Sharing knowledge is at the heart of our mission. Explore Ascendium’s growing library of publications that examine the complex challenges facing postsecondary learners, and how we’re helping our partners address them.
This is the third and final case study from the Institute of Higher Education Policy’s Degrees When Due initiative. In it, Bowling Green State University’s successes and challenges with re-engaging learners with some college, but no degree are highlighted, giving insight to others exploring degree reclamation.
A Field Guide to Reimagine a System-Wide Approach to CBE
February 2022
The Competency-Based Education Network and Kentucky Community and Technical College System explored what it would take to reimagine a systemwide approach to competency-based education (CBE). This field guide documents their activities and provides colleges, postsecondary education systems and state education agencies with a start-to-finish planning process to guide their own CBE efforts.
This report from Next Generation Sector Partnerships analyzes three Next Gen partnerships as they developed strategies for aligning education, workforce and economic development needs of their region. These profiles and framework serve as tools for public and private partners interested in strengthening their region’s economic vitality.
COVID-19 Transfer, Mobility and Progress: Fall 2021 Report
January 2022
The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center has released the sixth report in a series which analyzes undergraduate transfer enrollment and pathways throughout the COVID-19 health crisis. This report, co-funded by Ascendium and ECMC Foundation, shows that transfer enrollment appears to have stabilized in Fall 2021 following a decline the previous year.
Prioritizing Analysis of Student Transcripts in Degree Reclamation Efforts to Improve Student Completion Outcomes
January 2022
Degree reclamation is a strategy to capture existing credits and put learners with some college, but no degree on track to postsecondary education completion. This resource from the Institute from Higher Education Policy provides recommendations for colleges and universities interested in improving completion outcomes.
With over a decade’s worth of best practices included, this Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) playbook serves as a guide to reengage stopped-out students and increase completion at institution, system and state levels. Ascendium supports this resource through its investment in IHEP’s Degrees When Due initiative, a national effort to advance degree reclamation policy and practices.
Bucking the Trend: How Some Institutions Grew Their Transfer Enrollment Amid a Pandemic
October 2021
The National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) Research Center found that close to 200,000 fewer students transferred between colleges in the 2020-21 academic year than in the previous year. However, not all colleges saw steep declines in transfer enrollment. With funding from Ascendium and ECMC Foundation, the NSC Research Center continues to explore the data, with this guest authored report offering insights into how some colleges were actually able to grow their transfer enrollment in 2020-21.
Midwest Credential Transparency Alliance Pathways Action Team: A Brief
October 2021
The Midwest Credential Transparency Alliance Pathways Action Team, with funding from Ascendium, has been studying how career pathways can be improved through increased accessibility of credential information. The team shared their assessment of the current pathways in a new brief, which also lays out their plans to continue to support pathways for learners from low-income backgrounds in the Midwest.
Degrees When Due Case Study: Anoka-Ramsey Community College
October 2021
Anoka-Ramsey Community College is re-engaging adult learners with some college, but no degree and creating support programs to help learners of all ages achieve their educational goals. As a member of the first Institute of Higher Education Policy’s Degrees When Due cohort, the college’s experiences are highlighted in a new case study – the second in a series of three supported in part by Ascendium.
The Strong Start to Finish (SSTF) Knowledge Center is a clearinghouse of research and resources from those in the SSTF network, intended for all institutions and systems interested in implementing developmental education reforms. Resources can be searched by keyword, sorted by format and filtered by topic. SSTF is supported by Ascendium, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and The Kresge Foundation.
Shasta College is a member of the first cohort of the Institute of Higher Education Policy’s Degrees When Due initiative, which supports community colleges in assisting learners with some college, but no degree. Insights from this community college are highlighted in this case study, the first of three supported in part by Ascendium.
Understanding Incentives, Connecting the Dots for Transfer Student Success
October 2021
This Tackling Transfer resource includes tips and tools for postsecondary leaders who want to foster better and more strategic attention to incentives that result in better and more equitable outcomes for transfer students. The Tackling Transfer project is a partnership between the Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program, HCM Strategists and Sova, and received grant co-funding from Ascendium.