RICHMOND, Va. - A new program aims to give underserved students of color extra support to close education and workforce training gaps that have grown worse during the pandemic.
The Racial Equity for Adult Credentials in Higher Education (REACH) program helps Black, Hispanic and Native American students deal with barriers to attending community colleges that many white students don't face.
Wayne Taliaferro, strategy officer with Lumina Foundation, which is co-sponsoring the program in Virginia and five other states, said REACH might help students of color with child care, transportation or counseling - to enhance Virginia's workforce training programs at community colleges.
"Since 2016, Virginia's been investing in short-term training programs," he said, "and then they also allow students to come back and seek further study. And so, that is something that's like, 'Oh, that's a bright spot that we can maybe build upon.'"
From the $8 million initiative, he said they hope to see at least a 2% increase in adults of color gaining credits or career advancement over the next two years. In addition to Virginia, funding will flow to community colleges in states including California, Colorado and Texas.
Even before the pandemic, Taliaferro said, higher education wasn't meeting the needs of adult students of color. As a result of chronic underfunding and other obstacles, he said, disparities arose in degree completion, job placement and earnings.
"The REACH Collaborative aims to take an active step in shifting from this present reality at community colleges, where the bulk of adult students of color are enrolled," he said. "A lot of adults enter community colleges to gain skills for jobs at different entry points. But the onramps don't always lead to quality outcomes and better earnings - or outcomes at all."
Although the numbers of Black and Latino college students have risen in the past 35 years, research shows the deficit in bachelors-degree attainment between whites and students of color has increased during that time, from 15 to 21 percentage points.
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Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
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In this week's 2026 budget address, Gov. Kristi Noem proposed establishing education savings accounts for K-12 students in South Dakota. Opponents countered a voucher program could undermine the state's education system, by siphoning dollars away from public schools.
Noem announced she set aside $4 million in next year's budget to launch the accounts at about $3,000 per qualifying student. She explained the initial investment would pay for a portion of a student's private school tuition or home schooling.
"Good education starts in the home, and parents should have the tools that they need to choose the educational path that is best for their kids," Noem stated. "My hope is that these ESAs will ultimately be available to every single student in South Dakota."
Noem added her proposal will not cut funding for public schools. But opponents argued the 1.25% funding increase Noem proposed for public education will still be a cut, as it won't be enough to cover the cost of inflation.
Five statewide education groups released a joint letter last week, urging policymakers to strengthen public education. Among them is the South Dakota Education Association.
Sandra Waltman, director of public affairs for the association, said Noem's plan to expand the accounts over time would harm South Dakota students, who largely attend public schools.
"This will certainly divert scarce tax dollars from our public schools, which serve 80% of South Dakota students, to private school operators that lack any taxpayer accountability," Waltman contended. "Public schools will lose thousands of dollars in state aid, yet operational costs will remain the same."
The governor's proposal echoes similar Republican-led legislation in other states and will require action from South Dakota lawmakers in the next legislative session. A similar K-12 voucher bill brought to the House Education Committee in 2023 died in the chamber.
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Hundreds of former North Carolina college students are back on track to getting their degrees, thanks to an innovative program called Project Kitty Hawk.
The project started in 2023 and has reenrolled more than 2,900 students who started but left college and are now on their way to graduation. The reenrollment program is an affiliate of the University of North Carolina System and allows students to pick up where they left off at any of 10 campuses around the state.
Andrew Kelly, president and CEO of Project Kitty Hawk, said students leave college for various reasons, but most have a similar motivation for returning.
"One thing those individuals often have in common, many of them wish that they could find a way to come back and finish that credential," Kelly observed. "Because it's often what stands in the way of getting promoted, from them finding a family, sustaining wage in their work, and from really launching that career."
Kelly explained that they contact former students who never finished, walk them through options for when and how to resume their studies, and help them find an institution that fits their needs. He pointed out that some former students return after a few years, but for others, it can be a decade or more.
Kelly noted some former students left campus for personal, family or economic reasons and have found it challenging to resume their studies. He emphasized it is often a matter of tailoring their study plan to meet their individual needs.
"Mostly what you see with this demographic is they really do often need to learn online," Kelly outlined. "They can't uproot and move to a college town and live in a dorm. They can learn when they have the time."
He acknowledged returning to classes after an extended period away can be daunting and many said they need help figuring out where to start. Kelly added the program's counselors walk students through the steps to help them succeed.
"There's an individual you are assigned to, and that person really is your coach," Kelly said. "They help coach you through the program, answer your questions about your program, help you set goals and hold yourself accountable, develop study skills and just be the person in your corner."
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
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Georgia higher education officials are crediting a program assisting high school students with a wave of new enrollment in the state's colleges and universities.
Recruiting officials say Georgia Match helped the 26 schools in the University System of Georgia reach a total enrollment of almost 365,000 students, up 5.9% over 2023.
Sonny Perdue, chancellor of the University System of Georgia, said Georgia Match helps students and their families understand the long-term value of a college education.
"We try to promote the facts of the value and because people can understand value and that's really what we're trying to do," said Perdue, "quality versus cost - and if you have a great quality product at an affordability rate, then people are more likely to choose that."
Georgia Match reaches out to high school students with information on opportunities at Georgia universities and assists them with admissions.
Perdue said enrollments have been down since before the pandemic in 2019, and state officials are looking to boost the numbers.
He added the University System of Georgia saw its growth outstrip that of other state colleges nationwide. The National Student Clearinghouse reports in 2024, student enrollment nationwide grew by just 3%.
"We swam against the stream nationally and doubled the incoming first-time freshmen," said Perdue. "Where much of the country was down, we were up - and that was 2.6%. So, we're focusing on value."
Georgia Match is part of a nationwide trend called direct admission. The idea is to reach students who haven't considered going to college.
Perdue said more than half the students who received a letter applied for admission to a public Georgia college.
"The value of the ability to move within the system is helpful even for those who may not be able to attend or be admitted to one of the larger flagships earlier," said Perdue. "They see a path that way eventually, and I think that helps our recruitment in our access colleges."
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
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