In 2011, North Carolina implemented a tiered funding model for community colleges in an attempt to address program cost differentiation. In 2014, the funding model changed from a three-tiered model to a four-tiered model with additional funds for courses that address skills gaps and lead to higher-wage jobs. The purpose of this study was to…

From free and low-cost dental clinics provided by dental hygienist students, to home building by students in construction programs, to more individualized service-learning across a wide array of courses, two-year schools are putting the "community" in community college by mixing academics and service in a panoply of creative ways. These…

As higher education institutions in the United States face pressure to develop students' capacity to thrive in a globalized society (Niehaus et al., 2019), they have turned to international programs to address this need (LeCrom et al., 2015). In the last decade, U.S. study abroad participation has continued to rise, with short-term programs…

This research study was conducted to determine if there was a difference in community college graduation rates based on aggregate faculty hires, aggregate faculty retention and community college size. The study employed a non-experimental quantitative research design with three independent variables (aggregate faculty new hires, aggregate faculty…

Online course persistence at community colleges is a serious issue, with students being between 3 and 15 percentage points more likely to withdraw than those taking the on-campus equivalent (Xu et al., 2019). Despite the continued growth in distance education, quality online course design is a concern throughout the literature. This quantitative,…

This research study examined student perceptions of advisement experiences with a primary role advisor in a centralized advising office. The intent was to explore the connection between academic advising and student connectedness to the institution. This study utilized Tinto's theory of student departure to provide an understanding of how student…

Community colleges have become increasingly reliant on adjunct faculty members to deliver content to their students. The impact adjunct faculty members have on the success of community college students is profound. Researchers found students taught by part-time faculty had less favorable outcomes in terms of persistence, completion, and transfer.…

This action research study investigated how a community college faculty member can improve completion rates in introductory computer science (CS1) courses. Some students think the CS1 course is challenging or non-interesting after taking the class midway and then dropping out. Others would fail the exams repeatedly. Since the exams are mostly…

Summer bridge programs are the second most common student support program in the United States. Though they vary in design, most are focused on supporting students who are at risk. Programs vary in terms of their curricular offerings as well. This study examined the ex post facto data from a summer bridge program at Manchester Community College in…

The problem addressed in this study was the retention and completion rates at community colleges leave room for significant improvement, particularly with underprepared students who tend to be at a disadvantage and contribute to low graduation rates. A learning community designed to further engage students and improve retention was implemented at…

Background: Behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) has been shown to improve school safety and promote a positive school climate. While some states' departments of education mandate BTAM, others leave the decision of its adoption to local districts, creating variability in its implementation and usage across the country. Contributions…

"The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2017-2021 American Community Survey," also known as "The Chartbook," draws from the most recent American Community Survey and comparable Census Population Estimates. The report contains over 300,000 data points about Appalachia's economy, income, employment, education, and other…

Urban policymakers, city officials, and community residents utilize neighborhood revitalization initiatives to establish safe and empowered neighborhoods. In 2016, leaders in Columbus, Ohio, launched a neighborhood revitalization effort designed to improve safety, access to opportunities, and economic development in the historically underserved…

These are the appendices for the report, "Strengthening California's Transfer Pathway." California's higher education system depends heavily on community colleges. California enrolls a much larger share of recent high school graduates in community colleges than other states--but is near the bottom when it comes to enrolling in four-year…

This paper discusses the value of a Freirean liberatory perspective in community colleges, countering the traditional "second chance" or "social reproduction" viewpoints attributed by scholars to the education offered in these institutions, emphasizing its vital need in science and healthcare careers education. I explore the…