The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law represents a once-in-a-generation investment in building and strengthening the nation’s roads and bridges, expanding broadband access, improving public transit, and more.

The new law offers hope for millions of U.S. workers, especially people of color and women. But community colleges and other partners must step up to make those benefits happen.

When Larry Fordham Jr. learned about the Second Chance Pell program in 2020, he had only one wish: to walk out of a Florida prison with a college degree. 

But being locked up in a Florida prison doesn’t make someone a Florida resident. And out-of-state tuition usually puts college out of reach.

The State University of New York, the largest public comprehensive higher education system in the United States, will no longer withhold academic transcripts from students with outstanding debt.

SUNY's move represents a win in the campaign to end these types of transcript holds nationwide. Critics say the holds are often over relatively small amounts of money owed on tuition or fines but that they hinder students from transferring to another college, graduating, or landing jobs.