Career Education Report

An increasing number of Americans are losing confidence in the value of higher education. In this episode, Dr. Jason Altmire speaks with economist Dr. Beth Akers about the value of a college degree, the ramifications of student loan forgiveness policies, and the role of data in higher education accountability. Dr. Akers is a Senior Fellow with the American Enterprise Institute , with a focus on th...

Futuro Health is working to address the shortage of allied health professionals. Dr. Jason Altmire speaks with Van Ton-Quinlivan , CEO of Futuro Health, about tackling the workforce shortage by providing a consortium of education partners and offering a human touch healthcare program, making healthcare careers accessible to a broader adult population. Ton-Quinlivan explains that, unlike traditiona...

Dr. Jason Altmire speaks with Justin Draeger , President and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), about financial aid reform and the onslaught of borrower defense claims. They delve into the recent surge of borrower defense claims and how schools nationwide are grappling with them. The conversation explores questions and concerns, such as the lack of so...

Student success is the most essential part of higher education. In this episode, Dr. Jason Altmire speaks with Dr. Timothy Renick , the Executive Director of the National Institute for Student Success (NISS) at Georgia State University , to discuss how higher education institutions can implement strategies to get students back on track and improve graduation rates. Georgia State University success...

In this episode, Dr. Jason Altmire speaks with Martha Snyder , a former senior policy advisor at the U.S. Department of Education under President George W. Bush. The discussion delves into the history and evolution of state funding for community colleges in relation to student outcomes. They explore the difficulties and advantages associated with linking state funding to accountability. Martha, Ma...

In this episode, Dr. Altmire talks with Bianca Quilantan of Politico about Governor DeSantis' education philosophies, exploring his focus on both K-12 and higher education. They delve into the influence of his policies on faculty and administrators in higher education and the potential ripple effects of Florida's conservative education policies. Bianca Quilantan is an education reporter at Politic...

In the past two decades, we have witnessed how technology has drastically shifted distance education in higher education. Dr. Jason Altmire explores this evolution with Dr. Leah Matthews , the Executive Director of the Distance Education Accrediting Commission . Together, they discuss the evolution, challenges, and promising future of distance education in higher learning. Dr. Altmire and Dr. Matt...

Cyber threats loom over every aspect of our lives, but higher education is especially vulnerable. Dr. Jason Altmire talks with Dr. Ted Reynolds about the rise of ransomware attacks in universities and businesses and how school administrators, faculty, and students can reduce the risk of cybersecurity attacks.  Dr. Ted Reynolds is the Director of the Terrorism Studies Program in the Office of Globa...

Dr. Jason Altmire and guest Jason Delisle discuss concerns and challenges surrounding the proposed gainful employment rule. Their chat offers insights into the high school earnings test and the use of earnings as an accountability metric in higher education. Delisle's research findings reveal a considerable number of certificate programs at community colleges would fail the high school earnings th...

On July 1, 2023, the new borrower defense to repayment rule goes into effect. Dr. Jason Altmire speaks with Jonathan Helwink , a former senior official at the U.S. Department of Education, about some of the more alarming aspects of the new borrower defense to repayment rule that will impact all higher education institutions. Dr. Altmire and Jonathan discuss the evolution of borrower defense to rep...

In this episode, Dr. Jason Altmire talks with Marc Goldwein , the Senior Vice President and Senior Policy Director at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget , about the impact of student debt cancellation, the repayment pause, and the proposed income-driven repayment plan on students and the economy. Dr. Altmire and Marc delve into the equity of the Biden administration's student loan poli...

In this episode, Dr. Jason Altmire talks with Julie Peller of Higher Learning Advocates about accountability, ROI in higher education, and the future of the for-profit sector. Julie Peller is the Executive Director of Higher Learning Advocates. She also served as the Deputy Staff Director for the House Committee on Education and Labor. Julie discusses her perspective on the federal role in ensurin...

To effectively reach your target audience, it is crucial to communicate a shared set of values. In this episode, Dr. Jason Altmire talks with Rich Thau of Engagious about how the use of dial testing focus groups and in-depth interviews can help create a message that resonates with your audience.   Rich is the President of Engagious, a company that helps trade associations and advocacy groups with...

Dr. Jason Altmire talks with Dr. Cynthia Jackson-Hammond, President of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) , about the role of accrediting organizations in the higher education ecosystem. Dr. Jackson-Hammond explains the reason CHEA does not recognize accrediting organizations that accredit a majority of institutions or programs focused on sub-associate degree programs and whethe...

In this episode, Dr. Jason Altmire has a fascinating discussion with Senior Research Scholar Dr. Davis Jenkins about the role of community colleges in providing value and return on investment for students.  Dr. Jenkins is the Senior Research Scholar at the Community College Research Center (CCRC) at Columbia University Teachers College . The CCRC works with community colleges to achieve better out...

In this episode, Dr. Jason Altmire and veteran journalist Paul Fain explore the importance of the short-term Pell Grant for students, as well as the debate about whether students attending for-profit schools should be eligible for the grant. Both sides of the aisle agree that the short-term Pell Grant is a vital resource for many students, but can they work past their differences to pass legislati...

In this episode, Dr. Jason Altmire speaks to Dr. Robert Lerman , a leading expert in apprenticeships, about the challenges of the American apprenticeship system and how to make it more efficient in light of the growing trend of young people foregoing a traditional postsecondary education. Dr. Lerman is an Institute Fellow in the Center on Labor, Human Services, and Population at the Urban Institut...

Employers have chronic difficulties in filling jobs, but millions of Americans are simultaneously unemployed. Professor Joseph Fuller is very familiar with this paradox. In this episode, Dr. Jason Altmire talks with Professor Fuller about the strategies that academic institutions and employers must take to address the skills gap today.  Joseph Fuller is the Professor of Management Practice and Gen...

Dr. Terry Hartle , Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Public Affairs at the American Council on Education , is set to retire in early 2023. Dr. Jason Altmire had the chance to speak with Dr. Hartle about his 50-year career in higher education and what is on the horizon for higher education policy. Dr. Hartle discusses why he does not anticipate the reauthorization of the Higher Educ...

The Biden administration has shaken up the student loan debt system and targeted the for-profit sector. In this episode, Dr. Jason Altmire talks with Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) , Chair of the Committee on Education & the Workforce , to discuss how Congress can improve postsecondary education so students and taxpayers will benefit from a better system.  Congresswoman Foxx shares what ov...

Kent Hance has been a politician, university chancellor, and lawyer. He has seen it all, and now he is sharing his stories as the host of The Best Storyteller in Texas podcast. In this episode, Hance talks with Dr. Jason Altmire about his decades of experience as a former chancellor of the Texas Tech University System and U.S. Congressman. The two discuss Kent’s time in politics, including when he...

Arnold Ventures is often the lead funder behind some of the most harshly critical reports of the for-profit sector. While their research has indicated disparities in outcomes among different types of higher education institutions, their main goal is ensuring students receive a quality education. In this episode, Dr. Jason Altmire speaks with Kelly McManus , VP of Higher Education at Arnold Venture...

The truck driving industry holds excellent opportunities for veterans transitioning into the workforce. To make this transition easier and address longstanding issues in trucking, the White House formed the Task Force Movement . In this episode, Dr. Jason Altmire speaks with two members of the task force, Sarah Amico and Cassie Byard, about the trucking industry's future. They discuss how we can a...

Rich Camacho is a military veteran who wanted to help other veterans find jobs in corporate America. He made significant headway in this sector but noticed a market gap for assisting veterans and tradespeople in finding blue-collar trade jobs. So he teamed up with his wife, Gina Camacho , and her technology background to create BlueRecruit , a recruiting platform that matches tradespeople with hir...

Higher education is ripe for a major shakeup, according to Professor Todd Zywicki . Todd is a professor of law at the George Mason Antonin Scalia Law School and talks with Dr. Jason Altmire about student loan defaults, the strengths of for-profit colleges and weaknesses of other institutions, and the lack of competition in higher education. Todd shares his thoughts on policymakers’ pushback agains...