As the population of adults with some college but no credential (SCNC) continues to increase, institutions are turning their attention toward reengaging and reenrolling this key segment of the market. Expanding access for adult learners is vital to meeting enrollment goals and also key to meeting workforce needs and equipping adult learners with SCNC with the skills and credentials necessary for the most in-demand and rewarding jobs. While some challenges to returning are well-known—family obligations, work requirements, stranded credits—sometimes, a lesser-known impediment gets in the way of a student’s ability to return: failure to make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) in their prior enrollment.

This interactive session at the Midwestern Higher Education Compact FAFSA Summit on June 12 will cover the growing population of adult learners and the data available on the subpopulation that can’t easily access federal student aid dollars due to SAP. Ithaka S+R’s Brittany Pearce will share innovative ways states and systems are helping students navigate their SAP constraints and the policy decisions institutions can make to better serve adult learners in this predicament.