Essays

ARCC Network Survey Explores How Colleges Spent Federal Recovery Funds

June 20, 2023

By Multiple authors

During the pandemic, Congress appropriated more than $25 billion in Higher Education Emergency Relief (HEER) Funds to help community colleges and their students. How did colleges use these funds? What were the results of their spending and associated efforts? What remaining needs do they have, if any? The ARCC Network’s Survey of Pandemic Relief Spending and Recovery Strategies seeks to answer these questions.

Stealth Transfer: How Former Dual Enrollment Students Are Disrupting Postsecondary Education for the Better

June 1, 2023

By Aurely Garcia Tulloch

Dual enrollment students, or "stealth transfer students," and their pathway are becoming increasingly hard to ignore. Aurely Garcia Tulloch explains the issues this raises for both two- and four-year institutions and how the transfer pathway could be better leveraged for increasing college access and equity in a new blog post originally published by Inside Higher Ed.

FastForward and Get a Skill, Get a Job, Get Ahead (G3): System-Wide Strategies for Helping Adults Access Training and Earn Credentials

June 12, 2023

By Multiple authors

Maria S. Cormier, Ariel Deutsch, and Betsy L. Tessler explore two Virginia Community College System programs for helping adults earn credentials that improve their labor market prospects and provide on-ramps to further education: FastForward and Get a Skill, Get a Job, Get Ahead (G3).

Student Perspectives on What Makes a Caring Campus: A Little Goes a Long Way

May 31, 2023

By Multiple authors

What do students consider important for creating a sense of welcome and belonging at college? Susan Bickerstaff, Selena Cho, Elisabeth A. Barnett, and Andrea Lopez Salazar spoke with students and found that relatively simple actions by faculty and staff can make a big difference.

How Do Dual Enrollment Course Characteristics Predict Course Outcomes and College Entrance?

May 26, 2023

By Multiple authors

As dual enrollment participation has expanded, so too have the types of programs and courses offered. Lauren Schudde and Wonsun Ryu discuss how differences in course set up have the potential to shape students’ dual enrollment experiences and overall course performance, as well as their subsequent college enrollment decisions.