More Essential Than Ever: Community College Pathways to Educational and Career Success

Drawing on a decade of research on whole-college guided pathways reforms at more than 100 community colleges nationally, the authors illustrate how colleges have implemented large-scale changes to help students better navigate the journey to completing a credential. They argue, however, that to achieve better and more equitable outcomes—and to recruit and retain more students in a highly competitive market—colleges must not only remove barriers to completion but also strengthen pathways to student goals after graduation, thus making their investment of money, time, and effort worth it.

Letter From the Director: Update on the Loss of Federal Funding to CCRC

In July, Columbia University and the Trump administration reached an agreement to reinstate federal research funding. Unfortunately, the settlement did not include grants from IES. In this director’s letter, Thomas Brock provides an update on how these developments affect research at CCRC.
Smiling male student working in a library

Exploring Corequisite Reform in Louisiana: Year 1 Insights and What’s Next

CCRC is studying how colleges in the Louisiana Community and Technical College System are designing and delivering corequisite models in practice and how students and faculty are experiencing these changes.

Student Experiences in Corequisite Courses at CUNY

This CAPR brief provides an overview of corequisite course models at three CUNY colleges and, using student focus group data, describes three factors that improved students’ experiences with corequisites and three factors that presented challenges for students.

Which Community College Awards Are Likely to Prepare Students for Post-Completion Success?

This report uses IPEDS and College Scorecard data to classify the credentials awarded by community colleges in 2022-23 and to assess which credentials are and are not likely to enable students to secure a living-wage job or transfer efficiently in a major.

Latest Research Findings

More Essential Than Ever: Community College Pathways to Educational and Career Success

Davis Jenkins, Hana Lahr, John Fink, Serena C. Klempin & Maggie P. Fay

Discussion Guide for More Essential Than Ever: Community College Pathways to Educational and Career Success

CCRC

From Course to Skill: Evaluating Large Language Model Performance in Curricular Analytics

Zhen Xu, Xinjin Li, Yingqi Huan, Veronica Minaya & Renzhe Yu

Focus Areas

Dual Enrollment

Developmental Education

Guided Pathways

Advising & Student Supports

Teaching & Learning

Transfer

College to Career

New on CCRC's Mixed Methods Blog

Ballet dancers in rehearsal

The Role of Dance Education in Community Colleges

College students in classroom.

Teaching and Learning as if the Future Matters

Letter From the Director: Update on the Loss of Federal Funding to CCRC

Our Mission

CCRC studies community colleges because they provide critical access to postsecondary education and are uniquely positioned to promote equity and social mobility in the United States. Our mission is to conduct research that helps these institutions strengthen opportunities and improve outcomes for their students, particularly those from underserved populations.

Learn more about us

Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University
Box 174 | 525 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027

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