SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois has moved to the top of its class in a national college transfer report. Data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center shows the state is number one for bachelor's degree completion among community college students.
More than half of new Illinois community college students in 2010 who transferred to a four-year college finished a bachelor's degree within six years. Eric Lichtenberger, deputy director of information management and research with the Illinois Board of Higher Education, said what makes the results even more impressive is they don't include students who were enrolled in dual credit courses while in high school.
"Illinois is a national leader in providing dual credit opportunities,” Lichtenberger said. “And for the most part dual credit students are significantly more likely than students who don't participate in dual credits to complete degrees within six years."
He attributes the state's success to the Illinois Articulation Initiative, a transfer agreement between more than 100 colleges and universities.
The last time the data was released, Illinois was ranked third behind Washington and Iowa, which it has now surpassed. Lichtenberger said the state is achieving fantastic results while offering a more robust system.
"We do enroll a higher proportion of traditionally under-served students than our out-of-state peer institutions,” he said. “We're engaged in a noble mission and our higher education institutions are doing a good job."
Illinois has a nearly 12 percentage point advantage over the national college transfer completion rate, and is well above the national average in all areas measured in the study.
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Teachers' unions say they're at an impasse in bargaining with two Oregon school districts. After four intense mediation sessions, Albany teachers walked out of class for the first time in nearly 40 years, primarily over workload and class size limits. Similar concerns are being raised in Beaverton - where, after nine months of negotiations, the teachers union and district are headed to mediation. Beaverton teachers rallied with hundreds of supporters outside a school board meeting, while Albany teachers formed picket lines across the district.
Max Nazarian, Albany union vice president, said spirits are high.
"It was almost constant - cars honking, people waving - our community is behind us. They know who the people are that come in every day caring for their kids, and it's not those dozen people in the central office," he said.
Albany Superintendent Andy Gardner said the district has responded to all the union's requests, including offering a 15% raise over the next three years. He added it's more important to focus on behavior rather than class size, and that the district has proposed an improved process to handle larger classes.
Nazarian said hundreds of teachers have described being unable to give students the support they need, including those with state-mandated education plans, and that teachers feel powerless.
"It's still the end game is the same - that teachers don't really have a say," he continued.
In Beaverton, the state's third-largest district, teachers have collected nearly 5,000 signatures in support of changes similar to Albany: stronger safety measures, better pay and smaller class sizes.
Lindsay Ray, Beaverton Education Association president, said educators across the state are continually asked to do more with less, and added that the solidarity between districts is empowering.
"It's heartening to have other folks who are working for those same things kind of all over the state, because I think that leads to a greater understanding from our communities about what we're doing and what we're working for," Ray said.
The Beaverton School District said the union's proposal would result in a $161 million deficit, while the district's offer would mean a $29 million deficit.
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Gov. Jared Polis has designated seven Colorado colleges and universities as Career Connected Campuses for their work getting more students from all parts of the state and backgrounds ready for high-demand, good-paying jobs driving the state's economy.
Gillian McKnight-Tutein, senior educational equity officer for the Colorado Department of Higher Education, said the schools have prioritized practical skills for students.
"They are committed to the professional development and career readiness, while those students are in the classroom," McKnight-Tutein explained.
In Colorado, 75% of all jobs, and 94% of top jobs paying enough to sustain a family, require some form of education beyond high school. But just 50% of high school grads are pursuing postsecondary education. The schools receiving the first-ever designation are Colorado College, Colorado School of Mines, the online Colorado State University Global, Pueblo Community College, Regis University, Colorado University-Denver, and the University of Denver.
The state has been working to remove cost as a barrier for students and many certificate and degree programs are zero-tuition. McKnight-Tutein pointed out more schools are helping students who cannot afford to take time off work by helping them get jobs that also count toward academic requirements.
"There are scholarships. The costs are defrayed, but for the apprenticeship situation, those jobs actually pay," McKnight-Tutein noted. "They're actually making money before graduation."
The new designation reinforces the agency's Social Determinants of Student Success initiative which, as McKnight-Tutein added, works to ensure that students' basic needs such as food, shelter and health care are met, so students can stay in school.
"Because we know that it's not just about them getting there," McKnight-Tutein stressed. "It's about them being able to sustain their lives. Financially, they have families that they need to take care of sometimes. So we want to make sure that all those supports are around them."
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As winter break approaches, Alabama's Summer Adventures in Learning program is encouraging parents to think ahead to summer, particularly as quality summer learning options continue to shrink across the nation.
SAIL emphasized access to strong summer programs can have a meaningful effect on students, especially in preventing learning setbacks.
Suzy Harris, program manager for Summer Adventures in Learning, said early planning could help families secure a spot in programs designed to support students' academic and social growth over the summer.
"Under-resourced youths in particular are affected by summer learning loss at a higher degree," Harris explained. "Because they don't have the access to going on trips or going to minicamp at a museum, or going to the library regularly."
In Alabama, SAIL programs provided reading and math instruction to more than 2,300 students this past summer, combining academics with recreational activities to keep students engaged. For many families, the programs also addressed gaps in summer resources when it comes to meals and access to other educational opportunities.
Harris noted the program benefits teachers too, giving them the freedom to be creative and adapt lessons to meet students' specific needs. The flexibility creates a more engaging and effective learning environment over the summer.
"Teachers have the opportunity to experiment with how they're teaching and with new lesson plans," Harris pointed out. "They don't have the burden of all the extra paperwork and they can have fun in how they're doing lessons."
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, nearly half of public schools offer summer school programs, primarily aimed at helping students with remedial learning or credit recovery. However, fewer schools, around 20 %, provide broader summer recreation programs, which include activities such as sports, games and youth development.
Among schools providing summer classes, 23% report staffing shortages, limiting their ability to accommodate all interested or at-risk students.
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