National college completion advocates Complete College America and The Graduate! Network partnered with Complete Florida to discuss the urgent need to reengage adult learners and restructure systems to boost adult graduation rates during the pre-conference of the 2018 Florida College Access Network (FCAN) Summit on May 10. The session, titled “What We Have Learned about Adult Learners: Thoughts from the National Level,” focused on efforts in states across the country to invite adult learners back to college and help them graduate. A significant increase in the number of adults and other nontraditional students returning to college and completing degrees is necessary to meet attainment goals set by state and national leaders and meet workforce demands. National projections show 65 percent of all jobs will require postsecondary education by 2020.
Complete College America is focused on helping adult student populations with its A Better Deal for Returning Adults strategy. The strategy establishes the framework for a redesigned system that provides adult students with accelerated courses, year-round enrollment and predictable schedules that fit their busy lives. It also advocates for institutions to offer credit for prior learning and experience and additional support in the form of dedicated coaches to help students navigate the system.
Complete Florida was founded by the Florida legislature in 2013 to help the more than 2.8 million Floridians – who started college but never finished – get the degrees they need for the jobs they want. Through Florida partner colleges and universities, Complete Florida offers more than 130 college degree programs and certificates in Industry Clusters such as Business and Management, Education, Healthcare and Information Technology, aligned to Florida’s high demand job needs.
The Graduate! Network’s focus is on “comebackers,” adults with at least 15 college credits transferable into degree completion programs. The Network leads a college consortium and partnerships with employers to provide co-advisement, tuition benefits, and other supports to comebackers. The program supports comebackers from their decision to return to college through college and up to graduation with a two or four-year degree.
“The overall purpose of this session is to share what we have learned at both a state and national level about coaching and partnerships that meet the needs of adult learners returning to college. What we know for sure is there is no single effort that will make the biggest impact,” said Complete Florida Director Michelle Horton. “Increasing degree completion rates of returning adults will take multiple efforts among multiple organizations and institutions which is why it is so important that we align our work throughout the state and collaborate with national organizations such as Complete College America and The Graduate! Network.”
“Complete College America is proud to be at the forefront of the national movement to encourage more adult learners to go back to college, and to do so by ensuring that the colleges are now prepared to offer them a better deal,” said Senior Vice President Sarah Ancel. “The work of programs like Complete Florida will ensure many more Floridians are able to earn degrees and credentials of value and support the state’s skilled workforce needs.”
“The Graduate! Network is delighted to participate in FCAN’s 2018 Summit,” said The Graduate! Network President Hadass Sheffer. “We are eager to learn from Florida’s college completion programs and share what the 23 Graduate! Network communities have found that works for Comebackers trying to navigate hurdles in the higher education ecosystem.”
The Florida College Access Network Summit took place Thursday, May 10 to Friday, May 11 in Orlando.
