Fresno Compact

Congratulations to Marcus P. Johnson, winner of this year’s Harold Haak Award at the Fresno Compact’s Annual Awards Luncheon, and to all the winners of the Business Partnership Awards.

When the conversation turns to the future of higher education, it often focuses on what’s broken. Yet this narrative is incomplete, and too rarely do we talk about what’s working.

GOLDSMITH: Dual Enrollment: The quiet revolution transforming college access When the conversation turns to the future of higher education, it often focuses on what’s broken: rising tuition, declining enrollment, and widening gaps between who college serves and who it leaves behind.

Today, the City of Fresno officially proclaimed April 9 as “Marcus P. Johnson Day,” honoring 50 years of leadership and impact in public education.

Marc Johnson, Executive Director of the Fresno Compact and the 2026 Dr. Harold Haak Award recipient, has dedicated his career to student success – from the classroom to superintendent to leading regional partnerships.

Guided by one belief: Every child, every day, whatever it takes.

Thank you, Marc, for your lasting impact on students, educators and our entire community.

👉 Celebrate Marc and this year’s award winners at the Fresno Compact Awards Luncheon on April 23.
Learn more: https://fresnocompact.com/the-29th-annual-business-education-shareholders-luncheon/

As school leaders try to get a handle on ed tech investments, some are looking to make payments contingent upon student achievement. California’s Fresno Unified School District is one such district.

How districts are experimenting with outcomes-based contracts in ed tech As school leaders try to get a handle on ed tech investments, some are looking to make payments contingent upon student achievement.

In a challenging hiring climate like the one we’re now in, employers would be smart to distinguish between a true entry-level job and an early-career job.

Entry-level jobs should be entry level A director of undergraduate career services at the University of Iowa contends that misleading job posts are losing employers smart and motivated applicants.

The findings stand “in stark contrast to the public’s perception,” report author Phillip Levine said.

Average net tuition down when adjusted for inflation, Brookings data shows The findings stand "in stark contrast to the public’s perception,” report author Phillip Levine said.

Fresno City College’s new Advanced Transportation Center is helping students prepare for a workforce feeding a nationwide technician shortage, boasting a 96 percent completion rate and graduates who arrive on the job nearly factory-certified.

Nearly Certified on Day One: How Fresno City College is solving the technician shortage Fresno City College’s new Advanced Transportation Center is helping students prepare for a workforce feeding a nationwide technician shortage, boasting a 96 percent completion rate and graduates who arrive on the job nearly factory-certified. Students

The work of trimming down four-year bachelor’s degrees to fit within three years has prompted nothing less than a rethinking of the purpose of a college education.

Many more colleges are adding trimmed-down, three-year bachelor’s degrees Colleges and universities, responding to demand for faster routes to jobs, are adding a new kind of degree: a reduced-credit bachelor’s degree that can be earned in three years instead of the usual four or more.

Nearly one-third of CTE educators say they expect their district or school to introduce CTE offerings in the fields of digital technology, information technology, AI, and cybersecurity, according to a nationally representative survey of 472 CTE teachers and administrators conducted by the EdWeek Research Center in the fall

Businesses Want Employees With AI Skills. Are K-12 CTE Programs Keeping Up? Most schools are still in the early stages of thinking about the role of AI in CTE programs.

“It’s a job skill,” Kibbey said. “Overall, kids are going to end up working with a computer somewhere, no matter where they work. They’re going to sign in to timesheets. They’re going to need word-processing skills. They’re going to send emails. It helps them be ready for the future, and it’s one less barrier to success as an adult.”

Some schools stress keyboarding skills as students become all thumbs Educators say traditional typing practice is essential for standardized testing performance and future careers.