Across the country, students who had planned to begin college this fall are at home instead, waiting out the pandemic. For Native American students, freshman enrollment at public, four-year colleges is down 22 percent; at community colleges, it’s fallen by almost 30 percent.

In response, colleges and access groups are scrambling to get students back on track, with some offering discounted or free tuition. Along with extending its 50 percent discount, the Navajo Nation’s Diné College plans to improve access by offering evening classes at high schools this spring to avoid long commutes to the college campus.

The pandemic has brought to life the fact that not only do we have a deadly virus running rampant through our nation—and the world—but the U.S. postsecondary system is ailing, as well. It was ailing before the pandemic, and the challenges facing postsecondary education have grown as the coronavirus disrupts both delivery and economic models. 

The good news? We have a chance to redesign our system—to make it operate better for students, employers, institutions, and policymakers. One Rx for change is “credential as you go.”