California is facing a huge shortage of qualified health care workers, so the San Diego Community College District is stepping in to help recent grads afford professional testing and licensing.
The Ready2Work program reimburses health care students' fees as soon as they take the test or apply for the certification or license.
Laurie Coskey, vice chancellor for development and entrepreneurship for the San Diego Community College District, said they are responding to the needs of the marketplace.
"There is a big shortage in registered nurses, the radiology technicians, phlebotomy, information management assistants, dental assistants, vet techs," Coskey outlined. "They are in high demand."
The fees average about $500 and reimbursements range from $240 up to $1,200, mostly covered by foundations, private donors and some public funds. Health care students automatically qualify at San Diego City College, Mesa College, Miramar College and the College of Continuing Education.
Coskey noted many students struggle financially and have families to support, so without the reimbursement, they would have to work and save for up to six months after graduation to cover the fees.
"The sooner our students take their tests from finishing the program, the more likelihood is that they will pass the test and get right into work," Coskey emphasized. "Our students are very excited."
Hundreds have benefited so far, with about $385,000 expected to help about 1,000 additional graduates this school year.
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
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According to research from Lumina Foundation, the rate of U.S. high school seniors seeking higher education is on the upswing.
Although Ohio student rates are improving, the numbers show they still rank behind national figures. The foundation's Stronger Nation report showed nearly 55% of American adults aged 25 to 64 have a college degree or industry-recognized certification. Ohio's attainment rate is almost 53%, 12 points shy of the 2025 goal for the state.
Teresa Lubbers, a Lumina Foundation board member and president of the Sagamore Institute, a think tank focusing on social impact issues, said the study was done with a sense of urgency.
"I don't think that the salary alone can be the measure because some important jobs don't have the pay that we think they should have," Lubbers pointed out. "But economic mobility is an important way to measure it, and all degrees and credentials should ensure economic mobility and meet workforce needs."
The report specified a post-high school education as an associate's, bachelor's or master's degree or an industry-recognized certificate. It noted 60% of adults in the United States will need a post-high school credential in training and a demonstrated competency in an employable skill.
Data classified by race and ethnicity showed progress across the board. The report found 31% of Black students either have an associate, bachelor's or master's degree, while 45% of white students, 32% of Hispanic students, and 66% of Asian students have obtained degrees.
Lubbers stressed it is important to compile the information.
"Whether it's college readiness, college completion, dual credit, return on investment, the number of credentials and certificates, all of those things roll up to make the case for what we're doing and what's working," Lubbers outlined.
The report recommended maintaining the current achievement figures and boosting enrollment numbers in credential-based institutions.
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
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Institutions need to do more to close the higher education graduation gap for Native Americans, according to a new report.
The report notes at just 25%, Native Americans have the lowest college-going rate of any racial group in the country.
Cheryl Crazy Bull - the president and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, who helped author the report - recommended states set specific higher education goals, focused on increasing Native participation.
She added that they should prioritize direct engagement with tribes and schools to provide resources, as well as expanding recruitment practices.
"Those practices," said Crazy Bull, "can often exclude Native students who live in reservation rural areas as well as urban Native students."
In 2022, Oregon made public universities free for Native students enrolled in one of the state's nine federally recognized tribes through the Oregon Tribal Stewardship Grant.
The program has been gaining steam over the years - but the graduation gap, made larger during the pandemic, has not closed.
While Crazy Bull said financial barriers play a big part in preventing native people from accessing higher education, she added that not all issues can be solved with money.
"How do institutions create a place or a sense of belonging for students?" said Crazy Bull. "That's just a constant effort."
Crazy Bull added that even before the new administration, anti-DEI practices were harmful to Native students' experiences.
Native students can apply for the Oregon Tribal Student Grant until April, as long as funds are available.
To qualify for the grant, they must be accepted for enrollment at an Oregon college or university.
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
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New York State is making historic higher education investments.
As part of the 2026 budget proposal, Gov. Kathy Hochul proposes free community college for people ages 25 to 55. Not only would it cover tuition costs, but also books, supplies and other fees. Implementing the measure would allow New York to join a legion of states with similar policies.
Jeff Smink, deputy director of The Education Trust New York, predicted it would bolster the growing semiconductor workforce and other high-demand fields.
"To get some of these high-paying jobs, you need a skilled workforce," Smink pointed out. "I think the investment in community colleges -- and SUNY (State University of New York), CUNY (City University of New York) -- is going to help get us that workforce, particularly for students of color, students from low-income backgrounds that might not have had these opportunities in the past."
It is one thing to get into college, but it is quite another to finish. Money is often the reason people do not finish and student loan debt can hold people back from making bigger financial moves. The Education Data Initiative reported New York has around 2.5 million student loan borrowers with nearly $95 billion in student loan debt.
College investments can only benefit people with a strong educational foundation. Smink noted free community college could reduce the number of students who have to take remedial college classes since they did not get the same knowledge in high school. He thinks New York's budget proposal needs more investment in literacy instruction.
"Part of the problem is students who are getting their teaching certification are not taught how to teach reading aligned with the science," Smink contended. "There's some efforts happening there but we'd have liked to see some funding to help SUNY teacher preparation programs align their instruction, so that when teachers get into the classroom they're already prepared and won't need any extra support or reteaching."
New York State has one of the worst literacy rates in the country. National scores for the state's fourth and eighth grade students show declines in reading and math proficiency which have continued to slip since the pandemic.
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