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Awake58: Residency Determination Service tweak signed into law

This is a copy of the Awake58 newsletter originally sent on Tuesday, July 30, 2019. Click here to subscribe

Residency Determination Service tweak signed into law

 

Welcome back to Awake58! If you were forwarded this email, be sure to subscribe by clicking here.

We visited Durham Tech and learned more about their work to bolster enrollment and enhance marketing… Residency Determination Service tweaks have been signed into law… Guilford Tech is launching a truck driving program… Robeson Community College list of finalists for the president job released… 

If you have been to Durham or Raleigh recently, then you’ve seen cranes everywhere as the building boom continues. Significant in-migration and continued economic growth are fueling the boom, but one factor that challenges construction industries is growing the pipeline of well-trained skilled workers. When we visited Durham Tech recently, we had the chance to see the WayMakers program they launched to enhance the pipeline of future workers in the trades.

A new law signed by Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday amends the statute which governs determination for in-state tuition at North Carolina higher education institutions. The measure comes as a response to complaints from the community college system, which was feeling tension between its potential applicants and the mandatory Residency Determination Service online system. 

I appreciate everyone who wrote back last week to tell us they are interested in hosting one of our upcoming student town halls. For more information, check out the news regarding our grant from the Facebook Journalism Project that will help fund this work. If you are interested in a student town hall coming to your college, let me know by replying directly to this email.

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Have a great week,

Nation

 

EdNC Reads

3 lessons from Durham Tech: WayMakers and the future of the trades

Enrollment has trended down at community colleges across the United States for the last decade. Enrollment declining during good economic times is not unusual, but the length of the decline is. Durham Tech has avoided the enrollment declines. Check out the piece for more information — including details on their Durham Promise scholarship.

Community College System hopes new law will ease recent application issues

Remember our series on the Residency Determination Service? The governor signed a law that amends the statute last week. For more on the proposed change, check out this article. Under the new law, graduation from a North Carolina high school is specified as a factor for considering in-state status.

The NC Community College system launches a new marketing effort

The community college system is launching a major marketing push that will span radio, video, and billboards. You may have already heard some of the spots on the radio, recognizable by their tag: “Your Hire Education.” Later this month, North Carolinians will see billboards shouting, “Be a Boss,” “Rewarding Careers,” “Second Chances,” and “Bigger Paychecks” on the side of state roads. Check out the article for more information on the campaign, and let us know your thoughts on the effort.

 

Other Reads

‘If I wanted my children to finish high school and go to college, I had to model the path for them’

One mother shares her journey: “As I woke up every morning to attend classes, my children were my biggest motivation. I had to be a model to them — their mother was trying to get her life in order to provide them better futures. I could not just tell my children to go to school and expect them to continue to college if their mother only had an eighth-grade education.”

College students are increasingly forgoing summers off to save money, stay on track

Hechinger Report looks at the growing trend of four-year students taking summer courses at community colleges to stay on track for graduation. Have you seen this trend play out with your local college? We’d love to hear more!

Policy report: 50-State comparison of policy models for connecting education to work

The Education Commission of the States just released the first of three comprehensive reports analyzing each state’s policy connecting education to work. This first report looks specifically at workforce investment boards, career pathways, and financial aid for workforce development. EdWeek also provided a snapshot of the report.

A look into their futures: McDowell middle schoolers take part in Camp Opportunity

The McDowell News spotlighted our coverage of Camp Opportunity in McDowell County. As a reminder, all of our coverage is free to republish.

 

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Nation Hahn

Nation Hahn is the chief of growth for EducationNC.