Daily Lumina News 110921

The U.S. Department of Education should “better leverage” existing federal data to ease the burden of aid verification on students and colleges, two prominent organizations propose in a new report.
The recommendations by the National College Attainment Network and the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators come amid increased scrutiny of the lengthy audit-like process that disproportionately affects low-income college applicants.

A couple months ago, a nationwide program for providing two years of community college tuition-free seemed on the verge of becoming reality. Today, the idea is no longer part of President Joe Biden's social spending plan.
This episode of Extra Credit looks at the history of the free community college movement, why it was left out of the Build Back Better Act, and where the idea goes from here.

Think apprenticeship and you might imagine construction workers, electricians, or maybe even a chef, but likely not a child-care provider.
Randi Wolfe aims to change that perception. Wolfe runs Early Care and Education Pathways to Success, a nonprofit that coordinates apprenticeship programs throughout California. The effort integrates mentorship, on-the-job training, and free classes where providers can earn the college credits they need to move up the pay scale.

When it comes to providing an affordable public higher education to undocumented students, few states compare to Maryland.
At the same time, several key barriers still limit undocumented students from fully benefitting from their higher education credentials. Case in point: Maryland bars undocumented students from obtaining professional licenses.