Thirty percent of America's recent public college graduates failed to earn a positive ROI within 10 years of graduation, according to new findings from Strada Education Foundation.

Public confidence in higher education has plummeted in recent years amid high tuition prices, skyrocketing student loans and a dismal job market—plus ideological concerns from conservatives. Now, colleges are scrambling to prove their value to students.

The question isn’t whether students need real-world work experience, nor is it what those experiences should be called.

At least two community colleges, Alvin and Blinn, are also considering what they can and can’t teach to high schoolers enrolled in their fast-growing dual credit courses.