ResearchEd

Want to Improve Tweens' Social Skills? Enlist Older Adults' Help When a middle school was built adjacent to a retirement community, unlikely friendships grew.

Ever wondered how #intergenerational #partnerships in #education could work? Through #mentoring, #tutoring, club #leadership, and music support, older volunteers form authentic relationships with #students that boost their #confidence and #attendance.
🔗 buff.ly/ryHf34r

Is college still worth it? Debt-adjusted earnings say ‘yes’ We know that education is a powerful tool for opportunity. But with rising college costs and more students relying on loans, this pressing question remains: Is college still worth it?

#College is still worth it. “Debt‑adjusted earnings” show that college remains a worthwhile investment for most #students.

The problem? Loans consume a meaningful share of early‑career income. Discover the #policy #solutions to relieve #debt #burden 🔗

Cuts to Childcare Grants Leave Rural Students in Limbo | The Daily Yonder Major changes to a federal childcare grant program have forced student parents across the country to scramble for care in the middle of the academic

Major disruptions to the #federal CCAMPIS #childcare grant program have left #rural #student #parents scrambling for #affordable #care mid‑year.

#CommunityColleges now face difficult decisions about closing classrooms, cutting services, or relying on temporary local funding. 🔗

Ending Rural Teacher Shortages While rural schools are used to being scrappy and doing more with less, without state and federal support, districts will be hard-pressed to close teacher workforce gaps on their own.

Nationally, #teacher #shortages remain a challenge. An acute problem for #rural #schools, where vacancies more greatly impact #staff and #students. State and local governments can take steps to end the rural teacher shortage. Get all the #policy recommendations 🔗

We’re presenting with Emily Gueco at the Coleridge 2026 Conference, sharing the work we've been co-developing with #institutions to build #data #tools enabling them to track progress on key #student #success #metrics.

Don’t miss it! ➡️ March 24–27, 2026, Arlington, VA 📝 Register 🔗 buff.ly/JQdXjuB

OPINION: School closures rarely save much money and often lead to test score declines Across the country, many districts are considering school closures, but closures rarely save much money. They can also lead to short-term declines in test scores and diminished college completion and…

#School #closures typically save far less money than #districts expect. Research shows that shuttering schools disrupts communities, increases student travel times, and leads to short-term declines in test scores, especially for low‑income and minority students. 🔗

What Data Tell Us About How Schools Can Amplify Student Voice - Child Trends Students are more engaged when they feel their schools seek their voice; this blog includes data on what strategies might be most effective for schools.

#Student #voice is necessary for program improvement. But it also encourages students to stay engaged. When #students saw their input lead to #action, they became more invested, more present, and more engaged in their #learning. Learn more about meaningful student voice practices 🔗

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To Solve the Student-Attention Problem, Professors Turn to Pencils and Paper Some say it’s a better way to keep students focused and engaged.

📲 What will be the role of #technology in the #classroom? #Faculty positions range from enforcing strict no-tech policies to fully embracing new tech tools, and everything in between. What’s clear from #students: pen-and-paper note-taking does help their concentration. 🔗

Talking Data Equity special event with U.S. Federal Data Leaders! They’ll be introducing two new data tools: 1️⃣ Health Checkup for U.S. Federal Data, 2️⃣ Field Guide to Federal Data.

🗓️ February 27th at noon ET. ✨ Register here ✨ buff.ly/YbmbTRk

Organized by We All Count. #FedData #DataEquity

For many college students, picking a major takes time and revising

LEARN MORE: bit.ly/3ZTjZVu

A Better Hundred Billion: Improving State and Institutional College Financial Aid Executive Summary American higher education has a stratification problem. The country’s most selective, well-resourced private and public universities

#Student grant #aid is abundant but poorly targeted. The “high‑tuition, high‑aid” model can deter low-income students from applying. As a result, #affordability# gaps persist. Progress requires reorienting aid towards students with real financial need. 🔗

#Rural #Teacher Spotlight!

Kailyn Hoesman, dedicated to becoming a rural teacher to give back to the communities that helped shape her, shares how #PlaceBased #Education principles can help #students thrive.

Learn more about Kailyn’s mission 🔗 buff.ly/FiJ0TA3

Case Studies: Dual Enrollment Work-Based Partnerships Thrive in Tennessee October 23, 2025

#DualEnrollment work-based courses allow high school #students to gain #college #credit and practice #workplace #skills.

#Tennessee, in collaboration with Jobs for the Future, is testing the DE-WBC model. New case studies from the pilot program are live! 🔗

ED Scraps Biden-Era Regulation for Corporate College Owners The regulation required the owners of private colleges to take on personal liability in order to maintain access to federal funds. Now it will be enforced on a case-by-case basis.

The Education Department #ED will no longer automatically require #private #college owners to assume personal liability for federal aid access. #Student #advocates argue the rollback increases the risk of fraud, especially among for‑profit institutions. 🔗 buff.ly/nLE2OXG

Did you get a chance to read our Winter 2025 #Newsletter? If not, you can still read it here! 🖇️ buff.ly/r6uMHRV

Getting an associate degree before transfer isn’t always helpful Vertical transfer students remain unguided in how best to achieve the degree outcomes they seek. There are better approaches, including a Transfer Scorecard.

Timing the transfer from #CommunityCollege to a #Bachelors program is more important than we thought. New research shows that each additional year before transfer sharply reduces the likelihood of earning a bachelor’s degree. 🔗 buff.ly/6C3UQtI
Photo by Allison Shelley/Complete College Photo Library

Virtual Intermediaries Convening 2026 This convening will bring together Postsecondary Data Partnership (PDP) intermediary organizations to share strategies, highlight innovations, and explore new ways to leverage data in advancing…

📍 Today’s the day: the FirstGen Forward Virtual Intermediaries Convening is finally here. It’s always energizing to gather with people committed to advancing student success. See you all there!
Info 🔗 www.firstgenforward.org/virtual-inte...

Mapping the Landscape of Degree Apprenticeship: Expanding a Promising Model for Mobility A first-of-its kind overview of the state of degree apprenticeships in the United States, where these opportunities exist, what they look like, and what design elements make these programs strong.

Degree #Apprenticeships are on the rise with the potential to address #workforce shortages in fields like #teaching and #nursing. Research from New America shows that access to programs remains uneven. One challenge to overcome: sustainable funding. 🔗

Preparing Teachers for Rural Wyoming: Voices from the Field In this blog, hear from 3 WY Rural Teacher Corps (RTC) members who completed their student teaching in the fall of 2025 and graduated in December 2025…

Spotlight on the WY Rural Teacher Corps! Hear first-hand from 3 RTC members about their rural teaching experiences.

“Rural to me has changed meaning. It once meant to me the middle of nowhere.… Now, rural means an area where communities have meaning.” - Torin

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First-generation Graduate & Professional Student Symposium The FirstGen Forward Network of over 470 institutions, harnessing the potential of first-generation students and improving success outcomes.

FirstGen Forward is hosting a First-Generation Graduate & Professional Student Symposium virtually!

➡️ The last day to register for free is today:

Getting Started with Dual Enrollment Work-Based Courses: Higher Education Administrators October 23, 2025

Interested in building work-based dual enrollment pathways at your #HigherEducation institution?

Check out the Jobs for the Future #DualEnrollment Roadmap, featuring #HigherEd key milestones and an implementation toolkit with templates. 🔗

Hunger is squeezing California students — and it could get worse Experts say that hunger and economic distress can affect students’ academic performance, or it can determine whether students make the decision to attend — or finish — college.

#Federal cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, and education programs are deepening hardship across #California.

Surveys show that 30% of Californians are cutting back on #food.

Learn about how the #economic #stress is impacting #education and how the state intends to respond 🔗

Reminder that the FirstGen Forward Virtual Intermediaries Convening is coming up on February 12, 2026!

We’re looking forward to hearing real-world impact stories and build connections that strengthen data use and collaboration across institutions.

🖊️ Register here! buff.ly/qp3fFOB

STUDENT VOICE: I’m thriving in my dual-enrollment program, but it could be a whole lot better My experience in dual enrollment has been generally positive, but the program could be even better if high schools and colleges worked together to provide what students say they need most.

A #student in Florida shares her meaningful experience in #DualEnrollment. Yet, #students are intimidated by dual #enrollment because they don’t fully understand the trade‑offs. More needs to be done to provide students with earlier #information & stronger #advising. 🔗

More Rural School Districts Turn to Four-Day Week | The Daily Yonder On Mondays through Thursdays, the campus of the Questa Independent School District in rural Taos County, New Mexico, buzzes with activity. But on Fridays,

#Rural #schools stand firm, preserving the 4-day school week. Local #advocates argue that a 4-day school week is more practical for #students with long travel distances and helps #school #administrators manage tight #budgets. Discover what’s happening in New Mexico 🔗

Youth Apprenticeship in Rural America: Challenges and Opportunities A former youth apprentice analyzes the challanges and benefits of two youth apprenticeship programs in rural areas.

#Rural #youth #apprenticeship programs are transforming student career preparation and proving that rural programs can strengthen local economies. Discover rural apprenticeship success strategies from two case studies🔗 buff.ly/hn0fVIz

#YouthApprenticeship #RuralEducation #CommunityImpact

District Supports for Community Schools: How Systems Can Enable High-Quality Implementation As community schools expand statewide, districts play a critical role in ensuring these efforts thrive. Three California local education agencies have used new investments to strengthen professional…

When districts build system-level supports, community schools can implement high-quality programs that improve student outcomes, like reducing chronic absence. Learn about urban and rural community school networks 🔗 buff.ly/WcFwSi3

#EducationPolicy #CommunitySchools #SchoolTransformation

13 ways to improve higher ed for BIPOC students New research from the Pell Institute finds that, despite challenges and setbacks students of color face in pursuit of a college degree, BIPOC learners see value in higher education. The report offers…

Black, Latino, and Indigenous students overwhelmingly see college as valuable and cite personal growth and confidence as primary benefits. This 2024 study drew on surveys and focus groups from #TRIO programs and highlighted the critical role #research plays in advancing #equity. 🔗

Confessions of an HBCU Grad Attending one of America’s great historically Black colleges and universities changed my life. A new book shows that these institutions remain radically underfunded and academically underestimated.

Despite underfunding, HBCUs have an outsized impact; they’ve produced 80% of Black judges. Learn directly from an #HBCU alumnus' story about the transformative power of HBCUs. 🔗