AACC Comments on RISE NPRM
Community College Minute, February 23, 2026
Workforce Pell Implementation Webinar: Best Institutional and State Practices
With negotiated rulemaking concluded and the next phase of the regulatory process to come, the Dept. of Education is charging ahead to have Workforce Pell in place by July 1. The draft regulations agreed to by the negotiators give states an outsize role in the program approval process. Community colleges across the country are making […]
Focus Forward: February 18, 2026
February 18, 2026 “Community Colleges Need to Master the Art of Storytelling” was my piece published last week in WorkShift and contains some outstanding examples of our members’ workforce agility and national value. Three new federal funding opportunities are now available for competition: The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released the official announcement of funding […]
Focus Forward, February 4, 2026
February 4, 2026 Last week’s Workforce Development Institute drew 800 participants to 60 sessions! I was inspired by the creativity of our colleges and the commitment by so many industries to partnerships that advance our national workforce strengths. Another exciting opportunity is next week, immediately following the National Legislative Summit in DC. Seeding America’s Workforce […]
Community Colleges Need to Master the Art of Storytelling
by DeRionne Pollard In my decades as a community college president, I have learned several languages by necessity: academic parlance about credit and noncredit; industry dialects around apprenticeships; and workforce vernacular around experiential learning and career laddering. Unfortunately, none of these languages captures the most critical stories about community colleges’ impact on our national workforce. Those […]
Community College Minute, February 9, 2026
Focus Forward, January 21, 2026
January 21, 2026 As many colleges kick off the spring semester, I am reminded of the energy and excitement that comes with a new semester. I also remember extensive “To Do” lists, so I urge everyone to be thoughtful about balancing wellness with productivity. Several funding possibilities are on the horizon from the U.S. […]
Webinar: CEO Think Tank – Redesigning Partnerships
Join community college presidents and experts from Ellucian to showcase forward-thinking ways to reimagine pathways from college to career. Topics will include Next-Gen Student Services for Career Readiness, Human-Centered Work-Based Learning Models, and more. Watch the webinar. Download the slides for this webinar.