For our look at both the legislative branch and education.
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A recent poll found that many people no longer think a college degree is worth the cost. Declining enrollments and growth in nondegree credentials have compounded that view.
“We have affordability challenges, completion challenges and other challenges that are causing many people, young and old, to question the value of postsecondary education and causing them to hesitate about taking that important step,” says Oregon Sen. Michael Dembrow, who co-chairs the NCSL Higher Education Task Force on Affordability and Student Outcomes with Utah Senate Majority Whip Ann Millner.
“We want access. We want affordability. And we want completion, graduation,” Millner says. “And if we can think about things together and align our work around common goals, we are going to be much more successful as we think about the way forward and the important role higher education plays, both in developing and educating citizenry and also the workforce that we need.”
Jamie Merisotis, president and CEO of the Lumina Foundation, says making the case for higher education starts with understanding student demographics.
“The best way to better serve students in the moment that we’re in is to recognize who today’s students are,” Merisotis says. “The majority of learners today are adults. They’re first generation. Many attend part time or something just short of full time. Many are the first in their families to go to college. Many face challenges that the system doesn’t adequately recognize.”
For more:
- State Approaches to Nondegree Credentials.
Interest in nondegree credentials continues to accelerate among students, institutions and employers. The nonprofit Strada Education Network reports that 40% of working-age adults have completed a nondegree credential. Interest in shorter, more targeted learning has grown since the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey from Cengage found that among workers who resigned or quit jobs in 2021 and enrolled in education or training programs, 62% chose programs that were less than three months in duration.
Nondegree credentials include a range of programs such as certificates, industry certifications, microcredentials, occupational/professional licenses, and apprenticeships. These options are far shorter in duration and less costly than traditional degree programs. Providers offering nondegree credentials include colleges and technical schools as well as industry and government groups. There were more than 500,000 nondegree credentials offered in the United States in 2022, according to the nonprofit Credential Engine, which compiles education and workforce data.
