ESG’s blog is a place to share what we have learned from our projects, our education and leadership experiences, and perspectives on how to improve student success. Expect insightful commentary from the ESG team that highlights promising practices from states and communities, and is designed to make connections and spur deeper conversation. Breaking down barriers and siloes within the nation’s K-12, postsecondary and workforce systems begins with getting everyone talking.
Thursday, May 14, 2020
The COVID-19 crisis continues to lay bare the reality that a postsecondary credential is the safest bet for an individual’s long-term economic stability. The most recent unemployment figures may be the harshest reminder yet that, in the aggregate, the answer...
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
With families facing deep financial hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis, completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is more important than ever. We know that, particularly during an economic downturn, a postsecondary degree or credential is key...
Friday, May 1, 2020
The ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in the loss of millions of jobs. Though some of these job losses are temporary, others will be permanent. As they look for ways to return to work, many newly-unemployed individuals...
Friday, April 24, 2020
In this challenging economic environment, neither families nor our economy can afford to have individuals pursue dead-end pathways that do not result in credentials with real value in the evolving job market. With personal finances and local, state, and national...
Thursday, April 16, 2020
Each year, nearly 2 million students in the U.S. graduate from high school and fail to enroll in a higher education program the following fall. As ESG’s President and CEO, Matt Gandal, pointed out in the first blog in the...
Thursday, April 9, 2020
As the leader of an organization with a deep focus on closing equity gaps and opening up pathways to economic opportunity, the COVID-19 crisis gives me substantial heartburn. It also gives me hope.
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
What is one of the most powerful predictors of a student’s likelihood to enroll and succeed in higher education? Whether that student earned postsecondary credit while in high school—through completion of a dual enrollment course, passage of an Advanced Placement...
Friday, December 20, 2019
Pablo Picasso famously stated that “goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.”
Friday, December 13, 2019
In a time of immense disagreement on Capitol Hill, one thing Democrats and Republicans agree on is the need to fix the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This week, Congress passed bipartisan legislation to simplify the FAFSA for...
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
October 1 means the start of a new cycle for completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In my previous work at a local education agency and in higher education institutions, I had the opportunity to counsel families...
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
As the 2019 track and field world championships take place in Doha, Qatar this month, I am really looking forward to my favorite event: 4×100 relay. This event tops my list because of what it represents – teamwork at its...
Monday, June 17, 2019
As a program director at City University of New York, LaGuardia Community College, I shared an office with the College’s Emergency Fund administrator. The Fund, which provides grants to students to cover small expenses such as textbooks, transportation or other...