The Effects of High School Remediation on Long-run Educational Attainment: A paper from the Annenberg Institute examines how enrolling in remedial high school courses influences students’ access to other coursework and postsecondary outcomes. The author leverages state policy in Florida, which requires students who score low on statewide mathematics and reading assessments to take remediation courses in those subjects the following year. 

After analyzing data from a large urban school district in Florida, the author found that students who take a remedial course are 20 percentage points less likely to take a CTE course in the same year they take the remedial course and eight percentage points less likely to ever take a CTE course in high school. Remedial students earn fewer CTE credits and are less likely to be a CTE participant. They are also six percentage points less likely to take college-credit courses and other advanced coursework.  

In addition, students who take a remedial course are 20% less likely to earn a two- or four-year degree. The author suggests that about half of this effect stems from remedial students having reduced access to other high school coursework, such as CTE. 

Interest Surging in Nondegree Credentials but How Do Students Finance Them?: An article from the Pew Charitable Trusts examines how students pay for nondegree and workforce credentials. The researchers analyzed data from the National Training, Education and Workforce Survey (NTEWS) and found that more adults than ever are pursuing nondegree credentials. 

• Thirty-four percent of U.S. adults have a nondegree credential. Within this group, about half do not have a degree and the other half do (16% and 18% of all U.S. adults, respectively).  
• Most students use their own money to pay for nondegree credentials; specifically, 71% paid out of pocket for their most important professional license and 51% for their most recent vocational certificate.  
  • Other funding sources relied on by students include government/private loans (19% for most important license, 20% for most recent vocational certificate); financial support from employers (24% and 15%, respectively); and grants or scholarships from non-employer sources (13% and 15%, respectively).  

Postsecondary Fall Enrollment Trends: The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center recently released preliminary fall 2025 postsecondary enrollment data. Major takeaways from the data include the following: 

• Total postsecondary enrollment in fall 2025 grew 2% compared to the previous fall. Growth occurred across all institution types, with community college enrollment increasing the most (+4%).  
• Postsecondary certificate programs (+6.6%) and associate degree programs (+3.1%) experienced the strongest growth in fall 2025.  
• Fields of study at two-year colleges that experienced the strongest enrollment increases include Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians (+10.4%); Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences (+10.1%); and Engineering Technologies/Technicians (+8.3%).  
• Postsecondary enrollment growth occurred across all age groups. Students aged 17 or younger (+6%) saw the strongest growth, followed by 25- to 29-year-olds (+3.3%) and 18-year-olds (+3.2%). 
• Hispanic (+3.1%), Black (+3.5%) and multiracial (+2.9%) learners’ postsecondary enrollment all increased in fall 2025. Asian student enrollment held steady, and white student enrollment declined by 3.7%. 
• Male and female postsecondary enrollment grew slightly, by 1.5% and 2.2%, respectively. Growth was stronger at two-year colleges, with male enrollment increasing by 2.2% and female enrollment increasing by 4.2%. 

Global Education at a Glance: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) recently published their annual Education at a Glance report, which provides comprehensive data on the state of education globally. 

The report found that employed adults, on average, have higher literacy, numeracy and adaptive problem-solving skills across all OECD nations compared to unemployed adults. Younger adults also have higher skill levels across most nations compared to older adults. However, the researchers noted that while educational attainment rates are rising, skill levels among adults have largely stagnated or even declined. In the U.S., adults have average skill levels compared to other nations, but literacy skills declined between 2012 and 2023 across all age groups and education levels.  

The report also found that, while financial returns from postsecondary education are the highest in the U.S. compared to other OECD nations, few alternatives offer Americans a pathway to higher earnings. For instance, young adults in most nations experience a wage increase when they earn the equivalent of a high school diploma, but Americans do not: U.S. adults aged 25-34 who hold a high school diploma earn the same as those who do not.