Research shows that while many students express interest in STEM, far fewer go on to complete degrees in these fields, with significant disparities across race and gender. Our latest report spotlights the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Program, which is designed to address these disparities. Utilizing interviews with national…

The Keystone Education Yields Success (KEYS) program is a welfare-to-work program in Pennsylvania meant to promote financial independence through education. Across the community colleges in the state of Pennsylvania, the KEYS program has often allowed financially disadvantaged students to succeed on par with - and often surpass - their non-KEYS…

In this study, we leverage national data sources to examine the relationship between community colleges' level of reliance on local funding and their total institutional revenue, focusing specifically on community colleges educating the largest shares of low-income and racially minoritized students. We show that local funding is positively related…

Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degrees are designed to prepare individuals for career opportunities, but they are increasingly prevalent among students transferring to universities. Still, transfer experiences for AAS holders are fraught with barriers such as credit loss and credit applicability toward baccalaureate degrees. Using statewide…

"Teaching Students About the World of Work" argues that educational institutions--especially two-year and four-year public institutions serving low-income students--need to make the topic of employment a central element in their educational offerings. Indeed, the book demonstrates that a far greater emphasis on teaching students about…

This study of homeless students' existential experiences was focused on urban community colleges and postsecondary vocational schools and universities. Homeless students encounter unique existential challenges, yet homeless students have proven abilities to access resources essential for their academic pursuits. The study results showed homeless…

The opportunity to take college courses in high school (dual enrollment) is becoming increasingly prevalent, but access is not equitably distributed. Certain populations, such as economically disadvantaged students and students who are members of racial and ethnic groups historically underrepresented in college, are less likely to take dual…

Although the existence of state-funded student support services programs dates to the 1960s, studies on how such programs play a role in student success are scarce. By utilizing unique institutional data and a comprehensive conceptual model integrating multiple theories, this study examines the relationship between the New Jersey educational…

This article investigates whether attending a community college is related to an increase in the number of students majoring and graduating with degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at four-year colleges. We follow a longitudinal sample of students in North Carolina from middle school through college graduation,…

In fulfillment of Ohio Revised Code section 3333.041 (A) (1), the Chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) has published a listing by school district of the number of 2018 high school graduates that attended a state institution of higher education in the 2018-2019 academic year. The listing provides the percentage of each…

While community colleges promote American ideals of democracy, opportunity, and social mobility; provide a vital accessible and affordable education for nearly 12 million first-generation, economically-disadvantaged, and minoritized students; are engines of local workforce and economic development; and enroll nearly half of all students who go on…

Policymakers in Texas want to understand the funding levels necessary for community colleges to meet their promise of providing an affordable and accessible pathway to a postsecondary certificate or degree. Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest conducted this study to help leaders at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board better…

The "Examination of the Costs of Texas Community Colleges" study examined the funding levels necessary for community colleges to meet their promise of providing an affordable and accessible pathway to a postsecondary certificate or degree. The study involved three types of analyses: a needs analysis, an equity analysis, and a cost…

This report provides information on the 15 Iowa community colleges for the fall of 2022 including: (1) Students; (2) Student Demographics; (3) Academics; (4) Program Type; (5) Transfer Major Programs; (6) Career Clusters; (7) Online Enrollment; (8) Joint Enrollment; (9) Immediate Enrollment; and (10) Enrollment Projections. [For the 2021 report,…

In 2005, the percentage of Canton City's young adults with some college or an associate degree was 33%. In addition, only 12.5% of its adults had earned a bachelor's degree or higher, and 81% of its students were in poverty. Canton's poorest neighborhoods needed a compelling example that college was possible. In response, the Canton City School…