The results of this study support findings of other studies suggesting that it is possible to identify characteristics which differ between nonreturning and returning community college students. The variables, however, differ from study to study, thus making prediction of withdrawal based on several variables inaccurate and misleading. (Author)

Results of the study support the findings that transfer students falter most frequently during their initial term or two, and then adjust rapidly to their new environment. (Author)

"This study sought to determine whether or not there were identifiable personality factors which distinguish between academically achieving and nonachieving junior college freshmen from lower- and middle-class backgrounds... Students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds experienced less academic success than did those of middle socioeconomic…

Organizational culture influences whether or not community colleges maintain local support as well as overall institutional effectiveness. This paper discusses culture and the context of culture at River Parishes Community College (RPCC) a new institution within the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, currently in its fifth academic…

Tech Prep is a federal education initiative funded by the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act initially authorized in 1990 then reauthorized in 1998. Texas HB 2401 subsequently established the parameters for the operation of Tech Prep in Texas. Texas has 26 regional consortia that coordinate the delivery of services between…

Orientation and retention programs are common in institutions of higher education. The potential association between orientation programs and student retention, particularly within the community college sector, has long been neglected. This study presents an institutional view of a potential associative relationship between an orientation course…

This volume collects essays Rob Jenkins originally wrote for "The Two-Year Track" column in "The Chronicle of Higher Education". Drawing on his own experience, Rob has, for many years, been dispensing much-appreciated advice from the frontline--to those considering a community college career as well as those who desire to move up the ranks. This…

This year, the Center for Community College Student Engagement focuses its national report on college completion--and the teaching and learning that must be the foundation for high-quality certificates and degrees. Effective teaching and meaningful learning: They are the heart of student success. This report describes four key strategies to…

Confronting two unhealthy approaches that surface frequently in philanthropy--the tendency for grantmakers to think they alone have all the answers and the tensions that arise when national and local funders try to work together--this case study is intended to help grantmakers think more deeply about the concept of "engaged partners," one of…

MDRC launched Opening Doors in 2003 to study the effects of community college programs designed to help students persist in school and earn a credential. This report presents early results from the Opening Doors program at Owens Community College in Toledo, Ohio, which operated from 2004 through 2006. The two-semester program served students whose…

This agenda item provides a progress report on the Commission's advisory committee that is examining community college services in rural and remote areas of the state. Two policy solutions under consideration by the committee are discussed. The item also describes a focus-group research protocol that is being developed to elicit student input.

The Community College of Baltimore County, in collaboration with the Baltimore County Department of Social Services (DSS), and HumanIm, prepares welfare applicants to find and retain employment to improve their lives. The intensive educational program, known as "New Rules of Business," utilizes the constructivism approach to learning,…

While community college intercollegiate athletic programs have been expanding in a somewhat sporadic manner, there have been few empirical studies which examine how and why these programs are growing. The current study investigates the questions of "how and why" with the goal of helping community college leaders to make informed…