College Promise Quarterly Newsletter, March 2026

Greetings!

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As we look toward Spring, we remain grounded in and energized by the same North-Star that has defined the Promise movement and College Promise from the start: ensuring that all learners are connected to the education and the support they need to thrive, achieve economic mobility, and contribute to healthy, vibrant communities.

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Across the country, Promise programs are navigating new opportunities and pressures - workforce alignment, student-parent support, emerging technologies, and the growing demand for scalable, visible impact. College Promise exists to support this work: to equip leaders, institutions, and organizations to build and sustain high-quality initiatives that connect students to high-quality credentials, meaningful careers, and economic mobility. This commitment is reflected in our recently published 2025 Annual Report, which tracks impact over the past 10 years and proposes a vision for the future.

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This quarter reflects both momentum and focus. From launching a new learning community to releasing practical policy briefs and advancing projects centered on student parents and young men, we are investing in the long-term strength, innovation, and growth of the Promise movement.

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More to come, and thank you for being part of this work.

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— The College Promise Team

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What’s New at College Promise

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Introducing the College Promise Learning Community (CPLC)

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With support from The Kresge Foundation, College Promise is pleased to announce the launch of the College Promise Learning Community (CPLC): Advancing Impact through Compelling Communication, a nationwide community of practice designed to support Promise program teams in strengthening how they communicate impact, results, and return on investment to funders, policymakers, students, and community stakeholders. Ten incredible Promise program teams were selected through a competitive application process that drew strong interest from programs nationwide. Insights will be shared through public webinars this fall. Read the full press release here, and stay tuned for further updates as this work advances.
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Connecting Education & Workforce Systems to Engage Men 18-64

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Too many men are stepping away from higher education before it can change their lives — and the systems meant to support them aren't built to work together. With support from Carnegie Corporation of New York, College Promise is partnering with leaders across four states to address this. Together, and building on College Promise's shift from college access to workforce alignment and career acceleration, we'll move beyond isolated interventions to develop the operational blueprints needed to inform larger federal and state investments — infrastructure the field needs and that this partnership is uniquely positioned to build. This is foundational work — built in four states and designed to scale nationally.
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Bringing Student Parents into Focus Across Systems

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Student parents are navigating education, work, childcare, housing, and public services simultaneously — yet most of these systems treat them as if they don't exist in the others. Many are already part of the workforce while earning their credentials, and represent significant potential to fill skilled positions once they complete them. With support from ECMC Foundation, College Promise is partnering with leaders across six states to establish student parents as a clearly recognized population across education, workforce, childcare, housing, and social services — and to build the cross-sector coordination needed to improve persistence, completion, and long-term economic mobility. The goal is to create a replicable model that can inform policy and investment in student parent success nationwide.

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Recently Released Tools & Resources

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Mapping the Landscape through Data: A 6-State Analysis of Parent Information Systems

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Students are more than learners—they're parents, providers, and caregivers. Our recent landscape analysis examines how data systems across CA, IL, MI, MN, OR, and TX are — and aren't — capturing the experiences of men balancing college, work, and family. We reviewed data, policies, and promising practices to understand what's missing and what better data could make possible.

Keep reading →

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College Savings Accounts: A Multigenerational Approach

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College Savings Accounts (CSAs) are the first step to building long-term wealth and a generational college-going mindset. This policy brief examines how CSAs are implemented at different life stages— and how they're strengthened through Promise Program support.

Keep reading →

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Aligning Education & the Workforce for Promise Programs

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Our policy brief examining Promise Programs across the nation that are helping make the transition from college to career seamless. From embedding career services at the start of college to providing access to professional networks, Promise programs can help connect students' interests with economically prosperous pathways.

Keep reading →

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