Resource Archive

Research brief summarizes findings from interviews with Black students about the moment they knew they would be successful in their transfer journeys.

The Pell Institute has released its latest report,  Is College Worth It?: Black, Latinx, and Indigenous Student Voices on the Value of Postsecondary Credentials.

This brief is a case study of successful efforts by manufacturing certificate programs at two community colleges that have resulted in economic mobility for graduates, especially for people of color. The programs included in this case study had racially diverse student enrollment, high rates of program completion, and favorable labor market outcomes. The findings of…

This report offers a selection of highlights from this comprehensive, statewide survey of transfer-intending African American/Black students.

Despite enrollment and completion rates declining and Americans' confidence in higher education falling, the economic case for earning a college degree remains solid. College graduates earn about $1 million more over the course of their working years than U.S. adults with no college degree, on average.

A state-by-state analysis from Complete College America shows that while on-time graduation rates at two- and four-year higher education institutions improved significantly between 2015 and 2021, graduation rates for students of color and those over the age of 25 are lagging.

This brief highlights key recommendations offered by college practitioners and students.

In late 2021, The RP Group conducted a robust quantitative analysis of the transfer trajectories of transfer-motivated African American/Black students.

Student interest in noncredit educational programs at community colleges has grown considerably since the outset of the pandemic. Yet little is known about the quality of these programs and the credentials they lead to in a range of industries.

This report documents efforts in Alabama and Indiana to impact state-level postsecondary education using regional and local models and offers examples of how the context in which a partnership operates and their partnership-building process can influence partnership structure, stakeholder engagement, and partnership activities.

COVID-19 and its economic and educational fallout have had a disproportionate impact on communities of color and have highlighted and exacerbated longstanding racial and ethnic inequities in the U.S. The impact on college-going among Hispanic students has been especially concerning. Before COVID-19, college enrollment among Hispanic students was on the rise (with Latinas, in particular,…

Given the rapid growth in short-term programs, and policymakers’ fast-growing interest to invest federal higher education dollars into very-short-term credentials, we explore what the research does—and does not— show us about such credentials’ utility in the labor market. With concerns about equity, our review of the literature guides us towards caution, as a strong push…

Five new case studies from the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce, Workcred, and the George Washington Institute of Public Policy aim to help policymakers, practitioners, employers, and funders better understand the potential of certifications to help people enter the labor market, obtain a career goal, or reskill for a new career. The reports are the culmination…

Racial equity is achieved when race can no longer be used to predict life outcomes. Read Research for Action's evaluation of Lumina's TIE (Talent, Innovation, and Equity) grant program.

This report examines labor market outcomes for adults who obtain non-degree credentials, a growing option for training beyond high school.