In 2015, the City University of New York (CUNY) launched a new program-- Accelerate, Complete, and Engage (ACE)--aimed at improving college graduation rates. A prior randomized-control evaluation of the program found a nearly 12 percentage point increase in graduation five years after college entry. Using this impact estimate and national data on…

Maryland has a strong educational system with a state legislature actively establishing policy through legislation to benefit its citizens. Often these legislated policies need to be implemented with benchmarks or considerations for the differences between the counties. This study addressed the impact of dual enrollment programs created by…

Students with disabilities in U.S. community colleges continue to disproportionately experience lower degree attainment compared to students without disabilities. Furthermore, students with disabilities are twice as likely to choose community colleges for postsecondary education compared to four-year colleges. Students with disabilities in…

The Foster Care Success Act (House Bill 22-1374) provides funds to both the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) and the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to improve the educational attainment of students in out-of-home placement. The Act requires CDE to identify specific goals for its Foster Care Education Program (FCEP) to achieve…

In the 2018 legislative session, the General Assembly appropriated $28.4 million to increase production of degree awards in the areas of data science and technology, education, healthcare, and science and engineering. The funding, targeted toward 14 public four-year institutions (University of Virginia's College at Wise was excluded), included…

In the higher education landscape, community colleges have served to help many under-resourced populations gain access to post-secondary education and a chance to pursue their dreams (Bailey, Jaggers, & Jenkins, 2015; Schudde & Goldrick-Rab, 2015). As with many under-resourced populations of students, the stakes are high for incarcerated…

Recently there has been an emphasis on how time spent outside of the classroom can affect student outcomes, including high school graduation, with the hope of closing academic achievement gaps along socioeconomic and racial lines. This paper provides experimental evidence regarding a particular type of out-of-school activity--early work…

Bachelor's degrees are increasingly needed to get a job that pays a livable wage. Washington's transfer degrees and policies can help students earn a bachelor's degree. Transfer degrees support the state's goal to have 70% of 25- to 44-year-olds with a credential beyond high school. Every two years, the Washington State Legislature asks the…

Local teacher recruitment through "grow-your-own" (GYO) programs is a prominent strategy to address workforce shortages and ensure that incoming teachers resemble, understand, and have strong connections to their communities. Despite the growing popularity of GYO programs, there is little credible evidence of their effectiveness. The…

Chapter 323, Laws of 2024 (Senate Bill 5904) extends and aligns the maximum timeframe allowed for students to receive three of Washington state's need-based financial aid programs--Washington College Grant (WA Grant or WCG), College Bound Scholarship (College Bound or CBS), and Passport to Careers (Passport or PTC)--from a maximum of five years to…

Community colleges are Black males' primary pathway to higher education. Less than a third of Black males, however, are likely to attain a certificate or degree within 6 years. Although no single intervention can formally improve their academic trajectory, interventions absent of culturally and gender-specific approaches and institutional…

Utilizing a lottery-based natural experiment, this study assessed the longer-term impact of early colleges on postsecondary degree attainment. It found that early colleges significantly increased the overall degree completion and associate degree completion rates within 10 years of expected high school graduation. While the impact on bachelor's…

The Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) is the nation's largest network of public charter schools. KIPP began as a network of charter middle schools designed to serve underserved communities, with the goal of closing achievement gaps and preparing students to succeed in college. KIPP has since expanded its model to include elementary and high…

This study explores the effect of developmental courses on labor market outcomes and baccalaureate degree attainment using data from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:02; Ingels et al., 2014). Unlike previous research that only compares those needing developmental coursework to college peers who do not need coursework, this study is…

A growing literature suggests the combination of financial aid, academic support and student advising may be needed to ensure that students, especially low-income students, not only enroll in college but obtain a degree. Established at CUNY in 1965, the Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge (SEEK) program is a legislatively mandated…