Policymaking for Community College Pandemic Recovery: A Look at Federal and Local Pandemic Recovery Efforts

November 23, 2024, 10:15–11:45 a.m. | 2024 APPAM Fall Research Conference
ARCC Project: Multiple

This panel began with a discussion of the latest trends in pandemic and post-pandemic community college enrollment from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. The Community College Research Center (CCRC) then discussed the federal emergency aid disbursed to community colleges through Higher Education Emergency Relief funds. The Public Policy Institute of California discussed this research with particular attention to the survey results in California. Lastly, the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University took a deep dive into the implementation and efficacy of a specific local policy designed to improve distance education for students in the Los Angeles Community College District in response to pandemic enrollment declines. Panelists included Jennifer Causey from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center,  Tia Monahan from CCRC, Olga Rodriguez and Kevin Cook from the Public Policy Institute of California, and Rachel Worsham from Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University. Tom Brock from CCRC served as panel chair.

Paying for College: Are Students Leaving Money on the Table?

November 23, 2024, 1:45–3:15 p.m. | 2024 APPAM Fall Research Conference
ARCC Project: California Safety Net

A panel discussion of four papers described the state of college affordability and the range of supports available to students; the administrative burden students face when applying for various forms of federal, state, and local aid; the current evidence on attempts to streamline access; and whether they ultimately help students succeed. Presenters included Jennifer Hogg from California Policy Lab, Kevin Strange from University of Michigan, Thomas Brock from CCRC, and Christopher Ozuna from California Community Colleges Chancellors’ Office.

Career Connections: State and Local Efforts to Align Community College Programs with the Labor Market

November 23, 2024, 3:30–5:00 p.m. | 2024 APPAM Fall Research Conference
ARCC Project: Multiple

This session included four papers addressing various aspects of the relationship between community colleges and labor markets, including studies from Virginia, California, and Florida. These papers use a range of empirical methods to describe and estimate the effects of state, local, and institutional policies geared toward improving community college students’ academic outcomes and career trajectories. Each of the papers offers relevant and timely policy implications for state and local policymakers who are interested in improving community college outcomes and strengthening the relationship between community colleges and the labor market. These studies also hold important implications for institutional stakeholders in improving community college enrollment and student success. Panelists and authors included Sade Bonilla and Daniel Sparks from the University of Pennsylvania, Elise Swanson from the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University and Anthony Bald from Harvard University, Thea Dowrich from CCRC, and Angela Estacion from WestEd.

How Community Colleges Spent Pandemic Relief Funds and What’s Next

June 26, 2024, 2:00 p.m. | Webinar
ARCC Project: Survey on Use of Federal Recovery Funds

In this webinar hosted by the Community College Research Center (CCRC) and the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), researchers discussed findings from a national survey of pandemic recovery spending among community colleges in six states (California, Michigan, New York [SUNY], Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas). The webinar also included a panel discussion with community college leaders about their use of Higher Education Emergency Relief (HEER) funding and their post-funding plans. Attendees gained insight into the challenges and successes that colleges experienced using recovery funding, as well as colleges’ ongoing needs and priorities post-HEER funding. A new report from CCRC shared national survey findings and a new report from PPIC explored survey findings in California. Speakers included Serena Klempin, research associate at CCRC; Thomas Brock, director of CCRC; Olga Rodriguez, director of the higher education center at PPIC; Lynda Villanueva, president of Lee College; Ed Bush, president of Cosumnes River College; and Johannah Williams, vice president of academic affairs and workforce development at Nashville State Community College.

Slides | Recording

Filling the Gap: CalFresh Eligibility Among California College Students

June 11, 2024, 3:00 p.m. | Webinar
ARCC Project: California Safety Net Study

A new report from the California Policy Lab estimates how many California Community College (CCC) students and how many University of California (UC) undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to receive CalFresh benefits, and among that group of eligible students, how many actually participate in the program. During this webinar, participants learned about key findings from the report, including results by UC campus and community college region, and by student subgroups; which eligibility criteria and program rules appear to have the biggest impact on determining eligibility; policy opportunities to address some of the issues highlighted in this report; and finally, next steps with this research initiative. Speakers included Jesse Rothstein, faculty director at California Policy Lab and public policy and economics professor at UC Berkeley; Jennifer Hogg, research manager at California Policy Lab; and Johanna Lacoe, research director at California Policy Lab.

Promoting High-Quality Distance Education: A Case Study of the Los Angeles Community College District

May 8, 2024, 2:00 p.m. | Webinar
ARCC Project: Online Education in Los Angeles

In this session, researchers from the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University and the Pullias Center for Higher Education at the University of Southern California shared practical takeaways from an ongoing mixed methods research study focusing on the impact of COVID-19 on student enrollment and success, as well as faculty and student experiences in distance education courses. They were joined by community college educators from Los Angeles. Attendees gained valuable insights into adapting teaching methodologies, supporting student success, and prioritizing faculty well-being in the face of ongoing challenges. Presenters included Wendy Bass, distance education coordinator at Los Angeles Pierce College; Elise Swanson, senior research manager at Center for Education Policy Research; Soumya Mishra, postdoctoral research associate at Pullias Center for Higher Education; and Jessica Drawbond, distance education coordinator at Los Angeles Community College District.

Slides | Recording

Supporting Student and Faculty Success in Distance Education Courses: Lessons Learned from the Los Angeles Community College District

May 1, 2024, 9:00 a.m. | Strategic Data Project’s Annual Convening
ARCC Project: Online Education in Los Angeles

A critical question for community colleges is how to ensure distance education courses offer high-quality learning opportunities that promote student success while also guarding against the deleterious effects of stress and burnout on faculty job satisfaction and work engagement. In their session at the Strategic Data Project’s Annual Convening, Elise Swanson and Rachel Worsham (Center for Education Policy Research) shared insights from ongoing work with the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD). This session focused on enrollment and student success in distance education courses in LACCD, changes to students’ and faculty’s experiences/wellbeing as a result of the increase in these types of courses, and promising practices implemented by LACCD instructors or recommended in LACCD Distance Education trainings.

Faculty Work in Post-Pandemic Teaching Environments

April 19, 2024, 2:15 p.m. | Council for the Study of Community Colleges
ARCC Project: Online Education in Los Angeles

In this presentation, Rachel Worsham, senior research analyst at the Center for Education Policy Research, presented findings from focus group discussions with faculty at the Los Angeles Community College District, with a particular focus on the changing nature of faculty work and its impact on faculty. By exploring faculty experiences as shaped by the pandemic, this work aims to identify key levers that can be used to support faculty work at community colleges.

Pandemic Recovery Efforts in Practice: Community Colleges’ Use of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds

April 14, 2024 1:15 p.m. | 2024 AERA Annual Meeting
ARCC Project: Spending of Federal Recovery Funds

This symposium session presented a comprehensive review of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on community colleges and their subsequent recovery efforts. Presenters shed light on specific recovery efforts including the use of Higher Education Emergency Relief (HEER) Funds at community colleges, responses to sweeping declines in community college enrollment, and impacts on economic opportunities and transfer pathways that community college students rely on to more affordably obtain bachelor’s degrees. Through an interactive panel discussion, participants engaged in discussion about pandemic recovery efforts and needs, leaving with valuable insights into ways to address racial/ethnic disparities at community colleges and steps to guide policymakers and practitioners in crafting effective strategies for equitable student success. The presenters included Tia Monahan, senior research assistant and PEAR fellow at CCRC, and Hollie Daniels, research associate at CCRC.

Wages and Community College Enrollment Since Covid: Evidence From California

March 16, 2024, 10 a.m. | AEFP Annual Conference
ARCC Project: Online Education in Los Angeles

Enrollment at community colleges declined substantially with the onset of COVID and has remained depressed; these declines have been particularly pronounced among students above 25. Fewer students pursuing post-secondary education is consequential for those students, their communities, and the broader economy, as well as the viability of institutions that rely on enrollment. Yet it remains unclear why the drop-off in enrollment persisted after the initial public health shock of the virus, especially among students aged 25 and up. Prior work has shown the important relationship between labor market conditions and community college enrollments; in this paper, we investigate whether student sensitivity to labor market conditions changed with the onset of the pandemic in ways that explain the enrollment losses. In this presentation, Harvard Graduate School of Education PhD candidate Anthony Bald shared estimated sensitivity (elasticity) of community college enrollment to wages among adults aged 25 and older with a high school diploma or GED using statewide data from California. Possible changes in these elasticities since the onset of COVID may help explain why two-year public college enrollments have not recovered.

Funding Recovery: Exploring Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds at Community Colleges

March 7, 2024, 2:00 p.m. | Webinar
ARCC Project: Spending of Federal Recovery Funds

In this webinar, researchers from the Community College Research Center presented findings from the Accelerating Recovery in Community Colleges (ARCC) Network’s analysis of Higher Education Emergency Relief funds at U.S. community colleges. The webinar included an overview of the amount of funds awarded to community colleges, insight into how much funding was spent, and a preview of an interactive dashboard for exploring pandemic relief funding. The presenters included Hollie Daniels, research associate at CCRC, Tia Monahan, senior research assistant and PEAR Fellow at CCRC, and Megan Anderson, project assistant at CCRC.

Slides | Recording

Aligning CTE Programs to Local Labor Markets: Access to High-Value Opportunities & Economic Mobility

February 20, 2024, 12:15 p.m. | DREAM 2024 Annual Conference
ARCC Project: Florida Career and Tech Education

In this session, WestEd presented data from a statewide research study of Florida colleges’ practices aligning CTE programming to labor market demand. The results described how colleges develop, offer, and update market-aligned CTE programs of study. Valencia College provided a deep dive into the institution’s successful strategies and how it addressed challenges. This session examined issues of access and mobility and highlighted the importance of data empowerment and community connectedness. The presenters included Angela Estacion, senior research associate at WestEd, Nasser Hedayat, assistant vice president of career & workforce education at Valencia College, and Molly McIntire, assistant vice president of career & workforce education at Valencia College.

Instructional Strategies to Support Student Success in Distance Education Courses

February 20, 2024, 11:30 a.m. | DREAM 2024 Annual Conference
ARCC Project: Online Education in Los Angeles

A critical question for community colleges is how to ensure distance education courses offer high-quality learning opportunities and promote student success. The Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), one of the largest community college systems in the country, has wrestled with this issue as distance education modalities become more prevalent- and popular among students. This session offered insights from LACCD into the prevalence of distance education courses, challenges for faculty teaching distance education, and promising instructional strategies to support students in distance education courses. The presenters included Wendy Bass-Keer, distance education coordinator at Pierce College in LACCD, and Elise Swanson, senior research manager at the Center for Education Policy Research, Harvard University.

Resilience in Recovery: Campus Innovations for Student Re-engagement and Success

November 18, 2023, 8:00 a.m. | Community College League of California 2023 Annual Convention

As California Community Colleges remake themselves in a new context few imagined before March 2020, many of their pandemic-era adaptations remain. This presentation featured CEO reflections on institutional agility and findings from a Wheelhouse and PPIC research partnership revealing powerful innovation underway statewide. The presenters were Tammeil Gilkerson of Evergreen Valley College, Michal Kurlaender of Wheelhouse, Olga Rodriguez of PPIC, and Angelica Suarez of Orange Coast College.

Success Coaching at Community Colleges: Early Findings from Two Experimental Pilots

October 6, 2023, 4:00 p.m. | 2023 NACADA Annual Conference

The Coaching Project is a grant-funded effort by TBR—The College System of Tennessee to increase credit accumulation and persistence for community college students through a new model of success coaching. Coaches provide enhanced advising to their assigned students, including frequent text and email outreach, helping students set goals, counseling students about major selection and career alignment, and connecting students to resources. In this session, presenters provided background on the project, described the coaching intervention and its experimental design, and shared early results from the first year of the Coaching Project.

Pandemic Impact on Community College Students and Their Pathways to a Baccalaureate: Latest Updates for Fall 2022

June 29, 2023, 2:00 p.m. | ARCC Network Webinar

Based on the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s Transfer and Progress fall 2022 report, this webinar offered the latest updates on transfer and mobility for community college students and highlighted disparities in transfer patterns among student subgroups as well as gaps in access to transfer pathways across different types of community colleges.

Slides | Guiding Questions

Developing and Testing a Career and Technical Education Survey for Sub-baccalaureate Institutions

April 22, 2023 | Council for Study of Community Colleges (CSCC) Conference

Angela Estacion, Cameron Sublett, Jenna Terrell, and Diana Roldan-Rueda from WestEd discussed the development of a survey of CTE administrators in Florida’s community and district technical colleges. The survey explored how sub-baccalaureate institutions align their CTE programs to the labor market.