and will be watching several postsecondary education trends in 2023. Future grant opportunities may be informed by the trends we see, especially if they connect to our goal of fostering upward mobility for learners from low-income backgrounds.