There is no simple recipe for developing an equitable, effective community college funding system. But understanding the challenges facing community colleges and the finance systems that underpin them can help policymakers, educators, and advocates develop new funding approaches. Kate Shaw, Lauren Asher, and Stephanie Murphy share findings from their latest report, Mapping Community College Finance Systems to Develop Equitable and Effective Finance Policy.

While commentary on the dire state of the humanities in higher education continues, the role that community colleges might play in helping put students on the humanities track has been largely overlooked. How might community colleges strengthen their humanities offerings, and working with their four-year partners, better propel more of their students to successful transfer in the humanities?

Many community colleges offer dual enrollment courses at a lower tuition rate than is paid by post-high school students. But—as dual enrollment students have come to comprise a larger share of community college enrollments—can colleges afford to continue offering these courses at a discount? Clive Belfield, Davis Jenkins, and John Fink consider how community colleges can structure their programs to be more efficient and financially sustainable.

Much is unknown about the nature of first-generation students' personal networks, but a new CCRC study is changing that. CCRC Senior Research Assistant and PEAR Fellow Melissa Herman and Senior Research Associate Hoori Santikian Kalamkarian discuss the impetus for the study and share some preliminary findings in this blog post.

Suspended at the height of the pandemic, placement testing is back on the table as an option for determining eligibility for dual enrollment—what should states and colleges do? CCRC researchers John Fink, Sarah Griffin, and Maggie Fay share their recommendations in this blog post.