Publications

Over the past three decades, almost half of all states have implemented some form of performance funding in an effort ...

This policy brief examines key issues raised by Washington State's experience with the Student Achievement Initiative model of performance funding for community and technical colleges.

This report discusses political forces that shaped performance funding policies in eight states: Florida, Illinois, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, California, and Nevada.

The experiences of three states that dropped performance funding (Missouri, Washington, and Florida) are contrasted with those of a fourth (Tennessee) that has retained it more than 30 years.

This report examines the origins of state performance funding in six states and concludes by drawing lessons for policymakers.

The eligibility of undocumented students to apply for in-state tuition varies by state. This article analyzes the political origins of divergent responses among states, drawing on the advocacy coalition framework and policy entrepreneurship theory of policymaking.

This paper examines how performance funding systems in two states with long-lasting systems have changed over time and what political and social conditions explain the changes.

This report discusses findings and implications of a study commissioned by the College Board to inform the development of the Voluntary Framework of Accountability for Community Colleges.

To investigate the unstable institutionalization of performance funding in higher education, this paper examines the cessation of performance funding programs in Illinois, Washington, and Florida.

This report presents findings from an independent qualitative review of Washington State's Student Achievement Initiative, which rewards colleges for improvements in student outcomes.

In this paper, the author argues for a new paradigm in federal workforce education policy, one that privileges capacity-building over compliance.

This report describes what policies all 50 states have in place with respect to key community college practices in three main areas: access, success, and performance accountability.

This working paper examines the validity of the Student Right-to-Know (SRK) graduation rates as measures of community college performance.

This report provides an audit of state policies in Ohio affecting access to, and success in, community colleges for students of color and low-income students.

This report provides an audit of state policies in Connecticut affecting access to, and success in, community colleges for students of color and low-income students.

This article features findings from a commissioned audit of state policies on community college access, success, and accountability in seven states.

This article discusses the use of regression analysis to evaluate public and private institutions serving vastly different populations.

In this book, CCRC researchers analyze how colleges have tried to improve their performance with respect to low-income students, students of color, and nontraditional students.

This report presents the findings of an audit of state policies affecting access to, and success in, community colleges in five states.

This article examines whether statewide articulation agreements increase the probability of vertical transfers from two-year to four-year colleges.

This report identifies ways in which state policies can support students’ academic and labor market success by creating coherent systems of preparation for students entering technical fields.

This report analyzes dual enrollment legislation in all 50 states and examines whether these policies promote or inhibit the spread of dual enrollment programs.

This policy brief contains an analysis of the impacts of performance accountability on community colleges in six states.

This article examines the logic of the "improved school finance," which posits that understanding how resources are used at the school and classroom levels is necessary for determining equitable funding.

This report presents the findings of exploratory research designed to identify the characteristics of the outsourcing of instruction at community colleges and the forces that promote or block its spread.

This report, commissioned by the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) of the U.S. Department of Education, examines the rationale for federal involvement in occupational education.

This report examines community colleges' successes and failures in their role as a bridge to opportunity for disadvantaged students and discusses changes they could make to be more effective in this role.

This paper reports on a two-year research study jointly conducted by CCRC and National Center for Postsecondary Improvement that compares for-profit institutions with community colleges.

This chapter discusses the challenges of community colleges, trends leading to enrollment growth, and the controversy over mission expansion and offers suggestions for reform. A brief version is also available.

This chapter discusses higher education policies and legislation, the social and economic philosophy behind higher education and open-admission policies, and challenges facing higher education.

This chapter discusses community college policy issues and provides readers with an in-depth discussion of research questions and methodological perspectives.

This paper addresses the issue of performance funding and its implications for California's community colleges. It was prepared for the State Chancellor's Office, California Community Colleges.