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At ATE Central, part of our goal is to help community members stay current with educational news, facts, and figures. Below are brief overviews of nine such resources, ranging from national research centers, such as the Brookings Institute, to ATE specific news and information resources, like the Evalu-ATE Annual Survey. Whether you are looking for material to help as you write up a report, create an informative presentation, or if you just want to stay up-to-date about news, events, and opportunities central to community and technical college education, we hope you find this list helpful. 

The Brookings Institute and the Pew Research Center are perhaps the most well-known and visited sites covered on this list. Nevertheless, they are worth mentioning and future exploration. The Brookings Institute is a nonprofit organization devoted to independent research and innovative policy solutions; the Pew Research Center identifies as a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about important issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. Together, they are both engaged in social science research that is informative and helpful for members of the ATE community. Readers need look no further to find everything from articles on the economic situation across the nation to infographics on changing student demographics.

AACC News and Events 

This section of the American Association of Community Colleges’ website is the one-stop shop for news and events related to community college education. Resources include the latest headline news as well as links to Community College Daily and Community College Journal. The AACC Letter also shouldn’t be missed. This monthly newsletter thematically discusses new policy and advocacy, program initiatives, news and social networking, events and services, and opportunities from other organizations.

Inside Higher Ed: Community Colleges 

Inside Higher Ed is an informative periodical dedicated to all things post-secondary education. Here, readers will find a page focused on articles published by Inside Higher Ed that are specifically about two-year colleges. From blog posts to surveys to recent articles, this collection of material is a great place to visit when looking for a variety of topics.

PRI Community College Challenge Series 

Public Radio International (PRI) has recently crafted this series of articles, studies, and graphics set to curtail negative impressions about community college education. The topics of the Community College Challenge series, while not specifically targeted toward STEM education, are relevant for projects and centers in the ATE community who are looking at student retention, student diversity, or other hot topics in public conversation.

Community College Research Center 

Columbia University’s Community College Research Center (CCRC) is the leading independent authority on two-year colleges in the United States. Scholars and staff research important issues affecting community colleges and work with both academic institutions and state governments and agencies to improve student success and institutional performance. Readers will not only find the latest CCRC research here, but also articles and abstracts on popular topics related to higher education research, policy, and practice.

Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce: 

Readers who are interested particularly in higher education and industry partnerships will find much research of interest from this independent, nonprofit research and policy institute that studies the link between education, career qualifications, and workforce demands. Affiliated with the Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy, the Center conducts research with the goal of better aligning education and training with workforce and labor market demand.

National Science Foundation (NSF) 

While members of the ATE community use the National Science Foundation’s website predominantly for accessing Fastlane, there are many other helpful features that may be of interest. Readers should be sure to check out the News, Publications, and Statistics tabs for new and exciting information related to STEM education in community and technical colleges.

EvaluATE Annual Survey

The ATE Annual Survey collects basic information about ATE projects and centers, their organizational practices, and collaborative efforts, as well as their activities and impacts in a wide range of areas, including curriculum materials development, professional development for technician educators, and technician education program development and improvement. Here, current and prospective ATE grantees will find the results of the annual survey, which can be used to learn about program wide activities or project/center evaluation-specific work.