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The Need for Comprehensive Reform: From Access to Completion

By Thomas Bailey
This chapter examines why typical reforms at community colleges in recent years have not improved institutional graduation rates. It argues that substantially increasing college completion requires comprehensive institutional reform with a focus on measurable student success, an intentional and cohesive package of programmatic components, and a culture of evidence. This chapter is published in New Directions for Community Colleges, vol. 2016, no. 176. An updated version of this chapter is published in EDUCAUSE Review.

Download Links

View EDUCAUSE Review article
May 2017
View New Directions for Community Colleges article
December 2016

Related Publications

April 2015

Redesigning America’s Community Colleges: A Clearer Path to Student Success

January 2011

The Benefits of Attending Community College: A Review of the Evidence

September 2010

Referral, Enrollment, and Completion in Developmental Education Sequences in Community Colleges

Additional Resources

For more policy briefs and fact sheets, visit CCRC’s Policy Resources page.

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