ACE, Pearson Release Brief on Reengaging Stopped-out Learners

​ACE, in collaboration with Pearson, has released a new brief examining how colleges and universities can better support stopped-out learners in returning to complete their degrees. The brief highlights barriers that lead learners to stop out and institutional strategies that can promote reenrollment and completion.

More than 37 million adults under age 65 have some college but no credential or degree. Further, nearly 70 percent of the North American workforce is projected to require upskilling or re-skilling by 2030, creating opportunities for colleges and universities to serve more learners. The report, Reengaging Stopped-Out Learners: Institutional Strategies for Return and Completion, draws on focus groups with college and university leaders to assess why learners stop out and identify practical, institution-level approaches to strengthening reenrollment and completion efforts.

"Colleges and universities are deeply committed to helping learners succeed at every stage of their educational journey, including those who step away before completing a credential," said ACE President Ted Mitchell. "This brief highlights how institutions can build on that commitment to create clearer pathways for learners to return and finish what they started."

"This report provides clear solutions to closing an education and skills gap that will help millions of learners, employers, and the economy," said Tom Ap Simon, president of Pearson Higher Education. "Pearson is committed to partnering with colleges and employers to build credit for prior learning pathways that will help stopped-out learners continue their education, prove their skills, and land jobs."

Using qualitative data collected from higher education leaders, the researchers identify the primary reasons learners stop out-financial concerns, competing responsibilities, and lack of readiness-as well as what motivates them to reengage: career advancement, personal achievement, and family dynamics. The brief also outlines how institutions can more effectively reengage students and recognizes systems and activities that warrant greater attention, before detailing three recommendations for change:

• Flexible Program Delivery: Establish learner-centered program models that support completion.
• Data Infrastructure: Integrate data systems to better identify and support stopped-out learners.
• Credit for Prior Learning, Work Experience, and Military Training: Broaden acceptance of credit for prior learning to accelerate completion and reduce costs.

"Reengaging stopped-out learners is critical to strengthening both individual opportunity and our nation's workforce," said Danielle Melidona, ACE senior analyst and program officer, who coauthored the report with Julia Napier, ACE research associate. "This brief is designed to move beyond identifying challenges and instead provide institutions with clear, actionable strategies they can implement to help more learners return, persist, and complete."

This report extends ACE's body of research focused on institutional strategies that support learners. Recent briefs-including Build America: Empowering Military Learners for Future Success and Dual Mission Institutions: Bridging Traditional and Workforce Learning for Regional Impact-highlight strategies for advancing credit for prior learning, strengthening workforce alignment, and promoting completion across institution types. Alongside ACE's earlier work on stopped-out learners, this research reflects a sustained focus on practical, institution-level solutions that expand access and drive credential attainment.