Daily Lumina News 110422

A decade ago, fewer than half of the students in Buffalo’s schools graduated on time. Now, more than three quarters do. Leaders give a lot of the credit to Say Yes Buffalo, the city’s popular promise scholarship program.
Say Yes Buffalo is now broadening its focus with the launch of a youth apprenticeship effort that aims to give students new paths into growing industries like advanced manufacturing and tech.

Affirmative action has long ignited fierce debate, and a decision that rules out the practice could signal a sea change in higher education.
As the Supreme Court considers the role of race in college admissions, some Harvard University undergraduates share why they believe diversity confers educational benefits.

Bill Keller is the founding editor of The Marshall Project, a nonprofit, online journalism organization focusing on criminal justice-related issues.

In this Q&A, Keller talks about his new book on improving today's prisons and jails, the power of college-in-prison initiatives, and how innovative solutions in small pockets of the prison system offer a glimpse of what the future could look like.

Catalysts for change often work quietly, but their results speak volumes. At education organizations, they’re the people who build strong relationships across stakeholders, support and empower others to design and drive the work, and embrace a “student first” mindset.
In this interview, Kathy Huffman of the Community Education Coalition describes how catalysts play outsized roles in driving equitable changes to help adult students learn, earn, and succeed.

As the college mental health crisis continues to grow, a new report argues that peer support should be taken seriously as part of a treatment strategy. This is especially relevant as college-counseling centers struggle to meet the demand for services.
The study, from Mary Christie Institute, also says additional research is needed to establish guidelines for such programs.

The Supreme Court set a precedent for affirmative action more than 40 years ago. Now that precedent hangs in the balance as the court considers it again. What could be at risk?
In states that already have bans on race-conscious admissions in place, it's meant substantial declines in Black and Hispanic enrollment.