CCRC in the News
Why Does Community College Enrollment Look So Different This Year? COVID
Enrollment dropped by 15% at Connecticut's 12 community colleges, outpacing the average 8% dip colleges nationwide have seen this semester. CCRC Senior Research Scholar Davis Jenkins told The Connecticut Mirror that because many students rely on service jobs to pay tuition, cuts to the industry may be partially to blame for campuses' enrollment woes.
CCRC Playbook Provides Recommendations to Address Equity Gaps in Dual Enrollment Programs
Several outlets—including Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, Education Week, and EducationDive—covered CCRC's new dual enrollment report. The publication, which is a collaboration between CCRC and the Aspen Institute, describes how K-12 districts and community colleges have successfully partnered to narrow equity gaps in acceleration programs.
Community Colleges in Michigan Implementing Reforms Despite Pandemic
CCRC Senior Research Scholar Davis Jenkins spoke to DBusiness about the strides Michigan community colleges are making in implementing guided pathways. The colleges are making "impressive progress in redesigning their programs and support services," Jenkins said.
Report: How to Improve Equity in Dual Enrollment
The Dual Enrollment Playbook, copublished by the Aspen Institute and CCRC, describes five strategies for community college and K-12 leaders who want to advance equity in dual enrollment programs. This Inside Higher Ed story summarizes the report's findings.
The Rise of Dual Credit
CCRC Senior Research Associate John Fink told Education Next that, as dual enrollment continues to expand, it is necessary to focus on the causes of persistent equity gaps that undermine the programs' goals, lest they be exacerbated.
Senators Push Bipartisan Plan to "Finish Fixing" the FAFSA
CCRC Senior Research Scholar Judith Scott-Clayton testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on the need to simplify the FAFSA form as a matter of equity and college access. Several outlets—including Community College Daily and local CBS, Fox, NBC, and Scripps affiliates—covered the hearing.
Report: Guided Pathways Show Progress
A new report from the Center for Community College Student Engagement found that, though there is still room for improvement, guided pathways has improved the student experience on many campuses. CCRC Senior Research Scholar Davis Jenkins told Inside Higher Ed that in order to keep making progress, colleges must focus on moving past program mapping as an end goal and implement engagement strategies such as experiential learning opportunities. Jenkins also spoke to Diverse: Issues in Higher Education and University Business about the report.
Reform Advocates Urge Colleges and Universities to Stop Asking Prospective Students About Their Criminal Histories
CCRC Senior Research Scholar Judith Scott-Clayton spoke to the Oklahoma State Legislature about why colleges should cease asking prospective students about their criminal histories, Tulsa World reports. Campuses, Scott-Clayton explained, tend to be very safe places, and asking students for this information could discourage some from pursuing higher education.
Higher Ed’s Most Successful Failure
With its wraparound services and high-touch approach, CUNY's ASAP program has demonstrated its ability to improve students' likelihood of graduation and transfer to a four-year institution. However, as CCRC Director Tom Brock explains in this Washington Monthly story, ASAP hasn't been widely adopted due to the harsh realities of states' budgeting processes.
An Essential Education for All Students
This Inside Higher Ed opinion piece, which draws from the book Redesigning America’s Community Colleges, argues that for years, higher education initiatives failed to prioritize community college curricular reform, and the pandemic has made the consequences of that omission clear.