Ed Department taps college community for advice
The U.S. Department of Education is calling on colleges and universities for help. The federal agency is asking members of the higher education community to dole out some advice on effective practices for keeping students enrolled in school through graduation.
“Our task now is to brainstorm more creative ideas and scale up those practices that are most successful in making sure that all students — regardless of income, race or background — are crossing the finish line,” U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said at the Department’s recent college completion symposium.
The Ed Department has commissioned some of the nation’s top researchers to compile a toolkit of sorts that would contain best practices for postsecondary student retention. This toolkit would be available to educators at postsecondary institutions in order to help accomplish the Obama administration’s goal to boost college completion and have the world’s most-educated workforce and highest number of college graduates by the year 2020.
One of the Education Department’s stated goals in this endeavor to gain insight on best practices for retention and college completion is to ensure that students get the best education possible – without them having to break the bank to do so.
“We know that answers for improving quality and completion will come from professors, deans, and leaders in the field who have first-hand knowledge about what works to keep students in school and help them succeed,” said U.S. Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter. “Our goal is to highlight strategies that have had the greatest impact on students’ success without saddling them with unnecessary costs or debt.”
According to the Ed Department, suggestions that “emphasize the quality of what students learn and timely or accelerated attainment of degrees or certificates, including industry-recognized credentials that lead to employment outcomes” will be especially welcome and are at the top of their most-wanted list. The Department has provided information on best ways to submit the requested suggestions (PDF), which will be placed online for educators and administrators to view and use as they are received.
