Higher education status of Latinos explored
A new interactive, research-based website from Lumina Foundation offers key data from published studies on Latino students and the factors affecting their educational experiences. Among the topics explored by Camino de la Universidad: The Road to College for Latinos: access, enrollment, degree attainment financial aid, aspirations, dropout rates, mentoring, and more.
The more you learn, the more you earn
The results of a survey by the College Board confirm the value of higher education, both in terms monetary and non-monetary benefits. Education Pays: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society (PDF, 560KB) offers new insight about the benefits of attaining a college degree.
The College Board also released its annual Trends in College Pricing 2007 (PDF, 548KB) and Trends in Student Aid 2007 reports. Among the findings: In 2006–07, the estimated growth in student borrowing slowed, while borrowing from private sources continued to increase as a share of education loans but grew more slowly in 2006–07 as federal PLUS loans became available to graduate students.
Text messaging significantly boosts youth voter turnout, says study
According to a study from Princeton and the University of Michigan, Mobilizing the Mobiles: How Text Messaging Can Boost Youth Voter Turnout, the use of text messaging could help rally young voters to the polls on election day. After sending text message reminders on the eve of Election Day 2006 to 4,000 young people who had provided their cell phone numbers when they registered to vote, the study cites a 4% boost in youth voter turnout rates.
An in-depth look at nation’s colleges and universities
The 2007 Chronicle of Higher Education Almanac provides a roundup of current higher education trends and issues in 50 states and the District of Columbia, with information and analysis on college and university presidents, research and development, endowments, admissions, demographics, tuition and fees, and more. (Registration is required.)
Negotiated Rulemaking plans on College Cost Reduction and Access Act announced
The U.S. Department of Education announced plans for Negotiated-Rulemaking Committees to develop proposed regulations for provisions of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, as well as to conduct three public hearings this year. The Department's Oct. 22 announcement can be viewed in the Federal Register.
Expanding college access for adults
Though older in years, the idea of college still holds appeals for individuals 55 to 79. However, their needs are different and a number of barriers prevent them from having college experiences, according to a recent report from the American Council on Education (ACE). Framing New Terrain: Older Adults and Higher Education (PDF, 372MB) examines the unique demographics of 55- to 79-year-olds, offering insight on what can be done to better serve the higher education needs of this population.
A nation at risk
A new report from Education Testing Service suggests that the United States may be putting itself at social and economic risk because of current achievement gaps. America’s Perfect Storm: Three Forces Changing Our Nation’s Future (PDF, 2.26MB) recommends that policymakers and others invest in reform policies that narrow the literacy gap, raise learning levels, and increase reading and math skills.
The influence of state grant aid
A report from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education offers information for policy leaders and others on the impact of selected state financial aid programs on students’ higher education choices. State Grant Aid and Its Effects on Students' College Choices (PDF, 472KB) explores grant aid programs in 11 states, providing information on the qualifications for eligibility and the policy environments involved in creating them.
First semester of college critical to students’ higher education careers
A study from the Policy Analysis for California Education shows that fewer than half of the high school graduates who entered California’s community colleges with the goal of transferring to four-year colleges in 1998 made it through their first semester with their goals intact. Beyond Access: How the First Semester Matters for Community College Students’ Aspirations and Persistence (PDF, 684KB) suggests that providing additional guidance and support to students when they first enter college could greatly enhance student persistence efforts.