In the Know with ACCT

Dually enrolled students are becoming one of the fastest growing populations at community colleges! Earlier this year, ACCT launched a new project exploring innovative state strategies for community college funding and dual enrollment in the states of Texas and California. In this episode, consultant and guest host, Amy Ellen Duke-Benfield, sits down with leaders from two Texas community colleges who were influential in the rollout of House Bill 8, which aims to increase the number of Texans with credentials of value.

In celebration of Student Parent Month, ACCT's Kids on Campus Director, Miya Simpson, sits down with the founder and CEO of Generation Hope, to discuss barriers to student parent success on college campuses. In this season premiere episode, Nicole Lynn Lewis details her journey through college as a single mother, highlighting the roadblocks she faced in securing adequate childcare, and the two-generation approach her organization is taking to drive systemic change nationwide.

The American people have spoken, and the results are in. President-elect Donald J. Trump is preparing to take on a second term in the the White House with an all new agenda and a Republican controlled  Congress behind him. This shift in power could mean a sweep of changes will be coming to the public education sector. ACCT’s Vice President of Public Policy, Carrie-Warick Smith, Director of Government Relations, Jose Miranda, and Senior Government Relations Associate, Genesis Santiago are here to analyze how community colleges could be affected by the election results.

Is filling out the FAFSA posing a challenge to your college students? Significant revisions have been made to the application within the last few years, but don’t fret! The ACCT public policy team breaks down all things FAFSA in their latest financial aid brief.

Former International President of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, Tala Alahmar, stopped by the ACCT office in Washington, D.C. to update the membership on her academic journey and professional goals following graduation from Oakland Community College and the University of Michigan. Alahmar was first introduced to the ACCT membership as a keynote speaker at the 2022 ACCT Leadership Congress in New York City, NY.

Link to Full Congress Keynote Speech

Artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, biotechnology…The technology sector is advancing, and community colleges are finding themselves at the center of the innovation economy! On this episode of “In the Know”, Shalin Jyotishi from New America, breaks down the federal funding streams allocated through the CHIPS Act that are supplying community colleges with the resources needed to keep the workforce up to speed.

Did you know nearly one in ten undergraduate students are single mothers?

Did you know nearly all of those single mothers are living at or near the poverty line?

On this episode of in the know, ACCT’s Vice President of Public Policy, Carrie Warick-Smith is sitting down with Amber Angel from the ECMC Foundation. They’ll talk about how community colleges are aiming to provide more support to this growing student population and how the kids on campus project can be a reliable and effective solution for childcare needs.

Access to safe, reliable childcare can be one of the biggest barriers to adults looking to pursue higher education. The annual cost of childcare is surpassing the cost of college tuition in some states, and as a result, student parents are being pushed out of the retention pipeline. So how is ACCT addressing this basic needs issue? Steve Jurch, Associate Vice President for ACCT'S Center for Policy and Practice, leads this important discussion and provides us with an overview of the new Kids on Campus Initiative.

Guests:

Laura Weeldreyer

Executive Director, Maryland Family Network

Hilda Pena-Alfaro

Executive Director Child Development and Family Support, Mt. Hood Community College

On this episode of "In the Know", ACCT's Sean Robins sits down with Annie Phillips from Education Strategy Group to discuss the progress of our joint Non-Credit Alignment Lab Initiative. The grant program was designed to identify best practices to equitably and effectively serve learners enrolled in non-credit programs at community colleges.

Appropriations bills, power transitions, funding deadlines…ACCT’s public policy team is here to get you all caught up on the latest action in Washington as our members prepare to meet with their legislators and advocate for their students at the 2024 Community College National Legislative Summit!