Pathways to Advancement
<Link to the Initiative>
Initiative Description
The Pathways to Advancement initiative was launched by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) to assist governors and state policy makers in examining options for expanding working adults’ access to and completion of postsecondary education. Nine states interested in changing their policies and practices related to higher education financing, program, and accreditation requirements, and student aid to enable greater numbers of adults to earn postsecondary education credentials were selected to participate in the project. Each state assembled a cross-agency team of executive level advisors from the governor’s office, officials from state agencies such as postsecondary education and workforce development as well as other key government stakeholders to evaluate their own education, workforce, and economic development policies. The goal is to help working adults earn college and other post-high school degrees. The grants also help support state-specific research, evaluation, and consensus-building activities related to improving postsecondary education for working adults.
Partners
Implementers
Nine states were selected to participate in the Pathways to Advancement project: Arkansas, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. Each of the nine states assembled a state team of executive advisors from the governor’s office, officials from state agencies such as postsecondary education, adult education, workforce development, welfare, and economic development, and other key individuals in and out of government. Over the course of the two-year project, the state Pathways to Advancement teams evaluated education, workforce, welfare, and economic development policies in their own states with a view toward helping working adults earn college and other post-high school degrees. The state teams also met collectively twice to engage in cross-team analysis and critiques of policy proposals and to learn from the Pathways to Advancement policy academy faculty of national and state policy experts in higher education, economic development, and other related fields.
Partner Organizations
The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) launched the Pathways to Advancement initiative in order to help governors and their policy advisors examine options and developing strategies for expanding working adults' access to and completion of postsecondary education. Financial support is provided by the Lumina Foundation.
Initiative Publications
The Pathways to Advancement Project: How States Can Expand Postsecondary Educational Opportunities for Working Adults (January, 2009).
This report summarizes the history, development, and outcomes of the Pathway to Advancement Initiative. It highlights the efforts of the nine participating states in aligning policies and systems to ensure postsecondary transition and raise postsecondary retention.
Transition Tools
No tools are currently available.
For more information about the initiative, please contact:
The Education Division, National Governors Association, Center for Best Practices (NGA Center), webmaster@nga.org