There are 600,000 fewer Black learners in college today than a decade ago, resulting in devastating lost opportunities. 

Today, leaders are sounding the alarm. A bipartisan, nationwide network of 26 CEOs, college executives, state and federal officials, and business and philanthropic leaders is committing to level up efforts for Black learners with a series of urgent steps.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of veterans use GI Bill benefits to pay for college or other educational programs. The funding is meant to be a recruitment tool, an acknowledgment of their service, and a springboard to help soldiers transition back into civilian life. 

But for thousands of veterans, their post-military lives have been disrupted by poor experiences at for-profit colleges accused of defrauding students.

Natasha Gutierrez had covered a lot of rocky territory by the time she turned 23 and hit a personal low, addicted to drugs and fed up with her life. Five years later, Gutierrez is on different track—a perfect GPA and one year away from earning an associate degree.

Her vision for the future has become sharper thanks in part to Colorado's "Finish What You Started" program, an effort that helps students overcome financial obstacles and academic anxieties so they can return to school and finish their degree.