Many community colleges are simultaneously experiencing record enrollments and budget cuts, two phenomenon that don’t go well together. Five hundred million dollars is less than what community colleges hoped for (less than $50 a student depending on how you count enrollment), so pressure is on to use the money wisely.

Here in D.C. a newly formed community college, the Community College of the District of Columbia (CCDC), provides an excellent opportunity to innovate and help solve some of the workforce and educational problems that have plagued the District. Only in its second year, CCDC enrollment exceeds 2,700 students. However, over three quarters of these students aren’t fully prepared for postsecondary work and require some type of remediation. And as we know, the skills needed to prepare students for careers and postsecondary work are one and the same. Jonathan Gueverra, CCDC’s CEO, wants to put remediation out of business. To do this, he is partnering with D.C. public and charter high schools to test 10th grade students and provide those who do not meet the minimum standards for college work the opportunity to use self-paced online tutorials to teach the skills they need to be prepared for college. Once they pass, they can enroll in courses at CCDC and obtain college credit while still in high school. While this is a form of dual enrollment, the real push and emphasis is on getting as many students prepared for college so they can be successful once they get there.

CCDC is not the only community college actively reaching out to high schools to prepare students for college-level work. Both Florida and California, for example, have statewide efforts to identify students in need of extra support and allow them to take courses while still in high school. These types of efforts require cooperation between the higher education and K-12 sectors to succeed. We need more examples of higher education and K-12 aggressively working together to ensure college readiness.

CCDC’s 10th grade outreach targets the realities facing community colleges – many students enter unprepared to succeed – and is an example of an innovative approach to make the time spent in a classroom after high school as rewarding as possible. Any additional innovation sparked by the Community College and Career Training Grant Program is well worth it.

In 1999, one of the earliest and most important initiatives of KnowledgeWorks helped connect students to information and financial resources that can open the doors to college. Another initiative in 2006 resulted in the formation of an integrated adult education workforce system that is directly responsive to the needs of Ohio's employers

The two are inextricably linked.

We know that post-secondary education -- whether or not that means four-year, two-year, or professional certification -- is the first step to a more secure financial and personal future. We also know that key to successful business is having access to an educated and well-trained work force.

That’s why this $2 billion initiative makes a lot of sense. Kudos to the Departments of Labor and Education. In recent years we’ve seen an explosion of enrollment at community colleges all across the country amid a tighter economy and a more competitive work environment. That trend is expected to continue.

The grant can also have a powerful long-term economic impact, especially if community colleges can better align training with the needs of their communities and regions. Among those who do this particularly well is Austin Community College District, whose eight campuses around metro Austin have become major economic asset in the region with professional certification, training and accelerated degree opportunities.

On a much smaller scale in Stark County, Ohio, the Stark County Education Partnership has long driven economic development and educational attainment through partnerships with the Stark State College of Technology – both in increasing the numbers of adults doing post-secondary work and empowering high school students to earn college credits at Canton Early College High School.

With community colleges serving more than 30 percent of post-secondary students, investing $2 billion over four years can make a substantial impact in addressing the critical needs of our future work force, increase the pipeline of four-year degree aspirants help the United States remain competitive in an increasingly more complex global economic environment.

Every college student knows that textbook costs are out of control. The average student spends $900 per year, and prices have been rising four times the rate of inflation. For community college students, textbooks are comparable to 72% of tuition according to the GAO – a significant chunk of their overall expenses. The root of the problem is that publishers have complete control over pricing: students need to buy their books to succeed in school, and industry mergers and buyouts have virtually eliminated competition. To get costs under control, we need an affordable alternative to challenge publishers’ stranglehold on the market.

That’s exactly what the $2 billion grant program could do.

Here’s how: All materials produced under the grants – including textbooks, curricula and software – must be licensed to the public and made freely available online to read, download, customize, distribute and print. This provision is not only a big win for the principle of taxpayer access to taxpayer-funded resources, but it also ensures the grant program will feed the already growing supply of high-quality, sharable publicly licensed content known as “open” educational resources.

Needless to say, the savings could be tremendous. A recent U.S. PIRG study found that “open” textbooks reduce costs 80% over traditional books, which translates to more than $10,000 in savings for the typical 100-student class. Also, open textbooks solve challenges associated with traditional e-books by giving students the flexibility to choose between print, digital and self-printed formats, all at a low cost.

Open resources are gaining momentum already. More than 1,000 college classes use open textbooks, and student PIRG activists have organized 2,500 professors to sign a declaration of support. Also, sustainable models are beginning to evolve. For example, the startup company Flat World Knowledge publishes free, open textbooks while still making a profit! A $2 billion investment could supercharge innovation and help open resources gain even greater traction in the market to drive textbook costs down for good.

This is an extraordinary opportunity to improve – if not solve – a major financial challenge for millions of college students. But, it’s up to colleges to make it happen.

For colleges looking to take advantage of this grant to make textbooks more affordable once and for all, I recommend the following three actions:

1. Colleges should take a step back and look for other institutions with compatible workforce needs and goals. By collaborating – or at least coordinating with others, colleges can cover more ground and ultimately get more out of the grants. Imagine having world-class open resources for the top 100, or even 1000 most common community college courses.

2. Colleges should leverage the funds to reduce textbook costs for the maximum number of students. For example, prioritizing improvements to high-enrollment courses with expensive books could increase student success twofold: by creating more effective materials, and by relieving financial pressure. College Algebra would be a good place to start; it’s part of many career-oriented programs, and the average textbook costs a whopping $162.47.

3. Adoption should be a top priority. After all, the educational and cost-saving benefits of open resources can only reach students if instructors adopt them. Colleges should make plans with other institutions and organizations to ensure their work is promoted elsewhere, and to do their part to promote other materials locally.

High school, community college, university degrees and even graduate degrees are nothing more than tickets to a lottery of jobs if the people in receipt of them do not have a strong sense of purpose and an idea of their true strengths and talents.

For this reason, it would make sense that high schools, and all post secondary schools develop meaningful courses around teaching people how to discover their strengths (the activities and interactions which energize them, keep their focus and point them in the direction of meaning work).

It would seem a wise choice for schools of any kind to focus beyond skill development and teach people to find significance and meaning in the work they pursue because in the long run, this will keep them engaged, motivated and striving for excellence.

Why does this simple thought seem so elusive to educators? American educator Grant Wiggins and motivational guru Stephen Covey had it right when they both proposed, within different arenas, that to be successful, one must begin with the end in mind and then align the course of action toward that end. What use is a degree of any kind if at the end, the recipient is not energized and fulfilled by the work they do?

Courses in developing strengths teach people of all ages to discover their natural inclinations and the ways to build these into meaningful careers. Schools would spend money most wisely by implementing these courses as an entry point in any degree seeking program.

Most people who fail in their jobs fail due to lack of interpersonal skills. They are mismatched to management styles, are unable to feel empathy toward co-workers, subordinates or bosses. They bring in biases and personal baggage that effect their jobs. They are unskilled in how to manage or contribute to teams. These skills can and should be taught. Traditionally, schools have avoided teaching students about their Relationship Strengths. We look at this as the "soft lessons" that distract from the serious course work. How many people in midlife have lost jobs because they did not know the quadratic equation? Alongside teaching people to make solid choices about where they will make the most meaningful contribution in life, schools will make good investments with their funding if they develop courses about fundamental Relationship Strengths (how to participate on effective teams using their strengths, how to identify which types of authority figures they get along well with and what to do when they find themselves managed by someone who they are not strengthened by and simple awareness of their daily impact on others.).

Throwing money at the same solutions to old problems doesn't elevate or validate any program. All expenditures will be better appropriated when beginning with the end in mind. What is it the student really needs at the end of the program? "A degree" is not enough.

The $2 billion, four-year Community College and Career Training grants provide an important opportunity for institutions that offer two-year degree programs. It’s important because there is precious little money out there for community college innovation, even as the demands and expectations on these institutions are rising. But it’s also important because this grant program gives colleges—individually and in consortia—an opportunity to rethink how best to prepare students for jobs in their local economies that are real, available, and accessible to those who master well-aligned coursework and training.

The momentum for improving postsecondary outcomes—in terms of credentials earned and measurable learning—has been building, as it should be in this time of scarce resources and high expectations for both accountability and cost-effective use of public resources. What is exciting about this grant program is that it shines a light not just on completion and learning—which it should—but also on why people come back to school to learn and earn degrees: preparation for jobs that will significantly improve their income and career prospects.

The U.S. Department of Labor is smart to focus this effort on new program designs that can dramatically—and quickly—increase college completion rates. It should be commended as well for requiring that these credentials have direct economic value to completers—in terms of jobs and earnings. Not all credentials are created equal: some two-year degrees have a higher labor market payoff than many four-year degrees, depending on the program of study. And some one-year certificates mean more in terms of potential to climb the economic ladder than a two-year Associate’s degree. Successful proposals will have to make the economic case for the federal investment—and that will require creative and effective collaboration among colleges and their key regional employers.

It is encouraging to see the Labor Department include in the design of this solicitation some of the strongest and best elements of the American Graduation Initiative that was a casualty of the health care reform bill negotiations, as well as elements from the Department of Education’s Investing in Innovation initiative. These include: attention to the labor market need for the program being proposed; specification of the evidence base for the innovation being proposed and the evaluation methods to be used to assess its effectiveness; and a commitment to funding innovations that are bold and can point the way to large-scale improvements in the economic prospects of struggling Americans.

My state provides an interesting case study on the value of community college programs.Community colleges are for many Americans their first, last, or best chance at a post-secondary education. Some, like Walt Disney, George Lucas, Calvin Klein, or Tom Hanks may find their life's calling; then pursue it. Don't be too quick to scoff at what one year at a community college could mean for a high school grad or a laid off worker. For older students who already have work and life experience, those 12 months could lead to a serious job upgrade through specific workforce development programs or acquiring trade or technology skills.

Since communnity colleges tend to be more flexible and versatile in their scheduling and delivery options than other higher ed institutions, serious students can accrue two years worth of college credits in a 12-month period. Like many rural states, Mississippi gets most of its nurses (as well as a good portion of our plumbers, electricians, truck drivers, and police officers) from the community college system.

Federal funding, particularly the stimulus funds, became increasingly important to community colleges as demands for their services rose, while state leaders slash away at their funding. Arizona's governor, for example, wants to cut community college allocations there by 50% this year. That's why in many places, such as here in Mississippi, temporary increases in Federal funding have been a mixed blessing since state allocations are often cut by an equivalent amount to Federal awards. Although enrollment is up, tuition only accounts for about 32% of the Mississippi community colleges' total revenue.

The latest round of Federal grants target innovation and new learning, and so far, Mississippi community colleges have won $80,000 of the $2 billion total. They will be hard-pressed to stretch into new areas, while staff and core programs are being overstuffed. That won't stop the resourceful and resilient institutions from trying, however.

For example: Mississippi's 15 community colleges offer online courses through a statewide consortium (MSVCC). Since 2001, the online offerings have increased by 400%. In 2010, over 28,000 students took 65,000+ courses online; ten percent of all students enrolled in the state's community colleges take all of the coursework online. Considering that community colleges in Mississippi get lower per student funding than either the public four-year colleges or the K-12 schools, they rightfully brag that they provide "more educational bang for the buck."

I'd like to see community colleges use this money to design programs that integrate reading, writing and math instruction with job training on the Tennessee model that Jamie Merisotis describes. This would meet the needs of laid-off workers -- and the needs of many traditional-age students who are floundering and failing in community colleges.

Nearly all high school seniors say they plan to go to college, usually to earn a bachelor's degree. For students who've earned A's and B's in real college-prep courses, that's a realistic goal. For the B-, C and D students, it's not. Very few will complete a degree of any kind. All would-be transfer students who need remedial reading, writing and math should be told their real chances of earning a bachelor's degree -- and then offered an alternative path to a good future.

I wrote about middle-skill jobs in the Hechinger Report, McClatchy Newspapers and the Huffington Post. Some one-year certificates and two-year degrees lead to middle-class jobs with decent pay -- higher pay than what's available to the average four-year grad with a sociology or religious studies degree.

I'd like to see the feds gather data on college students who earn certificates, instead of lumping them in with the "some college" group. I'd like to hear President Obama talk about the value of a one-year certificate: Most hear his college-completion goal as "a bachelor's for all," which is misleading.

While he's at it, he could tell high school students that they need to work hard now to learn the reading, writing and math skills (and critical thinking, if you insist) needed for college and the workforce. Most of the good jobs require math skills. No math, no money. Spread the word.

The Community College and Career Training Grant program represents a major opportunity for significantly changing how community colleges deliver high-quality worker education and training. While there was some disappointment that the $2 billion fell far short of what the Administration had proposed with its $12 billion American Graduation Initiative, let’s be clear: $2 billion is a lot of money and can be used for significant impact if properly applied.

One key opportunity the new program offers is to support efforts that accelerate associate degree and certificate attainment. Unfortunately, many community college programs take too long to finish, particularly for families already under financial pressure. Time is a major factor that drives many individuals – both adults and traditional age students – into low-wage, low-skill jobs that simply intensify the need for additional, and often costly, education in the future.

Fortunately, there is a solution to this problem. Accelerated associate degree programs that allow students to achieve job-relevant postsecondary degrees and credentials in a year or less are being tested by states and institutions with the goal of helping students earn quality credentials that have real value in the new economy. These include programs at the statewide Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana, and at the City University of New York.

Tennessee has been doing something similar for many years at the certificate level with a network of 27 centers. The most recent data from Public Agenda found that 20 percent of U.S. community college students complete their studies within three years; Tennessee’s rate is even lower, at 14 percent. But the Tennessee Technology Centers achieve a 75 percent completion rate.

The key is a program designed from the ground up for student success, one far different than a typical community college. Students sign up for a program, not individual courses, and advance as a cohort through an integrated series of classes offered in a block Monday through Friday – usually from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Going to school becomes a full-time job, and students do it on a predictable schedule that allows for family and other obligations.

Doing that will take redesigning community colleges and other postsecondary schools. They must accelerate the process of earning a degree or certificate, do more to cater to adult students and design programs that assure students can finish quickly and have confidence that they will find a job in return for their investment of time, money and energy.

Students know up front how much it will cost to complete the program and when they’ll finish – and how likely they are to find a job afterwards. Math, English, remedial help – all subjects fit into the context of a particular program so students see every lesson benefits their progress.

In the Tennessee case, of those who earn certificates, 83 percent go on to jobs in those fields. In fact, the approach has been so successful the state’s legislature passed a bill to reshape its community colleges along the same pattern.

I expect that the new grant program will propel the more modest current experiments with accelerated programs forward in a measurable way, and could be one of the biggest enduring benefits of this time-limited funding program.