College, Career, and Civic Readiness

The Center for American Progress is dedicated to preparing all students for college, civic engagement, and the future workforce. Many jobs in the future may be radically different from those of the past, and Americans can expect to hold multiple jobs over the course of their careers. As a result, we recognize the importance of the K-12 education system to provide every child with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed both in postsecondary education and in a changing workforce across a wide range of occupations. We believe this exposure should begin as early as kindergarten and include preparation of educators and engagement of families.

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The Top 5 Ways the Congressional Republicans’ Budget Reconciliation Bill Will Harm Disabled Students Report
Students are seen eating lunch.

The Top 5 Ways the Congressional Republicans’ Budget Reconciliation Bill Will Harm Disabled Students

Disabled students will be disproportionately hurt by the Republican budget reconciliation bill, losing access to essential services and resources that support their education and help them become contributing members of their communities.

5 Ways Community Colleges Drive Workforce Development Report
A student stands in the shade at East Los Angeles College.

5 Ways Community Colleges Drive Workforce Development

Community colleges play a vital role in workforce development by offering accessible education, aligning programs with industry needs, providing upskilling opportunities, fostering local partnerships, and supporting lifelong learning for diverse populations.

Madison Weiss

Congressional Republicans’ Proposed Budget Reconciliation Bill Imperils 4.4 Million Pell Grant Recipients Article
Students are seen walking across a college campus.

Congressional Republicans’ Proposed Budget Reconciliation Bill Imperils 4.4 Million Pell Grant Recipients

Proposed changes to Pell Grant eligibility could mean nearly two out of three recipients could lose some or all their federal grant aid and incur up to an additional total of $7,400 for a bachelor’s degree and $3,700 for an associate degree.

Sara Partridge

Reorienting Colleges Toward Student-Centered Practices Report
A student sits in a college lecture hall at the University of Texas at Austin, February 22, 2024.

Reorienting Colleges Toward Student-Centered Practices

Colleges, universities, and policymakers can draw lessons from the evolution of patient-centered care in the health care system to create a more responsive and inclusive higher education system.

Stephanie Hall, Madison Weiss

Fact Sheet: 3 Trends in K-12 Assessments Across the Country Fact Sheet
Student running down sidewalk; school bus in distance

Fact Sheet: 3 Trends in K-12 Assessments Across the Country

Reforms of state assessment systems could measure student learning more accurately and effectively, providing educators the information they need to close achievement gaps.

Allie Pearce

An Overlooked Financial Aid Tool Can Help More Adults Reach College Report
Department of Education exterior

An Overlooked Financial Aid Tool Can Help More Adults Reach College

The Ability to Benefit provision for federal financial aid is underutilized but has great potential to increase educational attainment among adults without high school diplomas.

Bradley D. Custer

CAP’s Comment on Accessing President Biden’s Debt Relief Plan and the Education Department’s Fresh Start Initiative Article

CAP’s Comment on Accessing President Biden’s Debt Relief Plan and the Education Department’s Fresh Start Initiative

This coalition letter, led by the Center for American Progress, asks the U.S. Department of Education to work closely with the U.S. Department of Justice to distribute information about student loan debt relief to incarcerated student loan borrowers.

Bradley D. Custer

After We Cancel the Debt Past Event

After We Cancel the Debt

The Future of Higher Education in a Post-Debt Cancellation United States

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5 Things To Know About Debt Cancellation Article
Student loan borrowers gather near the White House to urge President Joe Biden to cancel student debt

5 Things To Know About Debt Cancellation

Student debt cancellation would help people of all ages, reduce the racial wealth gap, and help borrowers weather turmoil in the student loan system.

Ella Azoulay, Jared C. Bass, Marcella Bombardieri, 1 More Bradley D. Custer

Timeline: Federal Student Loans During the COVID-19 Pandemic Article
Students wear their graduation gowns outside of the White House.

Timeline: Federal Student Loans During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This article presents a timeline of recent events related to student loans and takes a look at what’s to come for student loan borrowers.

Bradley D. Custer, Ella Azoulay

Expanding Access to Higher Education and the Promise It Holds Testimony

Expanding Access to Higher Education and the Promise It Holds

Marshall Anthony Jr., senior policy analyst for Higher Education at the Center for American Progress, testified on the importance of expanding access to higher education before the House Ways and Means Committee on June 29, 2021.

Marshall Anthony Jr.

Congress’ Down Payment on Higher Education’s 2021 Needs Article
The U.S. Capitol stands in the early morning on October 20, 2020, in Washington, D.C. (Getty/Stefani Reynolds)

Congress’ Down Payment on Higher Education’s 2021 Needs

A summary of key policy changes and funding in the fiscal year 2021 omnibus budget and coronavirus relief package.

Antoinette Flores, Viviann Anguiano

The $78 Billion Reason Why Community Colleges Need America’s Attention Video

The $78 Billion Reason Why Community Colleges Need America’s Attention

Nationally, community colleges receive $78 billion less in revenue than public four-year institutions, leading to disparate outcomes among their student populations.

Victoria Yuen, Viviann Anguiano

A First 100 Days Agenda for K-12 Education Report
 (A school bus drives down a street in Waitsfield, Vermont, February 2013.)

A First 100 Days Agenda for K-12 Education

The next presidential administration must take immediate, bold action to provide a quality education for every child.

Scott Sargrad, Khalilah M. Harris, Lisette Partelow, 2 More Neil Campbell, Laura Jimenez

The $78 Billion Community College Funding Shortfall Report
FREDERICK, MD - OCTOBER 6: Students study and eat in the student center at Frederick Community College, on October 6, 2015 in Frederick, Maryland. About 16,000 students of all ages attend college at FCC. Tuition and fees are about half of what they are at four-year public colleges in Maryland. Financial aid options help make learning more accessible for all students. People living in this small city have a median income a bit above the national median. Its homeownership rate is a bit below average. (Photo by Melanie Stetson Freeman/The Christian Science Monitor via Getty Images)

The $78 Billion Community College Funding Shortfall

A closer look at the revenue gaps between community colleges and public four-year institutions reveals significant inequities and underscores the need for reform.

Victoria Yuen

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