Congressional Action on the Biden College Completion Fund

By James Murphy The Biden administration and Democrats in Congress are proposing a paradigm shift in how the federal government supports Americans pursuing postsecondary degrees. In the past, federal support for students was aimed at increasing college access and affordability through individualized student grants and loans. The federal government did little, however, to address the

The Higher Ed Reconciliation Challenge

By Michael Dannenberg Didn’t get a chance to read our latest report on Virginia’s “separate and unequal” public higher education system? Here’s a handy PowerPoint summary of that report that focuses on the unequal portion. A summary of our first report that focuses on Virginia’s de facto segregated higher ed system can be read here. After viewing

Assessments 101: Assessment Types, Their Uses, and Building Balanced Assessment Systems

By Nicholas Munyan-Penney and Charles Barone On July 27, ERN hosted “Assessments 101: Assessment Types, Their Uses, and Building Balanced Assessment Systems,” the first in a series of three webinars that we’re calling the Assessment Bootcamp. This first session was designed to provide advocates and policymakers with a shared language and knowledge base about different

Liberty University: Bigger Problems than Jerry Falwell’s Actions 

By: Katlyn Riggins  Liberty University is no stranger to scandal. Former university president, Jerry Falwell Jr., resigned in August 2020 after years of controversy finally caught up to him. In years past, Falwell was criticized for racist remarks and his public support for President Trump during the 2016 campaign. In the months leading up to

The College of William & Mary: Low Access, But High Taxpayer Support

By: Katlyn Riggins  The College of William & Mary (W&M) is a public university in Williamsburg, Virginia, that enrolls some 6,000 undergraduate students. It was founded in 1693 by King William III and Queen Mary II, making W&M the second-oldest college in the United States. William & Mary holds another record: when data is averaged

Virginia Higher Ed Funding Has Miles to Go

By James Murphy and Michael Dannenberg As Governor Ralph Northam heads into the final months of his term in Virginia, he can look back on his years and take credit for doing more to reduce the inadequacy and inequity in higher education funding than any other governor of the Commonwealth this century. He increased funding

Report: State Guidance for High-Impact Tutoring

The recent passage of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is infusing America’s K12 public schools with unprecedented, desperately needed relief funds to aid in the academic recovery of students in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The $122 billion allocated to K12 public schools represents over seven times current annual Title I funding. As

What’s going on in VA Higher Ed? Your Brief Explainer

Didn’t have time to read our full issue brief on racial and economic inequities in access and admissions to Virginia colleges and universities? Or did you miss news coverage on the same, our “Words & Deeds” series, or our Virginian-Pilot op-ed with recommendations? No problem. Here is your handy, PowerPoint summary of our Scratching the

Opinion: Level the playing field for college admissions

By Michael Dannenberg This op-ed first appeared in the Virginian-Pilot on May 5, 2021. Each year politicians provide millions to selective colleges and ask virtually nothing in return. In Virginia, that has allowed a de facto segregated system by class and race to fester. Five of the 11 worst public colleges in the country on

In Providing Students Post-Pandemic Options, Let’s Not Forget Past Virtual School Failures

By Nicholas Munyan-Penney Ever since schools first started moving to remote learning in March of last year, the goal has always been the same: reopen school buildings and get students back in classrooms. But as we get increasingly closer to that goal—over 90% of schools are now offering in-person learning for students—there have been rumblings