As a result of systemic barriers, undocumented immigrants are more likely to enroll in community colleges and to enter these institutions with higher prior academic achievement than their peers. I explore the potential spillover benefits of this hyperselection on other students using data from a large community college system and two…

This study evaluates the implementation of policies and practices related to prior learning assessment (PLA) for military training and experience in Colorado community colleges. Through conducting interviews and a document analysis, this case study aimed to provide policy and practice recommendations for states, systems, and institutions to…

Academic leaders must have adequate leadership skills to be effective in their roles and achieve the college's goals; however, there is relative paucity of knowledge regarding preferences and preparation that midlevel academic leaders in career colleges have. A quantitative method with a correlational design was used to examine the relationships…

Beginning the path to a bachelor's degree in community college has the potential to be a more cost-effective higher education option. Previous research on transfer students has focused broadly on curriculum alignment, articulation policies, and academic advising in efforts to reduce credit loss. Credit loss can significantly impact transfer…

Drawing from Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant evaluations and interviews with the field, this chapter includes examples of three cases that integrated advising and prior learning assessment for adults returning to education, and discusses the benefits and drawbacks of each approach.

Children across the nation lack access to high-quality pre-K programs that can support their development and build foundational skills for elementary school. The pandemic set pre-K enrollment and funding back further, with an enrollment decline of nearly 300,000 children and state spending remaining relatively flat. As children and families return…

Poor mathematics preparation severely restricts students' future educational and occupational choices. This paper explores the extent to which differences were observed in the pedagogical practices of those teaching college introductory college math at a community college and at a four-year college. Although college math instructors generally may…

Transfer student capital encompasses the knowledge, skills, and experiences that transfer students acquire before transitioning to a new institution from their previous ones, communities, and cultures. This capital plays a crucial role in shaping their academic and social transition, identity development, and overall success in the new…

With the implementation of AB 705 in fall 2019, California Community Colleges began to transition to a majority of students' first English and math enrollment starting at transfer level. Research has shown that with the vast increase in access to transfer-level courses, the one-year completion rate of a transfer-level course (i.e., throughput)…

Prior learning assessment (PLA) is a promising tool to help adult learners returning to school acquire new skills, find improved employment prospects, and positively contribute to the broader economy. Though research has consistently found PLA leads to strong outcomes for adult students, PLA use remains low in colleges, particularly among…

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, distance education has rapidly expanded, transforming the landscape of community colleges. This paper explores how different online learning modalities impact student success in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), one of the largest and most diverse systems in the United States. With the purpose of…

This study focused on how self-efficacy and a student's self-assessed level of preparation for college level English impacted their success in a first-year composition course at a community college. The purpose of this study was to uncover the factors that led to successful writers with a focus on self-efficacy and collegiate writing. The research…

Many community college students are enrolled in basic mathematics courses that are equivalent to high school mathematics courses. Students from developmental mathematics courses at a Midwest community college completed a questionnaire and were interviewed to find themes in their learning past and perspectives on mathematics classes. These students…

A midwestern community college utilized a corequisite model to accelerate students' developmental education that allows adult learners to take developmental writing and English composition simultaneously. First-year composition instructors had no formal training at the college on andragogical methods and teaching strategies to foster successful…

The CAEL (Council for Adult and Experiential Learning) and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) announce the inaugural winners of the Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) Equity Awards, recognizing strategies that have been proven to put CPL in reach of key adult learner populations and/or increase their CPL credit-earning.…