State Policies on Community College Workforce Development: Findings from a National Survey PDF - The vast majority of the more than 165,000 advanced certificates community colleges award are in job-related fields. This paper presents findings from a survey of state higher education officials on policies the various states have established to guide and support workforce development programs at community colleges. (ECS Center for Community College Policy, Fall 2002)...

Setting a Public Agenda for Higher Education in the States: Lessons Learned from the National Collaborative for Higher Education Policy - The National Collaborative for Postsecondary Education Policy, a partnership between the Education Commission of the States, the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education and the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, was created to investigate and recommend new strategies for improving postsecondary education. The final report summarizes lessons learned from intensive work in five states and offers guidance to policymakers interested in pursuing a new agenda for higher education to meet the needs of citizens and communities in a more globally competitive economy. (Gordon K. Davies, National Collaborative for Higher Education Policy, December 2006)...

Life After UMaine: The Employment and Educational Status of 2004/05 Baccalaureate Degree Recipients - The University of Maine's Office of Institutional Studies completed a survey of the 1,460 individuals receiving University of Maine baccalaureate degrees in December, 2004, and in May and August, 2005. This report summarizes the employment and educational status of those UMaine graduates. At the time of the survey, six to 15 months had elapsed, depending upon conferral date. (The Office of Institutional Studies, University of Maine, 2006)...

“Putting Minds to Work” Pays Big Dividends! The Impact of Florida Community Colleges on Students’ Prosperity and the State’s Economy: A Solid Return on Investment - This report examines the impact of Florida’s community colleges on students’ prosperity and on the state’s economy. The state’s 28 community colleges have a broad mission and multiple responsibilities. They chiefly provide academic and technical degree education. Most of their students are part-time. Their average age is 27. During the 2004-05 fiscal year, more than 800,000 students sought educational enhancement through the community college system. (Necati Aydin, Florida Tax Watch, February 2006) ...

Addressing Iowa’s Greatest Imperative: All learners must be prepared for the 21st century - The Institute for Tomorrow’s Workforce (ITW) believes Iowa’s greatest imperative is that all learners are prepared for the 21st century. This means a postsecondary credential – diploma, college degree, license or certificate of employability – for all learners. Without this, ITW believes Iowa’s young people are unequipped to compete in the global marketplace. This report embraces one primary principle: education must be “performance based.” A performance-based system includes high standards for the performance of students, teachers and the educational system itself. Included are recommendations on how to implement performance standards for students, teachers, school districts and the statewide system. (The Institute for Tomorrow's Workforce, 2006)...

Individuals with Baccalaureate Degrees Have Positive Outcomes; Increasing Production in Critical Areas Poses Challenges - This report examines the extent to which persons who earn baccalaureate or graduate degrees meet Florida's workforce needs, focusing on: (1) the employment outcomes of persons who obtain baccalaureate and graduate degrees and (2) what is being done to increase the number of graduates with critically needed degrees. (Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, December 2005)...