Continuity and Change in Long-Lasting State Performance Funding Systems for Higher Education: The Cases of Tennessee and Florida (CCRC Working Paper No. 18)Paper by: Kevin Dougherty & Rebecca Natow — 2010This paper examines the ways that performance funding systems in two states with long-lasting systems--Tennessee, which pioneered performance funding in 1979, and Florida, which launched it in 1994--have changed over time and what political and social conditions explain the changes. View Abstract | Download the PDFPromoting Gatekeeper Course Success Among Community College Students Needing Remediation: Findings and Recommendations from a Virginia Study
(Summary Report)Paper by: Davis Jenkins, Shanna Smith Jaggars & Josipa Roksa — 2009This summary report discusses a CCRC study that examined student characteristics, course-taking patterns, and other factors associated with higher probabilities that students in Virginia community colleges who require remediation will take and pass math and English gatekeeper courses.View Abstract | Download the PDFReferral, Enrollment, and Completion in Developmental Education Sequences in Community CollegesJournal Article by: Thomas Bailey, Dong Wook Jeong & Sung-Woo Cho — 2009Using a longitudinal dataset from Achieving the Dream colleges as well as NELS data, this article analyzes patterns and determinants of student progression through sequences of developmental education starting from initial referral.View AbstractPerformance Accountability Systems for Community Colleges: Lessons for the Voluntary Framework of Accountability for Community CollegesPaper by: Kevin Dougherty, Rachel Hare & Rebecca Natow — 2009This report discusses findings and implications of a study commissioned by the College Board to inform the development of the Voluntary Framework of Accountability for Community Colleges. CCRC researchers identified the performance indicators that states are already using for their community colleges and interviewed state higher education officials and local community college leaders on their experiences with the collection and use of such performance data.View Abstract | Download the PDFEnglish Further Education Through American EyesJournal Article by: Kevin Dougherty — 2009This article examines various commonalities and divergences between the English further education system and its nearest US equivalent, the community
college system.View AbstractHelping Students Navigate the Path to College: What High Schools Can DoPaper by: W. G. Tierney, Thomas Bailey, J. Constantine, N. Finkelstein & N. F. Hurd — 2009This guide, published by the Institute of Education Sciences, is intended to help schools and districts develop practices to increase access to higher education. The guide indicates the level of research evidence informing each of its five recommendations.View Abstract | Download the PDFThe Outlook for Noncredit Workforce EducationJournal Article by: Michelle Van Noy & James Jacobs — 2009Drawing on a review of state policies in all 50 states as well as case studies of 20 community colleges in 10 states, this article examines the recent growth and future trends in noncredit courses connected with workforce instruction and contract training.View AbstractAmerican Community Colleges in the DownturnJournal Article by: Michelle Van Noy & Matthew Zeidenberg — 2009This article elaborates on the increased importance of community colleges in training, re-training, and providing higher education in the recent economic downturn.View Abstract | Download the PDFBuilding Bridges to Postsecondary Training
for Low-Skill Adults: Outcomes of Washington
State’s I-BEST Program (CCRC Brief No. 42)Brief by: Davis Jenkins, Matthew Zeidenberg & Gregory S. Kienzl — 2009Based on a longer report, this Brief summarizes findings from a study on the outcomes of students participating in I-BEST, an innovative program in Washington State designed to increase the rate at which adult basic skills students enter and succeed in postsecondary occupational education and training.View Abstract | Download the PDFThe Demise of Higher Education Performance Funding Systems in Three States (CCRC Brief No. 41)Brief by: Kevin Dougherty & Rebecca Natow — 2009This Brief summarizes study findings discussed in CCRC Working Paper No. 17.View Abstract | Download the PDFThe Demise of Higher Education Performance Funding Systems in Three States (CCRC Working Paper No. 17)Paper by: Kevin Dougherty & Rebecca Natow — 2009To better understand the unstable institutionalization of performance funding in higher education, this paper examines three states (Illinois, Washington, and Florida) that have experienced performance funding program cessation.View Abstract | Download the PDFEducational Outcomes of I-BEST, Washington State Community and Technical College System’s Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training Program:
Findings from a Multivariate Analysis (CCRC Working Paper No. 16)Paper by: Davis Jenkins, Matthew Zeidenberg & Gregory S. Kienzl — 2009This paper presents findings from a study on the outcomes of students participating in I-BEST, an innovative program in Washington State designed to increase the rate at which adult basic skills students enter and succeed in postsecondary occupational education and training.View Abstract | Download the PDFAchieving the Dream Colleges in Pennsylvania and Washington State: Early Progress Toward Building a Culture of EvidencePaper by: Davis Jenkins, Todd Ellwein, John Wachen, Monica Reid Kerrigan & Sung-Woo Cho — 2009Colleges participating in the Achieving the Dream initiative commit to using data to improve programs and services in ways that lead to increased student success--a process known as "building a culture of evidence." This report describes the progress made by the 13 Pennsylvania and Washington State community colleges that comprise Round 3 of the initiative after planning and one year of implementation.View Abstract | Download the PDFCCRC Currents 2009Newsletter — 2009Our annual newsletter contains updates on the latest CCRC research, new publications and details of upcoming presentations at major conferences.View Abstract | Download the PDFChallenge and Opportunity: Rethinking the Role and Function of Developmental Education in Community CollegeJournal Article by: Thomas Bailey — 2009This article examines evidence on the effectiveness of developmental education and outlines a broad reform agenda for helping students with weak academic skills.View AbstractFaculty and Administrator Data Use at Achieving the Dream Colleges: A Summary of Survey FindingsPaper by: Davis Jenkins & Monica Reid Kerrigan — 2009This report summarizes findings from a study based largely on a 100-item survey instrument developed by CCRC and MDRC. More than 4,000 faculty and administrators at 41 Achieving the Dream colleges were surveyed about what kinds of student data they use, how accessible data on students are at their college, how they use data in their jobs, and what types of data they find most useful. View Abstract | Download the PDFRethinking Developmental Education in Community College (CCRC Brief No. 40)Brief by: Thomas Bailey — 2009Based on a longer paper, this Brief reviews evidence on the effectiveness of developmental education and suggests a broad reform agenda for helping students with weak academic skills.View Abstract | Download the PDFFormative Evaluation of the Student Achievement Initiative "Learning Year"Paper by: Davis Jenkins, Todd Ellwein & Katherine Boswell — 2009In September 2007, the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges launched the Student Achievement Initiative (SAI), a system-wide policy to reward colleges for improvements in student achievement. This report presents findings from an independent qualitative review of the initiative conducted by CCRC during the 2007-08 SAI learning year. View Abstract | Download the PDFStudent Success Courses in the Community College: An Exploratory Study of Student Perspectives Journal Article by: Lauren O'Gara, Melinda Mechur Karp & Katherine L. Hughes — 2008Based on an exploratory study of students in two community colleges, this journal article examines how Student Success courses help students develop relationships that provide helpful support and useful information long after the class is over.View AbstractEvidence-Based Decision Making in Community Colleges: Findings from a Survey of Faculty and Administrator Data Use at Achieving the Dream CollegesPaper by: Davis Jenkins & Monica Reid Kerrigan — 2008Based on a survey of faculty and administrators at 41 Achieving the Dream colleges, this study examines what specific data college faculty and administrators use in their jobs and the extent to which they use data analysis to design and improve the impact of college programs and services.View Abstract | Download the PDFReferral, Enrollment, and Completion in Developmental Education Sequences in Community Colleges (CCRC Working Paper No. 15)Paper by: Thomas Bailey, Dong Wook Jeong & Sung-Woo Cho — 2008Using a longitudinal dataset from Achieving the Dream colleges as well as NELS data, this paper analyzes patterns and determinants of student progression through sequences of developmental education starting from initial referral.View Abstract | Download the PDFBridges to Opportunity for Underprepared Adults: A State Policy Guide for Community College LeadersPaper by: Various Authors — 2008This guide offers practical strategies and tools for addressing the need to provide large numbers of working-age adults with education and training that will allow them to secure jobs paying wages sufficient to support their families and have access to real opportunities for social mobility in American society. View AbstractChallenge And Opportunity: Rethinking the Role and Function of Developmental Education in Community College (Working Paper No. 14)Paper by: Thomas Bailey — 2008This paper reviews evidence on the effectiveness of developmental education and goes on to suggest a broad reform agenda for helping students with weak academic skills.View Abstract | Download the PDFDual Enrollment Can Benefit a Broad Range of StudentsJournal Article by: Melinda Mechur Karp & Katherine L. Hughes — 2008A study conducted by CCRC finds that dual enrollment is a promising strategy in helping students enter and persist in postsecondary education.View AbstractInformation Networks and Integration: Institutional Influences on Experiences and Persistence of Beginning StudentsJournal Article by: Melinda Mechur Karp & Katherine L. Hughes — 2008This chapter explores the ways that information networks are related to student persistence in the community college and how institutional structures can encourage such networks.View AbstractUsing State Student Unit Record Data to Increase Community College Student SuccessJournal Article by: Peter Ewell & Davis Jenkins — 2008This chapter examines lessons learned by states that are using student unit record (SUR) data to improve outcomes for community college students and recommends steps states can take to strengthen their use of SUR databases to benefit students and communities.View AbstractNoncredit Enrollment in Workforce Education: State Policies and Community College PracticesPaper by: Michelle Van Noy, James Jacobs, Suzanne Korey, Thomas Bailey & Katherine L. Hughes — 2008This report provides detailed findings on state policies and community college practice from CCRC's study of community college noncredit workforce education.View AbstractDual Enrollment Policies and Practices: Earning College Credit in California High SchoolsPaper by: Joanne Wang Golann & Katherine L. Hughes — 2008This report is intended to inform educators, policymakers, administrators and researchers
about current policies and practices that shape dual enrollment in California.View Abstract | Download the PDFCommunity Colleges Under StressJournal Article by: Matthew Zeidenberg — 2008This article details three key challenges that community colleges face: unprepared students, financial stress, and high dropout rates.View Abstract | Download the PDFTowards a Community College Research Agenda: Summary of The National Community College Symposium Paper by: Melinda Mechur Karp — 2008This paper contains a summary of The National Community College Symposium.View Abstract | Download the PDFA Typology of Community College-Based Partnership ActivitiesPaper by: Belkis Suazo deCastro & Melinda Mechur Karp — 2008The purpose of this paper is to present a typology of the various types of collaborations in
which colleges can engage in order to provide guidance for fiscal and regulatory policy
change.View Abstract | Download the PDFFrom Compliance to Capacity Building: Community Colleges and Federal Workforce Education PolicyPaper by: James Jacobs — 2008In this paper, we argue for a new paradigm, one that privileges capacity-building over compliance. View Abstract | Download the PDFShifting Gears: Community Colleges and Adult Basic EducationPaper by: James Jacobs & Pamela Tolbert-Bynum — 2008This paper explores some of the barriers adult basic education students face in obtaining
postsecondary credentials.View Abstract | Download the PDFMaking the Transition to Four-Year Institutions: Academic Preparation and Transfer (Working Paper No. 13)Paper by: Josipa Roksa & Juan Carlos Calcagno — 2008Based on analyses of unit record data of first-time community college students in the state of Florida, this paper examines the role of academic preparation in the transition from community colleges to four-year institutions.View Abstract | Download the PDFAn Exploration of Tinto’s Integration Framework for Community College Students (Working Paper No. 12)Paper by: Melinda Mechur Karp, Katherine L. Hughes & Lauren O'Gara — 2008This paper explores the applicability of Tinto's integration framework for understanding the ways that first-year community college students engage with their institutions.View Abstract | Download the PDFThe Rise of Noncredit Workforce EducationJournal Article by: Michelle Van Noy, James Jacobs, Suzanne Korey, Thomas Bailey & Katherine L. Hughes — 2008At many community colleges, noncredit education enrolls more students than do credit programs. This article highlights CCRC's national study on the increasing importance of noncredit workforce education.
View Abstract | Download the PDFA Short Guide to "Tipping Point" Analyses of Community College Student Labor Market Outcomes (CCRC Research Tools No. 3)Brief by: Davis Jenkins — 2008This guide is designed for community colleges and state agencies that are interested in analyzing the labor market outcomes of their programs and identifying opportunities for improving employment outcomes of their students.View Abstract | Download the PDFSupporting College Transitions Through Collaborative Programming: A Conceptual Model for Guiding PolicyJournal Article by: Melinda Mechur Karp & Katherine L. Hughes — 2008Credit-based transition programs (CBTPs) allow high school students to take college-level classes and earn
college credit while still in high school. This article provides a theoretical rationale for policy makers’ enthusiasm for CBTPs.View Abstract | Download the PDFCCRC Currents 2008Newsletter — 2008View Abstract | Download the PDFThe Impact of Postsecondary Remediation Using a Regression Discontinuity Approach: Addressing Endogenous Sorting and Noncompliance (An NCPR Working Paper)Paper by: Juan Carlos Calcagno & Bridget Terry Long — 2008This paper reports findings from a study that uses a detailed dataset and a regression discontinuity design to identify the causal effect of remediation on the educational outcomes of nearly 100,000 college students in Florida. View Abstract | Download the PDFWhat Is Known About the Impact of Financial Aid? Implications for Policy (An NCPR Working Paper)Paper by: Bridget Terry Long — 2008This paper serves as a discussion of the research literature on the effectiveness of financial aid with special attention to its implications for policy.View Abstract | Download the PDFConducting Research to Answer Your Questions about Dual Enrollment Paper by: Melinda Mechur Karp & Dong Wook Jeong — 2008This paper is intended to help decision-makers understand why research on dual enrollment is important and how policymakers can support research activities.View Abstract | Download the PDFThe Landscape of Noncredit Workforce Education: State Policies and Community College Practices (CCRC Brief No. 38)Brief by: Michelle Van Noy, James Jacobs, Suzanne Korey, Thomas Bailey & Katherine L. Hughes — 2008This Brief summarizes findings from a recent CCRC study on community college noncredit workforce education. The Brief describes multiple roles of community college noncredit workforce education, its place within the organization of community colleges, and the outcomes it provides for students and employers.View Abstract | Download the PDFA Virtual World with Real ResultsJournal Article by: Katherine L. Hughes & Joanne Wang Golann — 2008This article details how high school students are learning invaluable job-readiness and academic skills by setting up and running their own businesses in a virtual world.View Abstract | Download the PDFBeyond Traditional College: The Role of Community
Colleges, Career and Technical Postsecondary Education in Preparing a Globally Competitive Work ForcePaper by: Thomas Bailey — 2008This essay describes the characteristics
of community college students and discuss the
role of the community college in increasing
access to higher education by traditionally
underserved students. View Abstract | Download the PDFDual Enrollment Students in Florida and New York City: Postsecondary Outcomes (CCRC Brief No. 37)Brief by: Melinda Mechur Karp, Juan Carlos Calcagno, Katherine L. Hughes, Dong Wook Jeong & Thomas Bailey — 2008An increasing number of career and technical education (CTE) programs are providing dual enrollment opportunities to their students. This Brief summarizes a study on the impact of dual enrollment participation for students in the State of Florida and in New York City.View Abstract | Download the PDFATE Regional Centers: CCRC Final ReportPaper by: Monica Reid Kerrigan, James Jacobs, Analia Ivanier & Vanessa Smith Morest — 2008Based on fieldwork at eight sites, this report discusses the role that regional centers play in the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education program.View Abstract | Download the PDFAssessing and Improving Student Outcomes: What We Are Learning at Miami Dade CollegePaper by: Joanne Bashford & Doug Slater — 2008Told from the point of view of the Miami Dade College (MDC) Office of Institutional Effectiveness, this paper describes how MDC has begun to develop a systematic and data-informed method for assessing and improving student outcomes across its large, eight-campus college.View Abstract | Download the PDFThe Landscape of Noncredit Workforce Education: State Policies and Community College PracticesPaper by: Michelle Van Noy, James Jacobs, Suzanne Korey, Thomas Bailey & Katherine L. Hughes — 2008The final report discusses the many roles of community college noncredit workforce education, its place within the organization of community colleges, and the outcomes it provides for students and employers.View Abstract | Download the PDFUsing Longitudinal Data to
Increase Community College Student Success:
A Guide to Measuring Milestone and Momentum Point Attainment (CCRC Research Tools No. 2)Brief by: D. Timothy Leinbach & Davis Jenkins — 2008This guide is intended to help researchers in colleges and state agencies to use longitudinal student unit record data to create simple and meaningful statistics on student achievement.
View Abstract | Download the PDF |
