Giving Compass' Take:

• The author describes key trends in higher education that have made an impact since the signing of the 2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act.

• Which trends are most important to helping with college students gaining more employment opportunities? 

• Read about predictions for the future of higher education. 

Ten years ago, on August 14, 2008, President George W. Bush signed into law the 2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), the last comprehensive reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA). This took place during the buildup to a financial crisis that ultimately cost 8.7 million American jobs.

In no particular order, here’s a look back at some key trends that have impacted the world of higher education since the last HEA reauthorization in 2008.

  • Performance Focus: Since 2008, key associations, foundations, states and institutions nationwide have embraced a shift in increasing access and ensuring success. States have moved to strengthen performance-based funding models and reward institutions for the student outcomes they produce, instead of simply enrollment.
  • Data Destiny: While the ban on a federal student-level data network still stands, data is at the forefront of the work that institutions, states and researchers are doing to improve student outcomes.
  • Alternative Providers: Hype or Hope? In the decade since HEOA passed, the world of technology and learning has been in a state of constant change. New pathways, providers and delivery models have emerged with the potential to serve a wider range of students in ways that may be less costly and more directly tied to in-demand skills.
  • Bootcamps on the Ground? The most widely-recognized bootcamps are “coding bootcamps” that teach STEM-focused skills that are needed to diversify and fulfill current technology jobs.
  • Free College: Showing ‘Promise’? Calls for tuition-free college and enhanced student loan forgiveness have become a growing part of the national discourse around higher education policy, with members of Congress and recent presidential candidates endorsing the idea.

Read the full article about key trends in higher education by Emily Bouck at EdSurge