Postsecondary Success Notes | January 2026

Dear colleagues—

In our work, we spend a lot of time talking about postsecondary value – what it means for students, which institutions are delivering it, and what it takes to ensure more learners experience it. Value isn’t defined by a single moment; it’s built across a student’s journey. It’s shaped by what happens in the classroom, whether students can complete the courses they start, stay on track toward a credential, and ultimately realize the economic and personal benefits of that credential. One of the clearest barriers standing in the way is gateway courses, especially in math—which have long derailed too many students early in their college journey.

That’s why I’m excited to share the launch of Learnvia, a new nonprofit developed in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University and funded by the foundation. Our shared vision for Learnvia builds on more than a decade of foundation investment in digital teaching and learning, incorporates what we’ve learned about supporting student success, and directly addresses a persistent challenge in higher education. Each year, hundreds of thousands of students get stuck in high-enrollment gateway courses—especially in math—and too often, that’s where their progress stalls.

Learnvia’s objective is simple: help more students succeed in foundational math courses that matter most. Foundational or “gateway” courses are among the most common and consequential students will take. For many learners, particularly those balancing work, family, and school, one course can make or break their momentum. Learnvia is tackling this challenge head-on with purpose-built digital courseware—starting with Calculus I—that integrates evidence-based instructional practices, AI-enabled tools, and learning research into a free-to-student solution designed to boost completion rates and support great teaching.

Designed by educators, for educators, the platform provides faculty with tools to improve the learning experience – incorporating instructional practices like active learning to increase alignment with how today’s students learn and persist. And with CMU’s deep expertise in learning science and human-centered design, we couldn’t ask for a better partner to lead this work. (Their press release about the announcement is available here).

This is an evolution of work we’ve been investing in for years. From early gateway course redesigns to the faculty-led partnerships we spotlighted in our October 2025 newsletter, we’ve seen the power of better courseware to boost engagement, increase completion, and help students stay on track.

Why this work matters now:

• Course success is key to college success. Foundational math courses play an important role in the college success equation, as they historically have some of the highest failure and withdrawal rates in higher ed - particularly for students who already face steep barriers to completion – and they also carry significant weight in determining a student’s field of study. Pathways with math-intensive majors are often linked to credentials with higher economic returns, so the payoff to success in these courses can be substantial.

• Affordability still matters. Textbooks and courseware may be a small line item, but for students, every dollar counts. Learnvia’s courseware will be free to students.
  
  
• Faculty are essential. Learnvia is designed to elevate, not replace, the role of faculty by co-designing with the people who know their students best and by equipping them with real-time insights into where their students are thriving and where they may need more in-class support.

At its core, this work is about improving outcomes, especially for students who’ve historically been underserved by higher education. That’s central to the foundation’s Postsecondary Success work, and we’re excited to support Learnvia as it brings new energy and capacity to that mission.

Regards,

Patrick Methvin,
Director, Postsecondary Success