education and workforce policy

Wednesday September 12, 2012

Adult Literacy: Making the Connection

by Rachel Pleasants McDonnell
This week is National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week. JFF applauds its organizer, the National Coalition for Literacy, for drawing the connection between adult literacy and economic stability. We too are committed to helping adults gain the education they need to achieve financial independence and support their families and are staunch...

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Thursday September 6, 2012

Moving Beyond Small Upticks in Achievement

by Alfred W. Tatum
As a participant in this year’s Black Male Summit at the U.S. Department of Education, I was impressed by the wide range of perspectives offered to structure and protect equitable academic and social pathways for African-American males in the United States. I was also impressed by the tone of the conversation. The focus on African-American males...

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Thursday August 9, 2012

Debating the Value of Placement Exams: Where to Begin?

by Lara Couturier
For many years, community colleges have in good faith administered placement exams to incoming students. The philosophy behind placement testing is that we can best serve our students by accurately assessing their skills and then placing them into courses that provide them with the academic supports they need to be successful—be that college-level...

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