Daily Lumina News 041522

In his latest budget proposal last month, President Joe Biden called for doubling the maximum Pell Grant by 2029. The award—$13,000—is intended to cover a much larger share of college costs for low-income students.
While it isn’t likely to pass, affordability advocates hope the president’s ambitious proposal will amplify an important conversation about the federal student-aid program.

Roughly three-quarters of colleges around the country haven’t required standardized tests from applicants during the pandemic, many ditching the scores to accommodate teens whose SAT and ACT exams were canceled because of the public-health crisis.
The reprieve is now over for some institutions. Other schools are extending the test-optional stance. For applicants, the changing policies spell confusion.

Companies and schools in the U.S. Department of Labor-certified Chicago Apprentice Network offer students the opportunity to earn while they learn and gain valuable work experience in high-demand industries.
Now, the apprenticeship program is gearing up to form new networks in six more cities.

The wide availability of credentials should be good news for credential-seekers. But the credential marketplace is confusing, and individuals can easily get lost trying to navigate it.
Improving and expanding quality standards—and making those standards consistent across all providers—would benefit not only credential-seekers, but also credential providers and employers, says a new report from the Higher Learning Commission.

There are only some winners in today's job market—and then everybody else, says Aimée Eubanks Davis, who heads an organization focused on solving the education-to-employment gap for low-income and first-generation college students.
To share prosperity equitably, Eubanks Davis believes employers, colleges, and policymakers must invest in career development for more women, first-generation college goers, and students of color.

Like many law enforcement agencies, campus police forces have become the subject of scrutiny, particularly in the post–George Floyd era when distrust of uniformed officers is high.
Some college police departments are now demilitarizing uniforms and repainting cars to appear less intimidating and try to earn students’ trust. And it isn’t just a look—campus leaders say it’s part of a strategy focused on enhancing community policing.