Cracking the Credit Hour - The basic currency of higher education — the credit hour — represents the root of many problems plaguing America's higher education system: the practice of measuring time rather than learning. This paper traces the history of this time-based unit, from the days of Andrew Carnegie to recent federal efforts to define a credit hour. The report shows the credit hour is putting our nation's workforce and future prosperity at risk. It outlines several steps the federal government can take now to shift from measuring seat time to learning. (New America Foundation and Education Sector, September 2012) ...

Enrollment in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2010; Financial Statistics, Fiscal Year 2010; and Graduation Rates, Selected Cohorts, 2002-07 First Look - This report presents findings from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) spring 2011 data collection. This collection includes student financial aid for the 2009-10 academic year; enrollments for fall 2010; graduation rates; and finance for fiscal year 2010, such as revenues and operating expenditures. Particularly noteworthy is Table 3 on in-migration/out-migration of college students by state. (National Center for Education Statistics, March 2012)...

Student Success Courses and Educational Outcomes at Virginia Community Colleges - Using administrative data from the Virginia Community College System, this study examines whether student success course enrollment has positive associations with short-term student outcomes. The authors find that students who enrolled in a student success course in the first semester were more likely to earn college-level credits within the first year and were more likely to persist to the second year. (CCRC, 2012)...

Persistence and Attainment of 2003-04 Beginning Postsecondary Students: After 6 Years--First Look - This report presents findings from the 2004-09 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study, which collected information over six years describing the enrollment and employment experiences of a national sample of undergraduates who began their postsecondary education for the first time in the 2003-4 academic year. The tables in the report focus on rates of certificate and degree completion among students of different backgrounds starting their postsecondary education at different types of institutions. (National Center for Education Statistics, November 2010)...