Objective: Policymakers in many states are endeavoring to increase graduation rates among older community college students. However, we know little about how the factors that influence college completion among older students differ from their younger peers. We aim to identify features of institutional contexts in which adult community college…

This mixed methods study examines the design process and capacity of four high school master schedules to provide language support while moving newcomer students successfully towards graduation and college prep coursework. All four schools house newcomer programs and reside in the same large urban school district. Through qualitative interviews,…

Emerging adult learners returning to higher education must balance family, friends, work, community members, and many other responsibilities when they return to school. As higher education institutions struggle to increase enrollments, they can no longer ignore the critical population of students who now understand how returning or beginning…

Adult learners seeking to earn a high school equivalency (HSE), like the general education development (GED), must often overcome major difficulties to persist (Comings, 2007) and succeed academically (Hansman & Mott, 2010). Adult learners might require hundreds of hours of training in GED programs to make up for early departure in high school…

For the purposes of this study, criteria for non-traditional students were: adults ages 25 and older, race/ethnicity, gender, entry date or transfer to a community college in Middle Tennessee during fall 2015 through summer 2021, and Pell/Grant eligibility. The problem is that non-traditional students have lower completions than traditional…

The problem at the southeastern university study site is that adult nontraditional learners taking classes on campus are graduating at a low rate, which may indicate a lack of needed support services. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the learning support needs of adult nontraditional learners and institutional support…

Research indicates that older adult learners are faced with a multitude of obstacles and challenges during their experiences as students in higher education. A primary obstacle faced by non-traditional students is adjusting to the use of technology, compared to younger individuals, which is a trend that was exacerbated during the pandemic.…

English learners with disabilities graduate from high school at lower rates than non-disabled, non-minority peers. These students face complex learning and performance challenges because of their learning disabilities and lack of English proficiency. The qualitative research question addressed how ten adult alternative high school English learners…

Adult students without a high school credential are consistently denied access to programs offered by community colleges and four-year institutions. With a workforce that is in need of employees, employers have identified soft skills that are necessary for success in the workplace. Alabama offers a free program for students that includes these…

Recent years have seen a major decline in community college enrollments across the country. Although the market to attract secondary school students contains many pathways, the overall marketplace is very competitive as most schools are competing for the same body of students. The adult market is the largest and most neglected group of potential…

Colleges and universities continue to experience growth in their online programs, yet retention, persistence, and graduation rates of adult online learners remain problematic. However, only some higher education institutions offer professional development specifically on teaching adult learners online to address the long-standing issue. This…

The Doctorate is a terminal degree, in that, a student has accomplished the ultimate academic achievement within an educational field of domain. Although industries worldwide continually demand ever-advancing scholarly workforces and the innovation developments of higher thinkers, this degree has been impeded by a staggering 50% attrition rate…

This report presents enrollment data for West Virginia Higher Education. The following topics of data are presented: (1) National Enrollment Trends, Undergraduate Enrollment; (2) West Virginia High School Graduate Projections; (3) College-Going Rate; (4) Student Persistence and Completion; (5) Credit Headcount Enrollment; (6) Fall 2023 Headcount…

High school graduation rates have increased dramatically in the past two decades. Some skepticism has arisen, however, because of the confluence of the graduation rise and the starts of high-stakes accountability for graduation rates with "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB). In this study we provide some of the first evidence about the role of…

Among programs designed to reduce teen pregnancy, few evidence-based interventions specifically aim to reduce repeat pregnancies. Repeat pregnancies among adolescent mothers, however, are both prevalent and consequential. About one-sixth of births to adolescent mothers are repeat births. Compared to adolescent mothers with only one child, those…