This report provides an annual update on performance metrics for the Maricopa County Community Colleges District (MCCCD), including progress toward MCCCD Governing Board Outcomes. Three key areas are analyzed to determine student and organizational performance as follows: (1) Leading Indicators of Student Success; (2) Completion Outcomes; and (3)…

We estimate the longer-run effects of attending an effective high school (one that improves a combination of test scores, survey measures of socio-emotional development and behaviours in 9th grade) for students who are more versus less "educationally advantaged" (i.e., likely to attain more years of education based on 8th-grade…

To address under-preparation of students for college-level course-work, Texas House Bill 5 (HB5) introduced a number of substantive changes to the state high school curriculum and graduation requirements. Among its provisions, HB5 created a requirement that school districts offer a college preparatory mathematics course for students not meeting…

This update to "SAT Wars" provides new evidence in the case against standardized college entry tests, including the experiences of test-optional colleges. "The Scandal of Standardized Tests" sheds significant light on key problems such as: (1) Are the tests stronger proxies for race and family income today than they were 20…

The real data on students' postsecondary outcomes are affordable, accessible, and unfortunately underutilized. If harnessed for advising high school students before graduation, these data could significantly change the approach to preparing students for college and career success across the country. How can we get more leaders and stakeholders to…

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires the state to calculate a four-year cohort rate. Utah implemented the federally defined cohort graduation rate in 2008. The graduation rate for the 2019 cohort includes all students who started ninth grade in the 2013-14 school year, plus students who transferred into the Utah public education system…

The British Columbia Council on Admissions & Transfer (BCCAT) commissioned Plaid Consulting to conduct a study focused on Academic Dual Credit (ADC) in British Columbia post-secondary institutions (PSIs). This study follows up on a 2017 BCCAT study on dual credit programs "Dual Credit Programs: Exploring Dual Credit Student Transition and…

These technical appendixes accompany the study, "Getting to Graduation on Time at California State University." The study uses a combination of campus-wide and student-level data from the California State University (CSU) system to examine the relationship between course-taking and on-time graduation. The first appendix provides…

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…

Career academies promote smaller learning communities within high schools, creating personalized learning environments while promoting students' readiness for college and careers. After describing the career academy structure, we present four research-based aspects that can assist school leaders and teachers in developing and implementing…

To complement the existing literature on expanding access to high-quality college education, we investigate the understudied topic of university outreach. Using a field experiment at West Point, we estimate the effectiveness of four university admissions outreach efforts (Admissions Office phone call, application encouragement from a role model,…

We use individual-level administrative data to examine the extent and potential explanations for the relatively poorer academic performance of three ethnic minority groups in their first year of study at a New Zealand university. Substantial differences in course completion rates and letter grades are found for Maori, Pasifika, and Asian students…

The rising price of higher education and its implications for equity and accessibility have been extensively documented, but the material conditions of students' lives are often overlooked. Data from more than 30,000 two- and 4-year college students indicate that approximately half are food insecure, and recent estimates suggest that at least 20%…

"The Talent Blind Spot," which is divided into two reports, demonstrates that, each year, more than 50,000 high-achieving, low- and moderate-income community college students do not transfer to a four-year institution. Approximately 15,000 of these students have a 3.7 GPA or higher, which suggests they could succeed at even the most…

There has been extensive research and commentary blaming schools for the achievement disparity that exists among its students. Attempts to solve this issue have focused primarily on instruction and school tasks. Anthony Bryk and Barbara Schneider (2002) found social trust as a major attribute to school effectiveness. Their 1997 study of Chicago's…