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…

The future of the workforce requires post-secondary education and the ability to effectively use technology. Technology has become an integral part of education, business, and daily life. Yet, there remains a digital divide for many individuals. Increasingly, community colleges are using technology in the classroom and as part of the processes…

TICAS, in partnership with MDRC and LEO, has worked for more than a year and a half with a community of seven evidence-based college completion programs. These programs, which span the country geographically, all employ a similar model that uses counselors, coaches, or case managers to connect students with a range of support -- personal,…

This quasi-experimental study examined the effectiveness of a one-time emergency financial relief program among Pell Grant eligible undergraduate students in Spring 2015 pursuing their first bachelor's degree across academic and financial outcomes. The academic outcomes included retention to the next semester, degree completion, attempted credit…

This research examines the dual credit and early college program options for school districts planning high school and college collaborations. It utilizes a quasi-experimental design from existing data at a community college that has a well-established dual credit and early college program that offers the students the option of Pell in high school…

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact early college high school, and dual credit programs had on students grade point average, the number of college credits earned, persistence rates, and completion rates at a central Texas community college. The researcher used a non-experimental quantitative study, with secondary non-identifying…

Madison Park Technical Vocational High School in Boston is attempting a turnaround and has been for decades. In 2016, after having been designated a Level 4 school by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), a stamp that branded it "underperforming," school officials created a plan they began…

This What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) report, part of the WWC's Supporting Postsecondary Success topic area, explores the effects of "Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP)" on enrollment, credit accumulation, and graduation rates. The WWC identified 11 studies of "ASAP," and two studies meet WWC standards. The evidence…

When Arizona State University announced in 2015 that it would offer a freshman year's worth of credit-bearing "massive open online courses" (MOOCs) for a fraction of the cost of its regular online and in-person classes, the news was met with both excitement and alarm. Education reformers proclaimed the move groundbreaking, saying it…

In this article, I utilize a regression discontinuity design to estimate the effects of Tulsa Achieves--a prevalent and understudied type of tuition-free college program. In contrast to concerns regarding tuition-free community college suppressing bachelor's degree attainment, I find that Tulsa Achieves increased the likelihood of transferring to…

Increasing 4-year graduation rates among US students, particularly those historically disadvantaged in higher education, is a national imperative. The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of the multifaceted Research Aligned Mentorship Program in advancing the academic success of low income, first generation college, and minority students…

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…

Enrolling in college and completing a degree or certificate is one of the primary pathways to economic success. In 2017, median weekly earnings of full-time workers with an associate degree was 17 percent higher than full-time workers with a high school diploma only. Despite the economic advantages of educational attainment, only 32 percent of…

This What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) report, part of the WWC's Supporting Postsecondary Success topic area, explores the effects of "Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP)" on enrollment, credit accumulation, and graduation rates. The WWC identified 11 studies of "ASAP," two of which met WWC standards. The evidence…

This study examines low-income schools that were successful in OnRamps, an innovative dual enrollment program created by The University of Texas at Austin. The program has enrolled over 20,000 students since its inception in 2011 and partnered with more than 70 school districts across Texas in 2017-18. Participation in dual enrollment and dual…