A June 2025 report from the Education Commission of the States outlined ways in which state policy actors can expand access to prison education and therefore reduce likelihood for recidivism and incarceration costs.
Author: Laurie Arnston
The Value of Higher Education: An Unexpected Partisan Agreement
New America’s ninth annual survey on higher education in America found that despite the politicization and polarization of higher education, Americans are united in their understanding of the importance and value of a college degree.
Education at Risk: The Fallout from the Trump Administration’s Education Cuts
A new report from Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-MA) office outlines the far-reaching consequences of the Trump administration’s efforts to defund and dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.
As Cuts to Department of Veterans Affairs Loom, Our Commitment to Veterans Education Faces a Critical Test
As the VA moves to eliminate more than 80,000 jobs, ACE’s Lindsey Tepe and Michele Spires warn that veterans’ access to education benefits could be at serious risk.
What First-Generation Students Need for Career Development
A new brief from FirstGen Forward explores how first-generation college students navigate the transition from college to career, highlighting insights from a national survey and focus groups with higher education professionals—most of whom are first-gen graduates themselves.
How State Policies Can Support Dual Enrollment Students
A new report published by Bellwether examines dual enrollment programs and policies among four states, finding common themes related to both cost-sharing and access that states can replicate to further promote equity in dual enrollment participation.
Mobility Isn’t a Choice: How Higher Education Can Better Serve Military Learners
Military learners don’t get to choose when or where they move—but they still show up in college classrooms ready to succeed. Abby Kinch and Michele Spires explore how institutions can support their path forward.
Supporting Student Wellbeing in Uncertain Times
Colleges are facing a volatile mix of policy shifts, polarization, and fiscal pressure, and student wellbeing is on the line. The Action Network for Equitable Wellbeing shares three proven strategies to help campuses move from guesswork to insight through real-time data, empathy interviews, and regular check-ins.
Improving State Longitudinal Data Systems
A new publication from the Data Quality Campaign highlights the current landscape and challenges of state data systems for postsecondary education and offers recommendations to align state and institutional data systems.
Navigating Anti-DEI in Higher Education
A new report from the University of Michigan’s National Center for Institutional Diversity examines how 40 chief diversity officers are navigating anti-DEI policies and offers strategies to sustain civil rights leadership amid growing political opposition.
Pell Grant Dollars Are Left Unclaimed: What That Means for Students and States
A new NCAN report finds that nearly $4.4 billion in Pell Grants went unclaimed in 2024, as about 830,000 eligible high school graduates failed to complete the FAFSA—missing a crucial opportunity for students and state economies.
Renewing the Social Contract for Higher Education
With public confidence in colleges at a crossroads, Ted Mitchell and Timothy Knowles call for a new social contract centered on student success—and offer the Carnegie-ACE classification as a path forward.