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,…

As the economy struggles to recover amidst ongoing uncertainty, adults across the country could benefit from earning a degree and opening the door to new careers. Colleges and universities recognize the importance--but also the challenge--of getting "some college no degree" (SCND) students back on track and supporting them, along with…

There are hundreds of recognized tuition-free college "promise" programs, but few are as generous or flexible as the Kalamazoo Promise (KPromise). Pre-COVID studies on KPromise have demonstrated effects on increased college attendance, credit completion, and persistence. Extending these findings to the COVID-19 pandemic context can help…

This report features selected research findings on student mobility in the British Columbia (B.C) public post-secondary system, using data from the most recent annual Student Transitions Project (STP) submission from Fall of 2022. All academic credit registrants in B.C.'s 25 public post-secondary institutions from 2002/2003 to Fall 2023 are…

To allay the increasing rates of serious mental and emotional problems among college students, the author proposes taking a gap year before starting college, which could have potential benefits.

Even though a postsecondary degree can offer economic, social, and civic benefits, many community college students leave without earning a degree--including some who have performed well academically and made substantial progress toward graduation. To better understand the factors contributing to early exit, we surveyed a number of former students…

College students may sometimes feel they need to take a break from college life. These students may return to their original campus, may transfer, or may permanently discontinue their educations. For colleges and universities pursuing positive enrollment management outcomes, these students represent opportunities to make measurable improvements in…

There are at least 39 million Americans who have attended college but needed to stop out before earning a degree. The "Degree Reclamation Playbook" supports practitioners seeking to reengage this population, capture the momentum of existing credits, and bring students across the degree finish line. Drawing on more than a decade of work,…

Nearly all states in the United States (45) currently have a postsecondary attainment goal to improve the average education levels of their residents and develop a highly-educated workforce. During a time of accelerated COVID-19 related postsecondary enrollment declines, the question as to how states will meet these goals could be particularly…

This qualitative study aims to provide insight into why teacher candidates, interested in pursuing K-12 teaching, made the decision to leave their traditional teacher preparation programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers utilized sociocultural theory as the framework to ground the research. The study finds the educational disruption…

The high stop-out rate of low-SES students in higher education is a significant challenge, with these students stopping out at nearly triple the rate of their peers. Beyond financial, academic, and psychosocial hurdles, a lower sense of belonging further hinders their success, especially when they attempt to resume their educational journey. This…

The purpose of this research is to better understand the factors in students' lives that determine why they fail to earn a degree and how institutions retain or recruit back stopouts for completion of certificates and degrees. Degree completion is a national, state, and institutional priority as all groups are falling short on meeting degree…

This study addresses the problem of low-income, first-generation college students who are academically successful, but choose to leave college before finishing due to financial constraints. This study investigates their lived experiences as well as the effects of a peer mentorship program where incoming, first-year, low-income, first-generation…

This qualitative phenomenological research study used narrative inquiry to examine the perceptions of recent high school graduate SLIFE (Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education) regarding secondary school support systems. The study aimed to discover factors that support acculturation of SLIFE and impact their persistence through to…

Community college enrollment has significantly declined since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Between the spring 2020 term and the spring 2022 term, community college enrollment declined by nearly 17 percent nationwide. This alarming trend has posed a threat to the well-being of community colleges and the students they serve, which includes…