2023 Rural Policy Action Report: A Roadmap for Rural Progress

Rural Policy Action

A national collaborative of rural policy and advocacy organizations released their “2023 Rural Action Policy Report,” outlining specific investments, policy improvements, and regulatory reforms to provide the tools rural people need to succeed. The report highlights the ongoing challenges people in rural communities face, the numerous policy successes since the publication of the previous report in 2021, and recommends federal policies that will continue to improve the economy, infrastructure, and resources for these communities.

Rural Community College Excellence: A Guide to Delivering Strong Opportunity for Students and Communities

The Aspen Institute

Rural community colleges occupy a unique and important place in higher education. Of 332 million Americans, 46 million live in rural communities, and more than 1.5 million attend one of 444 rural community colleges. These institutions are more than education providers; they are essential hubs in their regions, generating opportunities for economic mobility, driving talent development, and often supporting their region’s health and education systems.

California Community College CEO Tenure & Retention Study

ResearchEd & CCLC

California Community College chancellors, superintendents/presidents, and college presidents (CEOs), are expected to be multidimensional leaders capable of navigating a broad range of challenges which include the dynamic nature of contemporary higher education, internal and external constituent relations, student basic needs and success, district and campus climate, accreditation and reporting requirements, strategic planning, campus infrastructure, fundraising and community relations, local, state, and federal advocacy, and a host of unanticipated exigencies. With increasing demands on institutions of higher education, CEO expectations have also intensified. As the data demonstrate, the proliferation of CEO responsibilities is correlated with shorter tenures and higher turnover. Yet, with this type of quantitative data, two central questions for policymakers and researchers emerge: 1) Does this matter? 2) Should this be of concern? As such, the 10th Update begins with the question: Why is CEO tenure and retention important?

Embedding Credit for Prior Learning in Career Pathways

Advance CTE, New Skills Ready Network, Education Strategy Group

As state leaders work toward attainment goals, address crucial workforce shortages, and seek to build inclusive economies that offer family-sustaining wages, CPL policy and practice should be investigated as a high-reward strategy. Effective and equitable CPL policy and practice enable learners to apply their postsecondary-level learning toward career pathways that lead to credentials of value in an accelerated and affordable manner. Moreover, state, system and institution leaders should view CPL as an impactful strategy to increase equity in access to and completion of high-quality career pathways.