Tag: Education

The leadership challenges embedded in the 2025 OECD report, Education at a Glance
- Yesterday, HEPI and Cambridge University Press and Assessment jointly hosted the UK launch of the OECD’s Education at a Glance. You can see the OECD’s slides here.
- Here we publish a response to the OECD from Professor Sir Chris Husbands, who is a former Vice-Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University and also former Chair of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Panel. Chris is a Trustee of HEPI and spoke at the launch.
There is one line in the 2025 OECD Education at a Glance report which should be in bright flashing lights for this and all governments. The supporting data is on page 112 of the main report. It is this: Individuals with greater educational attainment generally face a lower risk of unemployment and earn higher wages. Race, gender, deprivation, place, subjects studied all impact outcomes in different ways, but the overall conclusion is clear, and in his HEPI briefing on the report, the OECD’s chief analyst Andreas Schleicher got the summary down to just two words: education pays.

The 2025 OECD Education at a Glance report comes in at 541 pages, and the annual appearance of the report has made it the definitive guide to education system performance and policy dynamics all around the world: in the now familiar graphs of compelling clarity, and crisp text judgements, the OECD team have made themselves indispensable to institutional leaders, policy analysts and decision makers.

This year’s report has a specific focus on tertiary education, which in OECD terms includes, but stretches a bit further than, higher education. There are some familiar and unsurprising themes in the 2025 report, but they are nonetheless important for being set out so clearly. A few key findings stood out for me, all of them speaking clearly to the English and UK policy agendas.

First, advantages are inherited: those who have at least one tertiary-educated parent are more than twice as likely to attain a tertiary qualification than those whose parents have below upper secondary attainment, though the gap is smaller in the UK than elsewhere (p.56).

Secondly, life is getting tougher for those without qualifications: the employment rate for young adults without upper secondary qualifications fell by 6 points since 2019, and by 9 points for men (pp.82-3).

Thirdly, at the same it’s getting better for the better qualified: the nearly one-in-six with a Master’s degree have higher employment rates and earnings than those with an undergraduate degree (p48).

Fourthly, education is losing the battle for public funding as the costs of health, pensions and defence rise: between 2015 and 2022, government spending on education declined from nearly 11% of budgets to just over 10% (p.278).

And fifthly, despite that decline, R&D is strengthening to drive growth and competitiveness. Where it is highest, government drives it: in the UK, Israel and Switzerland, government R&D expenditure is more than twice private expenditure (p.329).

There is more fine-grained analysis about English higher education. England, on the OECD data, is an outlier in important respects.

First: English HE is well-funded by comparison with the OECD, whatever it feels like in the sector just now. The finding is important: total tertiary expenditure per student, including R&D, is $35,000, among the highest in the OECD and 65% above the average (p.327).

Secondly, however, in the UK government tertiary expenditure is $8,000, 48% below the OECD average (p.331). This is a result of high tuition fees: undergraduate fees are three times the OECD average.

The third way in which England is an outlier is that access to higher education and completion rates within it are high – fourteen percentage points above the OECD average (p.246): access to higher education is far more a consequence of maintenance support than fee levels, but high fee levels almost certainly disincentivise non-completion. Finally, while there is a gap between economic returns to science and technology disciplines on the one hand and arts and humanities on the other in all OECD countries, the gap is much higher in the UK than in almost all other countries (p.111).

Putting all this together poses some knotty challenges. England has a successful, relatively accessible higher education system, but one which is very expensive when budgets for education are getting tighter. And this is happening when the economic returns to high levels of qualification are strengthening: masters and doctoral graduates enjoy higher returns than those with undergraduate degrees, while the least qualified face more intense difficulties. These challenges go beyond the voluminous data in Education at a Glance.

First, and painful for English higher education, the challenge is not simply the level of current funding, but funding in relation to what is a high-cost operating and delivery model. That model secures strong results in terms of access for disadvantaged students and high completion rates, but it is relatively inflexible. It’s unclear whether a lower-cost and potentially more flexible operating model would put some of the successes of the English system at risk.

Secondly, it is the economic, social and increasingly political costs of the plight of the lowest attaining young people, and especially young males without qualifications, which is attracting political attention. If money is tight, it’s more likely to go towards that problem, and the London government’s decision to move skills funding into the Department of Work and Pensions appears to be a signal of intent.

These are the leadership challenges which emerge from this year’s report: how to reshape our successful HE system so that its strengths remain, but it can be more responsive and flexible. It needs to adapt to a changing labour market and to a society in which division and inequality are being reinforced with greater ferocity.
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September 10, 2025
Virginia Democrats Accuse GMU Rector of Conflict of Interest

George Mason University is facing multiple investigations related to its diversity, equity and inclusion practices, which the Trump administration has said violate federal civil rights laws.

Photo illustration by Justin Morrison/Inside Higher Ed | Robert Knopes/UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images | Maxine Wallace/The Washington Post/Getty Images

Virginia Democrats want George Mason University board rector Charles Stimson to recuse himself from federal investigations into the university as well as discussions about the university president’s future, saying that his role at the Heritage Foundation, which recently released a report critical of GMU, presents a conflict of interest.

The letter comes almost two weeks after a state Senate committee blocked 14 gubernatorial appointments to university boards, including six at GMU, which left the Board of Visitors without a quorum. The letter also follows the Heritage report that accused GMU of attempting to hide diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Stimson has had several jobs at Heritage, where he’s currently deputy director of the organization’s legal and judicial studies center.

The Trump administration has accused GMU of engaging in discriminatory hiring practices and implementing “unlawful DEI policies” and has opened several investigations into the university.

However, GMU president Gregory Washington has stood his ground, arguing that the federal government rushed the investigation and disputing its findings while rejecting calls to personally apologize. Now, as GMU’s Board of Visitors is stuck without a quorum while a legal challenge over the appointments plays out, state Democrats are seeking to neutralize Stimson in his role as rector.

A Call for Recusal

Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell and other top Democrats in the Senate, L. Louise Lucas and Mamie E. Locke, specifically took issue with the Heritage report’s call to “withhold federal taxpayer funds from universities that violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964,” which the Education Department accused GMU of doing. State Democrats argued that Stimson’s employer is essentially seeking to harm the university.

“This creates an untenable ethical conflict where your employer’s published position is diametrically opposed to your duties as Rector,” the lawmakers wrote to Stimson.

(Stimson is one of multiple university board members appointed by Republican governor Glenn Youngkin with distinctly right-wing profiles, including some with ties to conservative think tanks, the Trump administration, GOP megadonors and former Republican politicians, Inside Higher Ed found earlier this year.)

State Democrats also raised concerns over how he became rector.

“The appearance of impropriety is compounded by the fact that your selection as Rector reportedly occurred only after direct intervention by Governor Youngkin, raising questions about whether your Heritage Foundation affiliation influenced that appointment,” the Democrats wrote.

Given what they view as a conflict of interest, the three Democratic leaders called on Stimson to recuse himself “from all Board of Visitors deliberations, discussions, and votes” involving Washington’s employment status or performance evaluations, GMU responses to federal DEI investigations or compliance concerns, GMU funding strategies and university DEI policies.

“If you cannot commit to this recusal, I believe the appropriate course would be your resignation as Rector to eliminate this conflict entirely,” Surovell and the other Democrats wrote to Stimson while calling on him to respond “outlining the specific steps you will take to address this conflict.”

Neither GMU officials nor Stimson responded to requests for comment from Inside Higher Ed.

Youngkin accused Democrats of trying to undermine university boards.

“Virginia’s progressive left elected officials are trying to paralyze the governing boards of Virginia’s colleges and universities by using despicable bullying and intimidation tactics,” Youngkin wrote in a post on X.

Faculty Support

As Washington, GMU’s first Black president, has found himself in the Trump administration’s cross hairs and fighting back, board support has been a constant question. Rumors of Washington’s expected firing swirled in July, but the Board of Visitors kept him on the job.

George Mason faculty have also rallied around the embattled president, with dozens of professors, students and others protesting outside the July meeting. GMU’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors applauded the senators’ letter on Tuesday.

“We believe that Mr. Stimson has failed to fulfill his fiduciary duties and has repeatedly exceeded his proper authority as Rector of the Board of Visitors. His conflicting leadership role at the Heritage Foundation and his repeated attempts to overreach his authority threaten the foundation of Virginia’s largest public university, endangering its governance, stability, and future,” the GMU-AAUP Executive Committee wrote in an email to members.

The local AAUP chapter struck a sharper tone than Virginia’s Senate leadership, alleging that Stimson has “usurped GMU President Gregory Washington’s authority to manage the university’s responses to federal investigations, contrary to the president’s delegated authority established in the [Board of Visitors’] Bylaws.”

GMU-AAUP also echoed the call for Stimson to recuse himself from certain board duties.

“If Rector Stimson cannot commit to this recusal, we join Senators Surovell, Lucas, and Locke in calling for his resignation as Rector to eliminate this conflict entirely,” the organization wrote. “The independence, integrity, and future of George Mason University depend on nothing less.”

The group previously voted no confidence in the Board of Visitors in July.

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September 9, 2025
Scholarship, Not Ideology, Guides Civics Curricula

To the editor,

I write in response to Ryan Quinn’s recent article (“The Battle for ‘Viewpoint Diversity’” Sept. 2, 2025) on the new civic center at Utah State University, which mandates general education courses on Western civilization. In his words: “Utah’s Legislature created a civic center at Utah State University committed to ‘viewpoint diversity and civil discourse’ … Those courses must include three that engage with ‘primary texts predominantly from Western civilization,’ such as ancient Israel, Greece or early Christianity. There’s no mention of Islam.”

Well, there’s no mention of Shintoism, Confucianism or Buddhism, either, but I fail to see what’s puzzling about excluding Islam from a “Western civilization” curriculum. Islam’s primary texts played no part in the political construction of the West. Quinn’s implied request is analogous to demanding that a curriculum devoted to Aztec or Inca civilization include the Bible simply because Spain invaded, conquered, subjugated and colonized those societies.

As a matter of civics, the distinction between the Islamic world and the West is foundational and elementary. It is recognized historically and intellectually by all who have studied the West’s construction.

Most Americans—and by extension, our education systems—naturally focus on their own historical and cultural heritage. We’re in the United States; courses here typically reflect what shaped this nation: Greco-Roman republicanism, state Christianity and Enlightenment ideals. People are curious how and why our country got to where it is. If we taught in Iran, China or elsewhere, the focus would reflect their heritage—not ours.

This isn’t a value judgment. It’s just a fact. As odd as it sounds, the United States was conceived as a reactivation of the Roman Republic 1,800 years after it came to an abrupt halt. The Founders live action role played as ancient Romans in their writings. It’s strange, but that’s precisely why it fascinates students. So these texts are not political baggage; they’re intriguing questions of origin and identity.

The question here isn’t moral judgment or wishful thinking. It’s scholarly clarity. Let’s demand substance, not ideology.

Mike Fontaine is a professor of classics at Cornell University.

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September 9, 2025
The Trust in “Trustee” (opinion)

The federal government and some state governments are now wanting to dictate to American colleges and universities what can and can’t be said on campus, what must and must not be taught in the curriculum, which students to admit and which to expel, which faculty to hire and which to fire, and what subjects to research and how.

Part of this effort at ideological capture of American higher education has been to try to redefine the role of trustees at our institutions, particularly the public ones, as mere partisan operatives who should impose the will of the party in power on the institutions they govern. Trustees are framed as accountable to “the public.” They should be. The problem is that in this context, what is meant by “the public” is only that portion of it that agrees with government officials in charge at the moment, not the broader citizenry.

Why is this a bad idea? Shouldn’t elected officeholders have some influence on the public campuses that their governments help fund? (Student tuition and donors help fund them, too, of course.) What about influence on private institutions whose students use public financial aid to pay tuition, and so much of whose research is government-funded? These are wholly reasonable expectations. However, when influence turns into direct intervention, when it manifests as heavy-handed government management, we have a problem. Why’s that?

The genius of American higher education since colonial times has been the absence of a Ministry of Education that controls the operation of colleges and universities. This approach is very much in the American vein. The notion is that those who occupy elected office should not be able to manipulate independent, credible sources of information that might influence whether they get re-elected. (Ironically, many of the people who are pushing direct government control of higher education are at the same time taking apart the federal Department of Education because they say it exercises too much control over educational institutions.)

The logical conclusion to today’s growing governmental pressure on higher education would be to dismiss all boards of trustees and establish a centralized ministry to govern the sector. Why resist the siren song of my favorite party telling those pointy-headed academics how to run their business without the intermediary layer of these governing boards? I’ll provide here just a few of the reasons.

First, because Americans don’t like censorship, especially when the government does it. They hate the idea of any government telling them or their kids how to think or what to say. They don’t like political parties determining for them what “the truth” is. Trustees are the border runners between the party in power and government entities on the one hand, and the university on the other. At their best, they act as a conduit to bring public opinion—and sometimes public criticism—into the university, while at the same time buffering it from interference that gets in the way of its always messy search for truth, and its service to the commonwealth that derives from that mission.

Second, boards in particular can and need to step up to defend America’s researchers in fields such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics as they follow their expertise to discoveries that benefit the health, economic well-being and national security of our citizens. Boards can assist in warding off politically motivated regulations and budget cuts that senselessly damage this vital progress pipeline. An Associated Press/NORC at the University of Chicago poll from May showed that 75 percent of Democrats and 57 percent of Republicans favor maintaining federal funding for scientific and medical research. Governing boards, populated by highly regarded, independent citizens with impressive personal and professional networks, are uniquely positioned to reflect the bipartisan will of the people, regardless of their personal partisan leanings.

Third, if elected politicians, not trustees and staff, decide who gets hired and fired at colleges and universities, employees will be chosen and dismissed based more on personal and party loyalty than expertise and merit. So much for meritocracy.

Fourth, boards can and should model for students, staff and the public at large how public-spirited volunteers civilly debate policy issues, without fear or favor, across whatever divisions exist among board members. Has there ever been a time when that would be a greater service by trustees to American democracy?

Colleges and universities are hardly perfect. For one thing, they have not adequately reflected the diversity of the country—intellectual, economic or ethnic. This and other flaws trustees can identify and help fix. As informed, “loving critics,” they know more about their institution than anybody else who does not work there. Working with their president, they can push their institution to teach the conflicts we live today authentically and objectively, not preach the prevalent party line on campus or in the state house.

In the current overheated political rhetoric, trustees, especially of public institutions, are presented with a false choice: Do you serve your institution or the citizens of your state? The question is based on the absurd assumption that you cannot serve both. Trustees have a responsibility to serve citizens by protecting the legacy of their institution built by previous generations, improving its quality and reach for today’s population, and ensuring its sustainability for generations to come. They should not be counting down to the next election; they should be taking the long view. That’s what we should be able to trust them to do.

Kevin P. Reilly is president emeritus and Regent Professor for the University of Wisconsin system and a member of PEN America’s Champions of Higher Education group of former college and university presidents.

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September 9, 2025
Tracking Key Lawsuits Against the Trump Administration

By
Jessica Blake

President Donald Trump’s efforts to reshape higher education and the federal government have spurred a flurry of lawsuits as higher education associations, students, legal advocacy organizations and colleges push back and seek relief through the courts.

The lawsuits started almost immediately after Trump’s first day, and seven months later, advocates continue to file new complaints, challenging various executive orders, guidance documents or decisions to cut grants. Inside Higher Ed is tracking some of the key legal challenges related to higher ed. That includes Harvard University’s efforts to restore more than $2.7 billion in frozen research funding and protect its ability to enroll international students as well as several lawsuits aiming to stop the dismantling of the Education Department. Of the 42 included in our searchable database, judges have ruled against the administration in two-thirds of the cases so far. You can find more analysis of the lawsuits filed so far here.

We’ll refresh the database weekly, so check back on Mondays for updates.

What’s new as of Sept. 8: In one of the more significant rulings for higher ed this year, the district court judge ruled that it was illegal for the administration to freeze more than $2 billion in federal research funding for Harvard University. The judge wrote that doing so violated the institution’s First Amendment and procedural rights. The government is planning to appeal but hasn’t done so yet. Legal experts expect the fight over funding to end at the Supreme Court. For more on details of the ruling and what it means for higher education at large, check out Inside Higher Ed’s reporting on the matter here and here.

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September 9, 2025
3 Questions for Coursera’s Tom Fail

Tom Fail and I work together on my institution’s Coursera portfolio, with Tom serving as our main point of contact. So far, I’ve enjoyed this collaboration, as Tom has been an effective and energetic partner. Tom not only works for Coursera, but he was also a consumer of university/Coursera partnerships as an online M.B.A. student (and now graduate) from the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois. As I’m always interested in colleagues who combine full-time work and full-time learning, I was excited to engage Tom in a conversation about his career and education.

Q: Tell us about your role at Coursera. What are your primary accountabilities and responsibilities? What does a typical day look like?

A: As a strategic account manager at Coursera, I’m passionate about improving access to affordable, high-quality education from leading universities and industry partners. I’ve been with Coursera for nearly four years, initially as a technical account manager, where I focused on platform functionality and project success. Over time, I’ve had the opportunity to expand my scope both with the volume of partners as well as building strong partnerships focused on aligning their goals with Coursera’s mission to expand global learning opportunities.

On a typical day, I’m collaborating with university and industry leaders and internal teams to design, scale and optimize online programs. Some days I’m pitching new features or program designs to partners; other days I’m focused on marketing strategies and learner life-cycle experiments that drive engagement and retention. I’m also listening to our partners for opportunities, big and small, to improve workflows both for staff and students that allow our strategy to scale and work in reality. I love getting into the weeds to understand exactly how something works and coming up with solutions that can be adopted to improve outcomes.

I’m accountable to my partners to help them get the most out of Coursera; internal stakeholders rely on me to ensure we’re driving key priorities, features and work streams with our partners. And, of course, my first priority is the learner. Everything we do is about making sure learners can gain access to the skills they need to advance their careers and thrive in a rapidly changing world. Ultimately, success means creating programs that deliver real value, are accessible at scale and help drive better outcomes for learners everywhere.

Q: How did the process of working towards your iMBA influence how you think about Coursera’s role in working with universities on online degrees? What should universities be doing to make graduate degrees more accessible, feasible and high value for full-time working adults?

A: The most helpful part of earning my M.B.A. while working at Coursera has been understanding our platform from the learner perspective and what really differentiates content on our platform. Since I started at Coursera, I’ve completed my M.B.A., as well as professional certificates in data analytics and project management and Specializations in business strategy and data visualization. I always have fresh strategies and love getting to demo features from the lens of my own student account to give partners a real-world view of our learner experience and the outcomes they can drive with course design.

When it comes to any offerings on the platform, flexibility and accessibility are absolutely critical. Not all working adults have the means, or the desire, to leave their jobs and return to school full-time. I have a ton of respect for anyone who does, but that wasn’t the path for me. The iMBA gave me the opportunity to earn my degree over two years while continuing to work, and that flexibility made all the difference. It wasn’t easy, but the program’s design and curriculum kept me engaged and excited.

Every single class had a direct connection to my day-to-day work at Coursera, which kept me going forward and learning within the program. When I got my first master’s in management and leadership back in 2012, I didn’t have the professional context to apply what I was learning, so this was really meaningful, and I’m proud of completing the degree.

For universities, the key is designing programs that allow learners to learn on their own terms and start programs more like a consumer purchase. Having stackable content available in open courses that can be applied towards the degree allows learners to try the content and gain confidence in the program and themselves before they fully commit to a full program. Also, performance-based admissions pathways offer learners the opportunity to earn their way into degrees regardless of their background. Some people want live sessions; others prefer fully asynchronous options. Some enjoy group work; others need flexibility to work independently. There’s no one-size-fits-all model, and that’s where universities can differentiate themselves—by striking a healthy balance between structure and flexibility, best practices and personalization. Ultimately, accessibility, flexibility and relevance are what make these programs high value for working professionals.

Looking forward, a critical element for universities is the evolution of content. Two to three years ago, AI was barely part of the conversation; now every instructional design team and faculty member is grappling with its implications, from academic integrity to assessing skills in a new economy. You can’t “set it and forget it” with your curriculum and courses anymore. Learners have endless options, and that competition will only intensify. The partners that stand out will be the ones that prioritize continuous improvement: integrating learner feedback, refreshing content to stay aligned with industry trends and delivering programs that feel robust, relevant and career-focused.

Q: Reflecting on your career and educational path, what advice do you have for early and midcareer professionals interested in building a career at the intersection of technology and education?

A: When I started in undergrad at East Stroudsburg University, I wanted to be a high school social studies teacher. I hit a turning point when I realized all high school students—myself included—can be a handful, so I pivoted into economics and history. My adviser, Dr. Christopher Brooks, and my first boss, hall director and now friend Patrick Monoghan, helped me beyond words to figure out where I excelled and pushed me to shape my career. At ESU, I had so many incredible people invest time and energy into me, and I especially love my career in ed tech because I can help other students gain access to technology and education that helps them figure out their path.

As I think about my early career at EAB, I had the opportunity to work with almost 100 schools deploying student success technology to help identify at-risk students and get them the help and resources they need. You learn a lot as a 24-year-old explaining to provosts and CTOs how the system works, what the road map is and what you did to mitigate after a self-inflicted data error occurs. Coursera has taken that even further, as I get the opportunity to work with some of the most prestigious universities and companies in the world to improve education and build programs that can improve people’s careers and lives, the way education improved mine.

For anyone looking to build a career in education, I’d say this: You can work in any industry—telecom, banking, pharmaceuticals, whatever—but education offers a unique chance to make a meaningful difference. It’s not lip service to say that education lifts people up and improves lives, and being part of a team focused on making learning more accessible, scalable and affordable worldwide is incredible.

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September 9, 2025
JUNIUS J. GONZALES | Diverse: Issues In Higher Education

Dr. Junius J. GonzalesJunius J. Gonzales has been named vice chancellor of Academic Affairs for the California State University system. Gonzales’ career spans nearly 35 years, the majority of which have been in academia. Most recently, he has been provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs at Montclair State University (MSU) in New Jersey, a Hispanic Serving Institution recognized for social mobility. He has also served as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at New York Institute of Technology; senior vice president for Academic Affairs for the University of North Carolina (UNC) system, where he also served as interim president; and provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Earlier in his academic career, Gonzales was the founding dean of the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences and executive director of the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute at the University of South Florida (USF). Widely respected for his extensive and impactful research and scholarship, he has held research and teaching positions at UNC, UTEP, USF, George Washington University and Georgetown University. A first-generation college student, Gonzales earned his bachelor’s degree from Brown University, his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and his MBA from Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. He completed his medical residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Institute of Mental Health.

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September 8, 2025
25 insights about what back-to-school season has in store

As the back-to-school season begins, educators and students alike are stepping into classrooms that look and feel increasingly different from just a few years ago. Technology is no longer just a supporting tool–it is a central part of how learning is delivered, personalized, and measured. From AI that helps teachers design lessons and personalize learning, to adaptive learning platforms that meet students where they are, education technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace.

Innovation is at the forefront this year, with districts embracing tools that support academic growth, streamline workflows, and foster deeper engagement. AI-powered tutoring, immersive experiences, and tools that enhance collaboration are just a few of the technologies entering classrooms and lecture halls. These resources are not only helping educators save time but also are equipping students with critical thinking, problem-solving, and digital skills they will need for future careers.

As schools balance new opportunities with challenges around implementation, equity, and data privacy, industry leaders and educators are offering valuable insights into what’s next. Teachers are sharing how these tools reshape day-to-day instruction, while technology providers are highlighting trends that will shape the coming year. Together, these perspectives paint a picture of a learning landscape that is both dynamic and adaptable, where innovation is guided by the shared goal of supporting student success.

This back-to-school season, the conversation is not just about new devices or apps, but about how technology and thoughtful innovation can transform education for all learners–making 2025 a year of possibilities, progress, and promise.

This school year, career and technical education (CTE) won’t just be an elective, but will be a priority. As more districts recognize the powerful outcomes tied to CTE, we’ll see a shift in graduation requirements to reflect what students actually need for their futures. That might mean rethinking four years of traditional math in favor of math courses that are career-aligned to specific career pathways. Administrators and superintendents are paying attention and for good reason. The data shows CTE not only boosts student outcomes, but also brings relevance back to learning.
—Edson Barton, CEO, YouScience

Throughout my administrative experience, it has become increasingly evident that many educational preparation programs fall short in emphasizing the importance of fostering connection and relevance in learning from the student’s perspective. Too often, the pedagogical approach positions educators as drivers of a rigid, outdated instructional model, centered on the teacher in a highly directive role, rather than as reflective facilitators willing to ride alongside students on a learning journey. To shift this reality, I take every opportunity to embrace and share the practices promoted by PBLWorks, which offer a framework where students not only learn content and skills but do so in ways that are connected to their own interests and community. Through the Project Based Learning (PBL) methodology, learning becomes more personal, meaningful, and accountable, with expected learning products that showcase depth in student understanding and growth. Every school-age child has personal experiences from which to make connections, and with PBL, we are better equipped to serve all children effectively. While traditional testing data has its own importance in driving strategic moves, the outcomes derived from the application of learning are immeasurable in their long-term impact on career readiness. In our MSAP Norwalk implementation, shifting the approach requires more than updating curriculum units, it also demands a redefinition of the educator’s role as a collaborative team member in the classroom. Educators must evolve into co-learners and creative engineers of dynamic, student-centered learning environments. They must become comfortable with uncertainty and confident in guiding student discovery. Such a workshop-like classroom environment is essential for authentic PBL, which demands both deep preparation and flexible facilitation. Here, success is defined not only by content mastery but also by the authentic application of knowledge and skills. Importantly to note, the teacher is also a learner in this dynamic process. Ultimately, quality teaching and learning is measured not by the delivery of instruction but by the evidence of student learning. As I have grown in my leadership and implementation of the PBL framework, the phrase “I taught it, but they didn’t get it” is beyond obsolete, replaced by a continuous cycle of reflection, refinement, and real-world, relevant outcomes. Learning is represented dually in personalized student exemplars and in improved results on high-stakes assessments.
–Victor Black Ed.D., Magnet School Assistance Program (MSAP) Norwalk Project Director, Norwalk Public Schools, Connecticut

Learning is fundamentally about meaning-making. It’s a dynamic human process that involves our whole selves. It involves the brain as well as emotions, attitudes and beliefs, relationships, environments, and contexts. AI can’t make meaning for you. If the AI makes the meaning for you, you haven’t learned anything–that is the core of distinguishing between what is useful AI that is going to advance learning, and what is hype that could actually be counterproductive and destructive to learning.
– Auditi Chakravarty, CEO, AERDF

Welcome to your teaching journey. As we begin the 2025-26 school year, I want to extend my heartfelt welcome to our new educators. Your passion and fresh perspectives are invaluable assets to our learning community. I encourage you to remember that teaching is about building relationships. Get to know each student, learn their interests, challenges and dreams. Strong connections create the trust necessary for meaningful learning. Don’t hesitate to lean on your colleagues and mentors. Teaching can feel overwhelming, but you’re never alone. Seek guidance, share resources and collaborate whenever possible. Be patient with yourself as you find your rhythm. Focus on progress, not perfection, and celebrate small victories along the way. Most importantly, never lose sight of why you chose this profession. You have the power to change lives, one student at a time.
–Dr. Debra Duardo, Superintendent of Schools, Los Angeles County & Board Member, Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS)

Hello, new teachers! As a 32-year veteran of teaching, I vaguely remember those first few days and weeks, but I do remember being thoroughly overwhelmed. So, my first piece of advice is to find yourself a mentor who can help you navigate the waters. Second, think outside the box. Educational technology has exploded in the last few years and us old people can’t keep up. Find something that works and immerse yourself in it. May I make a suggestion? Creation over consumption. Let’s give an example. VR is amazing. You and your students can “visit” places that you would never be able to take them on a field trip. Awesome! Do it! But I have found that creating our own VR experiences by integrating ClassVR with tools like ThingLink or DelightEx brings a whole new level of engagement and understanding. My last piece of advice? Love it! Love those kids. They need you. Bond with your colleagues. You need each other. You got this. I’m happy you’re part of the team.
–Craig Dunlap, Blended Learning Teacher, Yealey Elementary School, Kentucky

I began teaching 25 years ago, and thirteen years ago I was introduced to Project-Based Learning (PBL). From that moment, I “enrolled.” PBL is not just a strategy, it’s a mindset. It transformed not only my students, but also me as an educator. Through engaging in and witnessing PBL, I have learned that it changes the way students view their education and their place in school. They no longer see themselves as passive recipients of information, but as active learners with a voice, a purpose, and a sense of belonging. PBL builds their self-efficacy, ignites their curiosity, and turns learning into a lifelong journey. Because learning in PBL is authentic, engaging, and connected to real life, every student can access it, every student feels valued, and every student has the chance to succeed. Most importantly, every student has the opportunity to be seen and to see themselves reflected in their education, their classrooms, and their school community. And while my primary goal as an educator has always been my students, I must say that PBL also transforms teachers in deeply positive ways. Unlike a scripted, one-size-fits-all curriculum, PBL gives teachers full autonomy to design, to create, and to make learning relevant. It allows us to become problem-solvers, innovators, and true professionals. As PBL teachers, we model exactly what we want from our students. PBL isn’t about checking boxes; it’s about unleashing your craft as an educator and showing your students what authentic, meaningful work looks like. What I have come to believe, after years of teaching and leading, is that PBL is not just a method of instruction, it’s a way of seeing students, teachers, and learning itself. It is the path that allows students to fall in love with learning, and teachers to love their craft. And once you experience it, it’s hard to ever imagine teaching any other way.
–Beth Furnari, Principal, P-TECH Norwalk in Norwalk Public Schools, Connecticut

For new district administrators, don’t chase every shiny object. Education is full of vendors promising silver bullets. Anchor your decisions in what solves your district’s problems, not in what looks flashy. Additionally, remember to prioritize relationships over initiatives. People will follow your lead if they believe you value them, not just their output. When you prioritize relationships, oftentimes the initiatives naturally follow. For example, our district’s performing arts manager came to me with the idea of virtual set design knowing I’d be open to his ideas and willing to try something new.
–Tim Klan, Administrator of Information and Instructional Technology, Livonia Public Schools, Michigan

In today’s educational landscape, our instructional strategies must evolve to meet the needs of digital-native learners. While traditional resources have their place, we recognize that deep engagement often requires more immersive and interactive experiences. To bridge this gap, our school district has strategically implemented virtual reality (VR). For the past five years, our schools have been utilizing the ClassVR platform by Avantis. This technology has proven to be a powerful tool for transcending the physical limitations of the classroom. The moment students see the VR kits arrive, a visible excitement builds for the learning ahead. These curated experiences are not simply virtual field trips; they are pedagogical springboards that empower students to explore historical eras, global locations, and complex scientific concepts. Most importantly, VR provides a unique medium for fostering essential skills in observation, critical analysis, and content creation.
–Kyle Kline, Director of Digital Learning, Twin Lakes School Corporation, Indiana

In the 2025 to 2026 school year, we will see a greater push for ongoing, explicit instruction in foundational literacy skills for older students. Most students need ongoing, developmentally appropriate, explicit literacy instruction in upper elementary and middle school, but very few of them receive it. Most students in grades 4-8 do not receive explicit instruction for crucial foundational skills that older students need to develop, like decoding multisyllabic words. More often than not, teachers in grades 4-8 lack the resources, time, or training to provide explicit instructional support to help their students continue to grow as readers. Giving teachers what they need to support their students will certainly be part of the solution, along with more targeted interventions that provide support to students where they need it.
– Rebecca Kockler, Executive Director, AERDF’s Reading Reimagined Program

After decades of progress narrowing gender gaps in STEM, the pandemic may have set girls back significantly–and the gap is likely to grow wider unless schools and policymakers act quickly. New NWEA research reveals that pandemic-era setbacks hit middle school girls hardest in math and science, erasing decades of progress. With fewer girls now enrolling in 8th-grade Algebra–a key gateway to advanced STEM coursework–there’s a real risk that fewer young women will pursue STEM in high school, college, and careers. To reverse this trend, schools will need to closely monitor gender participation in key STEM milestones, expand access to advanced coursework, provide early interventions and academic supports, and examine classroom practices to ensure girls are being actively engaged and encouraged in math and science. Without these steps, the future STEM talent pipeline will be less diverse and less equitable.
– Dr. Megan Kuhfeld, Director of Growth Modeling and Analytics, NWEA

Reliable, longitudinal student data is critical to drive strategic action. As federal support for education research is scaled back and key data collection efforts remain uncertain, districts and states may find themselves without trusted information to guide decisions. In the absence of these investments, schools will need to rely more heavily on research organizations and data partners that can offer the longitudinal insight and analytical capacity schools need to understand where students are, where they’re headed, and how to support them. With academic recovery proving slower and more uneven than expected, schools need evidence-based insights to navigate this complex landscape. Expect a growing shift toward research-backed, nonpartisan data sources to fill the vacuum and support smarter, more equitable decision-making.
– Dr. Karyn Lewis, Vice President of Research and Policy Partnerships, NWEA

As cybersecurity becomes an increasing risk for K-12 districts this year, it’s more critical than ever that IT leaders establish a culture of security at the start of the school year. Schools are continuously working to maintain 1:1 technology without compromising user safety or straining budgets, and asset tracking and inventory management is an integral part of that process. With shrinking IT teams working to track thousands of devices across schools, having a centralized asset management system allows districts to avoid costly surprises and manage devices more efficiently. It helps them to monitor device location and application use, make targeted and data-backed incident response decisions, and identify assets potentially affected by a security breach. It also streamlines the inventory auditing process, which allows school IT teams to track and manage the maintenance and updating needs of deployed devices, both of which function to improve security. Cyberattacks are not only becoming more frequent, but more complex and it’s time for schools to safeguard their technology by investing in smarter, more resilient solutions that protect learning environments and support long-term success.
—Bill Loller, Chief Product Officer, Incident IQ

As a new principal, your most important work is building relationships. That includes building and strengthening the trust with your staff, as well as your parents and families. Take the time to make those connections, to listen to people and get to know them. In Hawaii, we have a term “ahonui” which means “waiting for the right moment.” As a principal, you need to know when it’s the right time to act and when it’s the right time to listen. As a new leader, it’s natural to have a sense of urgency: You have a long list of things you want to do to help kids be safe and learn, but to do that you first need to honor what has been done so far. By getting to know the people who make up your school community you’ll learn how you can enhance it. To help build my relationship with my teachers, especially the new ones, we have an onboarding day the day before teachers report back. This is my chance to introduce them to some of the things that we have going on and the structures we have in place to support them as they teach. We introduce them to some tech tools that our school has that others don’t, like the AI-powered tutoring app SuperTeacher–but we try not to overload them because we understand that for a new teacher (or even a teacher who’s new to our school) it can be overwhelming if we just upload a lot of initiatives and must-dos and expectations. Instead, we get to know each other, and my vice principal and I share the theme we’ve come up with for each school year. Our theme for this year is “alu i ka hana me ke kuana’ike like,” which means “to join together in the work with a unified mindset.”
– Derek Minakami, Principal, Kāneʻohe Elementary School, Honolulu, HI

Through my years of teaching, I have found myself talking less and listening to students more. It’s important to make space for student voices to help create richer discussions and more meaningful learning experiences that connect to their own lives. At the same time, grounding those experiences in strong scientific practices ensures that learning is both engaging and rigorous. As a new school year begins, I encourage every teacher to connect the learning happening in your classroom to potential career paths and help students see the real-world impact of what they’re studying.
–Mike Montgomery, Natural Resources Teacher, Littleton Public Schools EPIC Campus (recently featured in the “Building High-Impact CTE Centers: Lessons from District Leaders” e-book)

Everyone is working with fewer resources this school year. As the number of bilingual and multilingual students continues to grow, it will be important for teachers to be creative and resourceful in how they are using those limited resources to support ELL students. For example, they can look outside their school for resources and partnership opportunities with businesses, non-profit associations and higher education institutions. They can also seek out grant funding that is specific for bilingual students. Multilingualism is a superpower, but English language learners face unique barriers that can put them at a disadvantage compared to their native-English-speaking peers. It is critical to continue to advocate for these students and be creative in finding ways to help them grow this superpower. Teachers: you will be key to ensuring shifting policy decisions and uncertain budgets don’t result in our most vulnerable students being left behind.
–Ulysses Navarrete, Executive Director, Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS)

As we begin this new academic year, I want to thank you for the incredible work you do each day to inspire and shape the minds of our students. In times when our nation–and especially Los Angeles–faces critical conversations about democracy and social justice, your role is more important than ever. Let us empower our students to think critically, question thoughtfully, and express their voices in meaningful ways–whether through essays, art, letters, or dialogue. Together, we have the opportunity to guide them toward becoming informed, compassionate, and courageous leaders who can influence the future. Your dedication matters, and the impact you make will be felt far beyond the classroom walls.
–Ruth Perez, Ed.D., Deputy Superintendent, Los Angeles County Office of Education & Board Member, Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS)

One thing we often hear from school districts is that after they purchase new technology, there is a lag in implementation. To ensure technology products improve teaching and learning in year one, I recommend district IT leaders work with companies that act as true partners with the district, offer built-in professional development, and provide opportunities for schools to learn best practices from each other. To help with adoption, districts can handle implementation in small increments to not overwhelm teachers, enlist classroom innovators who can lead the charge on integrating new technologies, and offer opportunities for teachers to learn from others who are implementing the technology.
–Gillian Rhodes, Chief Marketing Officer, Avantis Education, creators of ClassVR

Students learn best when they are engaged. My advice to new teachers is to find new, innovative ways to make learning relevant to real life. This will help students get more out of their lessons and prepare them for the world. Technology is a powerful way to do this. Providing immersive experiences such as through virtual or augmented reality can help teachers connect classroom concepts with real-world experiences. Whether it’s virtually touring ancient ruins, traveling through a blood vessel to learn about the circulatory system, or visiting a job site to learn about that career path–immersive experiences like these can help improve student-engagement and take instruction to the next level.
–Gillian Rhodes, Chief Marketing Officer, Avantis Education, Creators of ClassVR

While school safety conversations often focus on rare but severe emergencies, day-to-day medical incidents remain among the most frequent challenges schools face. From asthma attacks and allergic reactions to seizures, many medical emergencies occur away from the nurse’s office or outside traditional classrooms, making rapid response crucial. This school year, we will see the continued prioritization of real-time alert systems that enable immediate action in medical emergencies. Location-aware tools and mapping technology, such as the strategic placement of AEDs, help responders quickly locate life-saving equipment and reach incident scenes without delay. Since teachers and staff are often the first to respond, they need easy and accessible ways to summon help quickly.
—Dr. Roderick Sams, Chief Development Officer, CENTEGIX

Reading fluency is a foundational skill for lifelong learning, even more so in an ever-changing, technology-based world. As such, supporting students in developing their reading fluency goes beyond building in time for practice. It is important for new and experienced teachers alike to understand that students need access to high-quality, research-based curriculum; differentiated lessons and small groups; multi-level systems of support; and well-implemented, quality instructional technology. It is also important for teachers to implement a repertoire of strategies and tools to specifically support literacy development. While there is no substitute for a differentiated reading lesson taught using high-quality curriculum by a highly-qualified educator, instructional technology is an excellent resource to further support student learning! When implemented effectively, and paired with teacher-led lessons, instructional technology platforms allow teachers to track student growth in real time, provide differentiated supports that target the needs and goals of individual students, and extend learning beyond teacher-led lessons. In a world of staffing shortages, larger class sizes, and ever-changing demands on educators, instructional technology can be an excellent supplemental support to further student achievement and learning. Building fluent readers sets our students up for success far beyond the classroom, empowering them to continue to challenge themselves and grow into the future with confidence and skills to succeed in a society with careers and livelihoods that will surely look very different from what we now see.
–Sam Schwartz, Associate Principal, La Causa Charter School, a Fluency Innovator Grant recipient

As a science teacher, I believe there is no replacement for hands-on learning experiences, so I suggest starting each year with an activity where students make measurements using tools or items around the classroom. This way, once students are given access to data-collection sensors and probeware for scientific investigations throughout the year, they have a better understanding and appreciation for why we use the technology. When it comes to labs and measurements, even for inquiry-based experiments, teachers should always do their own dry run of the data-collection process first. This allows teachers to see any stumbling blocks in the collection process and have a data set to refer to during the class discussion. Also, a class set of data gives students a basis of comparison when they are looking at their own data-collection practices and it allows students who may have been absent or unable to collect data at the time to still engage in the analysis process.
–Kathleen Shreve, Physics Teacher, Homestead High School, California & Member, Vernier Trendsetters Community

There’s incredible untapped potential in the wealth of data that schools already collect. Districts are sitting on years of attendance patterns, assignment completion rates, and family engagement metrics–all of which could predict which students need support before they hit crisis mode. With federal benchmarks unreliable and new assessments being expensive, 2025-26 is going to be the year districts finally turn inward to the data they already have. The challenge isn’t collecting more information–it’s making existing data actionable for teachers and families.
– Dr. Joy Smithson, Data Science Manager, SchoolStatus

As a new teacher starting the school year, remember that you can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first—set clear work hours, protect time for rest, and don’t feel guilty about saying no when needed. Building relationships with colleagues and families is important, but healthy boundaries make those connections stronger and more sustainable. Start small: be approachable, communicate clearly, and show consistency. When you balance self-care with professionalism, you’ll create space to thrive both inside and outside the classroom.
–Betsy Springer, Instructional Coach, Gull Lake Community Schools & a Teacher Leader Impact Award winner

High school attendance is in crisis, and it’s about to force the conversation we’ve been avoiding for decades. When nearly 30 percent of high schoolers are chronically absent, we’re seeing clear signals that many students need different pathways to engagement and success. The districts that survive this attendance crisis will be the ones brave enough to completely reimagine what high school looks like, with flexible schedules that let students apprentice during traditional school hours and partnerships with local employers who can show students why their education matters.
– Dr. Kara Stern, Director of Education, SchoolStatus

The start of every school year is charged with possibility, with students and educators alike bringing energy, curiosity, and the excitement of new connections. That momentum can be a powerful tool as schools work to strengthen their Project Based Learning (PBL) practices. The insight is simple: PBL succeeds when schools build a culture where questions are encouraged, collaboration is natural, and feedback is welcomed. Without that culture, projects risk becoming just activities or separating into silos. With it, PBL becomes transformative–helping students see themselves as capable learners and community members who are encouraged to ask what’s possible and empowered to act. My advice is to use the energy of the new year to establish that culture early. Invite students and teachers to share their thinking openly, model vulnerability by sharing your own work-in-progress, and normalize feedback as a gift. When we frame PBL not only as project-based learning, but as possibility, belonging, and love, we create the conditions where authentic learning thrives, and we sustain that momentum from the first day of school through the last.
–Taya Tselolikhina, Director of District and School Leadership, PBLWorks

Laura Ascione is the Editorial Director at eSchool Media. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland’s prestigious Philip Merrill College of Journalism.

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September 8, 2025
Accreditors Venture Into the Microcredential Landscape

The microcredential landscape is often called a “wild west” in higher ed circles.

The field is crowded with tens of thousands of program providers, in and outside of academia, online and in person. Short-term programs vary widely, from certificates to badges to boot camps, spanning weeks to months to over a year. And while some programs offer high returns, others yield little to none or insufficiently track outcomes.

Now, two accrediting agencies are stepping into that murky terrain, hoping to bring some order—and branch out into a new market. Both the New England Commission of Higher Education and the Higher Learning Commission, which has been researching short-term programs for eight years, are gearing up to assess whether providers of these programs meet their standards.

This past spring, NECHE voted to start endorsing noncredit program providers, including traditional four-year and two-year higher ed institutions and external organizations that offer these programs. For colleges and universities, NECHE’s recognition will be a bonus marker of quality on top of their existing accreditation. The move comes after the accreditor spent two years developing a microcredential-focused quality framework and testing it out on a cohort of six providers as part of a pilot project funded by the Lumina Foundation. Now, NECHE plans to launch its new recognition process for noncredit providers this upcoming spring.

The goal is to start with at least 30 applicants for recognition. But NECHE officials expect to see greater demand as noncredit providers vie for students and employer partnerships in a competitive market and seek to strengthen pipelines from noncredit programs to jobs and degrees.

Laura Gambino, vice president of NECHE, said the stamp of approval will also signal to students which programs are worthwhile.

“There’s virtually no quality assurance in that space,” she said. “At the end of the day, this is all about ensuring that students have access to high-quality learning opportunities” as millions of students flock to these programs.

This fall, the Higher Learning Commission is launching its own endorsement for microcredential providers, specifically those outside higher ed. The accreditor has been working since 2017 to think through the role it could play in an evolving higher ed landscape. With funding from Lumina and ECMC, it started a think tank on the topic to consult with experts and, two years later, launched its Credential Lab, a hub to help institutions and students navigate the rapid expansion of short-term credentials.

HLC conducted a pilot project this year, starting with four microcredential providers from outside higher ed, to create and try a possible endorsement system. Now that endorsement process is set to launch before January. (Both the HLC and NECHE are recognizing program providers, not assessing individual programs.) The HLC’s Credential Lab is also in the process of selecting higher ed institutions to participate in its Innovation Center, a series of webinars for colleges and universities interested in growing their microcredential offerings or taking their first forays into the field.

“We are knee-deep in this,” said Barbara Gellman-Danley, president of the Higher Learning Commission.

A 2023 survey of HLC member institutions found that 91 percent expected alternative credential offerings to grow at their institutions and 86 percent wanted help parsing the quality of external providers to explore potential partnerships.

As traditional higher ed institutions struggle with a range of challenges, from declining traditional-age student enrollments to funding losses, Gellman-Danley sees them exploring partnerships with external providers to expand their offerings as a way to be “competitive.”

“They’re looking for some kind of solution, and we want to make sure that they don’t grab a solution that’s a temporary one and that they’re prepared,” she said. Meanwhile, microcredential providers, also eager for these partnerships, are looking for “credibility.”

An ‘Essential’ Step

Accreditation experts say it’s high time accreditors ventured into evaluating alternative credentials, both to keep up with students’ shifting preferences and to defend them from bad actors.

“Reviewing microcredential programs and providers is essential for protecting students,” Nasser H. Paydar, president of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, said in an email to Inside Higher Ed. “Accrediting organizations recognized by CHEA and the U.S. Department of Education have already demonstrated their ability to review providers and programs. The review of these programs should begin as soon as possible, validating their quality, thereby protecting students.”

Paul Gaston III, an emeritus Trustees Professor at Kent State University, said quality assurance for microcredentials “really needs to be done” and he believes accreditors are clearly the bodies to do it.

“Accreditors have the advantage of 100 years or more of experience in evaluation procedures,” he said. “The challenge lies in adapting those procedures to a kind of credential that is not traditional.”

Evaluating a New Landscape

Officials at NECHE and HLC say they’ve drawn on decades of know-how as evaluators to reimagine quality standards for a world of shorter, faster credentials.

For example, NECHE’s quality framework for noncredit program providers includes “agility” as a marker, alongside more traditional benchmarks like qualified faculty and student supports.

“Noncredit providers have to be able to respond to employer needs, state workforce needs, very, very quickly,” Gambino said, unlike degree programs, which “move a little more slowly” when it comes to change. As a former faculty member and chair of a curriculum committee, “‘agility’ is never a word I used to describe our process.”

That’s why NECHE plans to recognize noncredit program providers over five-year cycles, with annual data reporting requirements, rather than the 10-year accreditation cycles it uses for degree-granting institutions. Reviews by peer evaluators will also be offered online and in hybrid form to accommodate online providers.

Alongside agility, measuring returns on investment, such as employment and job-promotion rates, is especially important for short-term programs, Gambino said, because so many students come to these programs with such goals in mind. NECHE and HLC also plan to evaluate providers on whether their noncredit offerings can serve as on-ramps to credit-bearing programs if students choose to continue their education.

Gellman-Danley said adapting accreditors’ skills and processes to the microcredential landscape also comes with the added challenge that some providers outside academia don’t collect the data higher ed institutions traditionally track. For example, she found some showed high job-placement rates but had few metrics to show proof of student learning.

She hopes that the HLC’s endorsement process encourages alternative credential providers to keep better data, but at the end of the day, an endorsement is not required to access financial aid, unlike at the colleges and universities HLC accredits and can command to shape up.

“These companies don’t all have the financial data that we might want to see to make sure that they’re sustainable,” she said. “They don’t all have outcomes metrics—even really good [providers]. They’re new to it. It’s kind of a nascent industry … We’ve been amazed at how complex it is when we got into this.”

Models for the Future

Gaston believes NECHE and HLC could serve as “bellwethers,” modeling how other accreditors could go about venturing into the microcredential landscape.

By evaluating new kinds of providers, accreditors are also asserting their ongoing value and relevance at a time when more Americans are questioning traditional higher education and accreditation, he said. He pointed out there have been recent challenges to the existing accreditation system, notably an effort by six state university systems to start their own accrediting agency.

Accreditors would be “off-putting” to students if they ignored the burgeoning nondegree programs they’re embracing, Gaston said. But accreditors “taking seriously these opportunities that are increasingly popular has to contribute to a more positive regard for the accreditation process and for higher education in general.”

Larry Schall, president of NECHE, also noted that as workforce Pell becomes a reality and federal dollars start to flow to low-income students in eligible short-term programs, it’s an opportune time to have tools to evaluate these program providers. States are going to be responsible for certain quality checks on these programs, so he can foresee NECHE potentially partnering with states to help with that process, depending on the final details of the workforce Pell program.

As HLC and NECHE—and perhaps other accreditors down the line—start to work with microcredential providers, there’s bound to be some competition. But accreditors aren’t too worried.

Gellman-Danley said with hundreds of thousands of alternative credential providers, it’s a “very big market” with plenty of room to go around. She’s particularly proud of the process HLC has developed, she said, but “we applaud our colleagues who are looking into this or doing this as well.”

Schall agrees there’s space for multiple accreditors in the expansive microcredentialing wild west.

“We don’t mind competition,” Schall said. “The number of colleges is actually shrinking. The number of noncredit providers is growing. And so, the supply is going to be huge.”

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September 8, 2025
Former NIH Leaders Allege Retaliation for Whistleblowing

Two former National Institutes of Health leaders are alleging the agency illegally put them on leave in April for speaking up against research grant cancellations and antivaccine efforts.

Jeanne Marrazzo, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Kathleen Neuzil, former director of the NIH’s Fogarty International Center and former associate director for international research, filed complaints Thursday with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, seeking reinstatement. They allege they faced retaliation for whistleblowing and other protected activity.

Marrazzo “objected to the Administration’s hostility towards vaccines and its abrupt cancellation of grants and clinical trials for political reasons,” according to her complaint. Neuzil further objected to the administration’s “cancellation of grants based on anti–South Africa hostility and its incorrect belief that certain grants advanced ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion,’” her complaint stated.

They both specifically allege that Matthew Memoli—who was NIH’s acting director after Trump returned to power and is now NIH’s principal deputy director—retaliated against them. An NIH spokesperson said in an email Friday that Memoli emphasizes that each vaccine “must be assessed on its own merits.”

The spokesperson also wrote that “assertions that reprioritization, reallocation, or cancellation of certain grants are ‘anti-science’ misrepresent NIH’s progress and often echo the grievances of former staff.”

Debra S. Katz, an attorney representing the complainants, said in a news release that the “Trump administration installed politically motivated leaders—most notably Secretary Robert Kennedy, Jr., who immediately acted to stifle scientific inquiry, halt crucial research and retaliate against those, like Drs. Marrazzo and Neuzil, who refused to disavow the overwhelming body of evidence showing that vaccines are safe and effective.”

But Katz said the Office of Special Counsel, which is their only route for legal relief, “has been politically compromised to such an extent that it will most certainly refuse to act against Trump appointees.”

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September 8, 2025