It’s a top challenge for programs this year. For a variety of demographic reasons, it is tougher now to attract instructors who want to teach. Three practitioners from three different institutional settings have developed innovative and successful ways to recruit instructors. Here’s what they do. Cast a Wider Net   Cast a wider net, says Michael

Exclusive to UGotClass, a new Class Ranking premieres this month.  The Class Ranking allows your students, and especially their employers, to find out how well each did compared to others taking the same certificate over the past year. The ranking is confidential, of course. Unless your student is in the Top Ten. Then you and

  This fall, become a CPP.  For leaders, send your entire staff to become a Certified Program Planner (CPP).   Professionals in the field only know about 50% of what they need to know to maximize their productivity and your organization’s success, according to LERN’s lead instructor for the CPP, Vice President Brendan Marsello.   

Every program should be offering, or expanding, their Summer Camps and Kids’ College programming. Summer camps for youth cannot keep up with demand, are very profitable, and have other financial benefits for your organization. Now you have two ways to plan for Summer Camps 2026. Summer Camps 2026 Webinar Series   The top practitioners from around

“Oh, I’m not rescuing you. I just want you to have my flyer on ‘Making Crafts with Coconut Shells.’” Smile. You have a cartoon with every issue of your LERN print newsletter this coming year. They are drawn exclusively for LERN by artist Greg Brecht. A little old-fashioned, a little corny, and just right. Enjoy.

This year’s two new LERN Recommendations are that EVERY program should offer classes for:*Boomers.*Kids and Youth. Even programs focused on professional development and workforce development can reap the rewards from programming to Boomers as well as to Kids and Youth. The reason is money, both for your program and to your other financial contributions to

No other conference has it.New! “Innovations 2025” is an exclusive report for organizations attending this year’s 2025 Annual Conference. You get the report on the pioneering breakthrough innovations in the last twelve months: 1. Authentic Programming   A new strategy to customize and create new programming for different neighborhoods and communities. 2. No-Cost 5 Step SEO  

   From over 40 great tips from LERN members, our consultants picked the 9 Best Ideas for this year. Here they are, with links to 2-4 minute videos for more information. #1  Increase spending on marketing for classes that are already doing well.Click here for more information https://youtu.be/CWNiABBRFfQ #2 Do Instagram reels of 15-30 second

For programs having trouble finding quality local AI instructors for your in-person classes. Get our online “AI Certificate” in your next print brochure. Our online faculty will take care of your customers. Bring this critical workplace and professional development skill to your community. Click here for the full description. Our “AI Certificate” premiered in February

Get the benchmarks, comparisons and data from your fellow programs in the same institutional setting. Dashboard Level 1 is FREE, even for non-member programs. Coming soon! Dashboard  Level 2. Keep reading to find out about Level 2. Dashboard Level 1For Dashboard Level 1, we ask 5 quick multiple choice questions. We ask for a range,

   From award winning LERN members, here are three Best Practices this year.  Best Staffing Practice   Recruitment and retention of staff, including part-time and temporary summer staff, is now one of the top issues in the field. A Recruitment Fair is one key element in a new initiative by the most innovative programs to nurture

This spring we celebrate the achievements of Jill Korsok, our chief elected officer of the LERN Board of Directors for 2024 – 2025.  Ms. Korsok is a recreation professional with, and Director of, Orange Community Education and Recreation in Pepper Pike, Ohio.   She showed, once again, how professionals with Recreation Departments have created initiatives and

Registrations are strong for two big events for universities and community colleges this spring. New. Pathways: Noncredit to Credit   A hot topic, you get the experience and successful practice from two leading continuing educators who have had big success with developing Pathway programs at their institutions.   Join Gloria Smith of Dallas College, Dallas, TX; and

A new community college research report finds that a minimum of 5% of noncredit students later become a credit or degree student at the same college within four years. Download the report here.      “The implications for community colleges are significant,” concludes Julie Coates, Senior Vice President for LERN and the report’s lead researcher.  The LERN