Here are three reports to know about this month:

1. 1. 1. 1. New research by the Harvard Business School in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) shows a significant disconnect between community colleges and business and industry when it comes to collaborating on workforce development. Employers and community colleges were surveyed about workforce collaborations. In response to how important they believe it is for employers and community colleges to partner to produce a work-ready workforce, 59% of employers and 98% of community colleges said it was “very important,” with 32% of employers and 2% of community colleges saying it was “somewhat important.” In addition, only 26% of surveyed businesses said they “strongly agreed” and 36% “agreed” that community colleges are producing the work-ready employees that their company needs. Nearly one in four employers neither agreed or disagreed.
         2. The number of credentials being offered continues to increase, surpassing 1 million, according to a new report from Credential Engine. That’s 10% more than were counted last year. More than half (656,505) of the 1 million-plus credentials identified in the report are offered by nonacademic providers.
         3. New America released two reports focusing on community college baccalaureate (CCB) degree programs. One report focuses on building financial structures to support CCB degrees. The up-front costs for CCB degree programs can be significant, and state funding varies greatly. The second report looks at a supply-and-demand analysis conducted in Ohio and Illinois to inform future decisions on CCB degrees. The report’s writers analyzed the workforce demand for respiratory therapists in Ohio and information security analysts in Illinois using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Lightcast. They recommend community colleges use supply and demand analysis to explore potential baccalaureate programs that have strong demand from regional employers.