It is no secret our postsecondary institutions have floundered during the pandemic. In October of 2020, researchers confirmed that disruptions caused by the pandemic have impacted college access, with more than 40 percent of U.S. households canceling all their plans for community college and more than 15 percent of households canceling plans for four-year schooling. Without a college education, America’s low-income students, especially students of color, are more likely to be locked out of high-quality and in-demand programs that lead to stable, high-demand job opportunities.

Postsecondary education in America has not made the shifts it needs to prepare students for the rapid changes in the economy and society, which is why we are at risk of a new equity crisis from this pandemic. Before the pandemic, only 51 percent of Americans saw college as very important despite its clear positive impact on the lifetime earnings of college graduates. Students have cited costs, length of programs, and personal constraints as challenges to obtaining a college degree. The higher education sector needs to evolve to meet these students’ needs, as  non-traditional postsecondary opportunities help students join a rapidly changing, skill-based workforce…