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.
Community colleges have long sought to improve educational outcomes for underserved student groups, but this goal took on new urgency in recent years, with college leaders, educators, and policymakers looking for resources to help counteract social disparities by race and class.
Several CCRC projects aim to center the experiences of minoritized students and examine whether policies intended to improve outcomes and eliminate racial gaps are effective. Researchers are studying ways to improve programs for English language learners in Chicago, remove barriers to STEM majors in Ohio, identify racially equitable state funding strategies for community colleges, develop equity-centered approaches to developmental education reform, and create guidance and tools to help high school and college leaders scale more equitable dual enrollment. You can also find related commentary on our blog with the #equity tag.
CCRC co-leads a research network to explore strategies community colleges can use to bring back students who left during the pandemic, support their learning, and ensure they can succeed in the rapidly evolving economy.
CCRC has been conducting world-class research on community colleges since 1996. Visit our publications library for a complete archive of our work.
