The National Landscape of Credit for Prior Learning: The American Council on Education released a report analyzing trends in state and system policy regarding credit for prior learning (CPL) and experiences attained outside of a formal college setting. CPL policies are critical as states and institutions consider how to accelerate credential completion to reduce gaps in educational attainment.
Researchers tracked 362 CPL policies nationally and found that 49 states had policies on methods of assessment to test outside learning, 46 provided credit for military experience, and 42 required postsecondary institutions to establish a CPL policy. Policies evaluating the effectiveness of CPL were least common (20 states), followed by 30 states with policies on data tracking and 30 with cost/affordability policies. Based on these findings, the report outlines some next steps that policymakers in states should consider. This includes making data collection and reporting a priority; integrating CPL data into equity and workforce initiatives; and addressing the costs and fees often associated with CPL services, such as exams.
Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates: The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education published a report with extensive disaggregated projections of high school graduation rates in the United States. Analyses were done by race/ethnicity, region and urban/rural locality. Some of the most critical findings are:
- The total number of high school graduates is expected to peak in 2025, followed by a steady decline through 2041.
- The share of graduates who are from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, particularly Hispanic and multiracial students, is expected to keep rising.
- By 2041, 38 states are projected to see a decline in the total number of graduates.
COVID-19 is also expected to remain impactful in the years that follow, with the researchers noting a decline in enrollment in earlier grades of schooling. These projections indicate that more work needs to be done by policymakers to address the needs of students who may face obstacles in pursuing their high school diploma, such as chronic absenteeism.
Future of Jobs Report 2025: The World Economic Forum recently published their Future of Jobs Report, a biannual report that examines evolving global technological, societal and economic trends to understand workforce opportunities and disruptions for the jobs of the future. This iteration of the report identifies trends expected in the future global workforce, including:
- 60% of employers expect expanding digital access to transform their business, with recent advancements being made in generative AI, robotics and information processing expected to dramatically alter the workforce. Correspondingly, the need for AI and big data skills is expected to grow fastest, followed by networks and cybersecurity skills.
- The aging population is also expected to alter the workforce, paving the way for CTE and work-based learning programs to prepare young workers to meet shortages.
- Employers consider the biggest hurdle to business transformation to be the skills gap in workers, with 85% of employers intending to prioritize upskilling their workforce.
Student Decision Making and the Choice of Non-degree Postsecondary Pathways: An article by Estefanie Aguilar Padilla, Rachel Baker and Sarah Beu in the December 2024 issue of Career and Technical Education Research (CTER) examined high school students’ perceptions and familiarity with non-degree postsecondary pathways, particularly the perceived costs and benefits of these pathways and characteristics of students interested in them. National survey data of high school students was collected and analyzed to answer these questions.
The researchers found that, generally, student knowledge of non-degree postsecondary pathways is low. Students tend to prefer attending four-year colleges in person the most as a pathway, but 41% included at least one non-degree option in their selection of preferred pathways after high school. Male students were less likely than female students to include a non-degree pathway in their selections, and Hispanic students were more likely to do so than white students. Interestingly, students whose parents hold a bachelor's degree or above had more favorable opinions of non-degree pathways than students whose parents had less education. When examining reasons, students concerned about the cost of postsecondary education are more likely to consider pursuing a non-degree pathway.
Finally, students expressed a lack of confidence in making future plans. Only half of students agreed with the statements “I feel like I’m in control of my future” and “I have enough information to decide the best plan for me after high school.”
This most recent issue of CTER also includes articles on the impact of international experiences on CTE educators, STEM-CTE teaching, Technology Student Association participation and soft skills development, agriculture teacher retention, evaluation of an agriculture career experiences resource, and more.
Comments