Education Insights Center (EdInsights)’s Post

Thank you to our partners at Alamo Colleges District for the opportunity to look at their impactful Transfer Compact! They have done a great job improving student outcomes through strong transfer relationships. -In 2020, ACD Compact students who had no excess credit hours collectively saved up to $374 million on tuition costs. Among those who followed a Seamless Transfer Pathway, students who transferred to a public university saved an average of $40,215 and those who transferred to a private university saved an average of $54,435. -Alamo Colleges District students who transferred to Compact schools graduated at significantly higher rates than those who had transferred to schools not participating in the Compact. Across all race/ethnicities, students at Compact institutions graduated at higher rates compared to students at non-Compact institutions, and this was especially pronounced for Black and Hispanic students. -On average, students who earned a bachelor’s degree from a Compact school spent less time at the Compact institution than those who earned a bachelor’s degree from a non-Compact institution. 

➡️ 🔎 Did you know Georgia Southern University has eight colleges, four research institutes, and 12 research centers that ensure academic outcomes are focused on community impact? Learn more about this featured #college on CollegeXpress! #colleges #highered #highereducation #collegesanduniversities #collegesearch #collegeadmission #exploringcolleges #students #highschoolstudents #collegestudents

Addressing the critical issue highlighted in this EdSource article, where a majority of high school students fail to complete the A-G requirements for admission to the University of California or California State University systems, reinforces the urgency of our mission at Inspirame. The panelists rightly emphasize the need to raise expectations and provide robust support to ensure student success. This aligns with our commitment to empowering learners through TecoGuide, a platform designed to guide students seamlessly from college access to career readiness. The challenges highlighted in the article, such as the lack of awareness, inadequate support, and conflicting schedules, underscore the necessity for innovative solutions. TecoGuide, with its comprehensive features, is positioned to bridge these gaps by offering clear pathways, financial aid guidance, and real-time assistance. Our mission is not only about creating awareness but providing actionable degree plans and real-time guidance to all learners. By leveraging technology, we aim to make the educational journey more accessible, reducing the barriers faced by students and parents who may not be familiar with A-G requirements. Moreover, TecoGuide is there to remind families that financial constraints should not be a detour but an opportunity to explore alternative paths, including affordable options like community college transfer routes. The systemic changes discussed, especially the need for equity-focused evaluation and default enrollment processes, resonate deeply with our vision for inclusivity and accessibility. Through collaborations with schools, districts, and equity programs, we aspire to contribute to the transformative changes needed at both the district and statewide levels. Inspirame is dedicated to being an integral part of the solution, empowering all students to navigate their educational journey successfully. Let's work together to create a future where every student has the opportunity to fulfill their dreams, irrespective of their background or circumstances. This opportunity is too important to keep quiet, I hope you will join me in sharing the importance of expanding access and awareness. Mauricio Gonzalez #TecoGuide

Special thanks to Janice Jackson, EdD, Arne Duncan, Pedro Martinez, Elaine Allensworth & Thomas Kane for joining us for “Progress and Promise,” and Brandis Griffith Friedman for moderating the discussion on new research and promising post-pandemic gains by Chicago Public Schools students, and the work that still needs to be done. Read more in the Chicago Sun-Times story below. #ProgressAndPromise #StudentSuccess https://lnkd.in/gUt2-jAN

📣 Exciting news! USU Executive Director Jennifer Keup has released a series of insightful research briefs with National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition and National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Learn more below -

Have a student applying to college soon? Do you know about U of TN applications rising by 30% in 1 year? Are Mizzou, Dartmouth, and Yale moving to the test required for 2025? What about UMich? I am honored to present these trends and more at Anthology Financial Partners' client and community event! #ameriprise #collegeplanning #collegeprep #CollegeInsideTrack

A timely and important piece by Jamie Merisotis, president and CEO of Lumina Foundation, that reminds us of the many contributions of #highered -- all the more important to acknowledge at a time where #highereducation is coming under attack from multiple directions. Perhaps the most resonant commentary (for me) relates to higher ed's role in building bridges, protecting democracy, and "preparing people for active, informed citizenship." In other words, the antidote to polarization. I have written about the urgent need and OPPORTUNITY for higher educational institutions to bring people back to the middle... a place and forum for civil discourse, exploration and discovery, facts and truth, debate and dialog. As Jamie writes, higher ed can "lead us to the most productive responses, at a time when such responses are so desperately needed."

Exciting news! After months of planning and organizing, the inaugural Los Angeles Regional Consortium (LARC) Faculty Equity Learning Community (FELC) officially kicked off with its first workshop on September 27, 2024! 🎉 We brought together 50 passionate faculty members from Los Angeles County's community colleges to dive deep into important conversations on equity—defining what it means for professors individually and collectively, and exploring how to be more equity-minded in educational work. 🌱 Some of the key topics that were tackled: - The role of self-awareness in understanding how our identities show up in diverse spaces. - The significance of positionality, power, cultural competence, and cultural humility in education. - How not just educators but also institutions hold a responsibility to create truly equitable learning environments for ALL students. 📚 This first workshop was all about getting on the same page, sharing personal stories and reflections, and aligning on a shared vision for improving student success and closing equity gaps for the brightest mind of the future. What's especially inspiring is that this project is facilitated by professors, for professors—with educators from across #LACounty and 4 incredible FELC leaders and facilitators from Santa Ana College in #OrangeCounty! This is the sort of multiregional collaboration that addresses and solves longstanding systemic challenges impacting our Californian student population--it's also exciting to boot! 🤝 The energy during the virtual workshop was palpable, and I can't wait to see the lasting impact of this community college work. We're just getting started, and the best is yet to come! 🚀 #EquityInAction #FacultyCollaboration #StudentSuccess #HigherEdEquity #CollectiveImpact #EducationInnovation #CommunityColleges

New from Beth Schueler and Katherine E. Larned: Read full article at https://lnkd.in/eJHehprq In a stereotypical image of a high-school debate tournament, straight-A students compete to see which renowned prep school team comes out on top. Increasingly, this is no longer the case: in recent decades, nonprofit organizations have been working to expand access to debate in public school systems that serve large concentrations of low-income students and students of color. More than 10,000 students from 20 cities participated in debate tournaments last year, according to the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues. That includes the Boston Debate League, which was founded in 2005 to “develop critical thinkers ready for college, career, and engagement with the world around them.” The league supports teachers to launch and coach debate teams and runs monthly after-school debates for middle- and high-school students, among other initiatives (see “Making the Case for Student Debate Leagues,” features). While the immediate virtues of debate are easy to spot—teenagers research real-world topics, practice public speaking, and use evidence in support of their arguments—we wanted to know whether that translates into better academic achievement and attainment. Does participation in formal debate programs improve student outcomes?