Almost two decades ago, the proverbial writing was on the wall for Texas higher-education officials. Student demographics in public K-12 were dramatically changing, with the share of minorities and low-income students rising quickly. Traditionally, these populations have been underserved in the state’s higher-education system. “We were aware that the future of Texas was going to […]

Administrators and educators at community colleges across the nation are creating innovative and effective programs to improve student completion and success rates. However, those efforts would likely be more successful if college and state leaders moved out of their respective silos and began working together, according to Policy Meets Pathways, A State Policy Agenda for Transformational Change, a […]

Natalie J. Harder, chancellor of South Louisiana Community College (SLCC), was surprised to learn why many students weren’t completing their associate degrees in two years: Students thought taking 12 credits per semester was enough to reach the academic finish line. In fact, students need to average 15 credits per semester to finish an associate degree in four […]

A private university opening satellite campuses at community colleges might seem a bit odd. But Brandman University, a private nonprofit institution based in Irvine, Calif., has a long history of serving working, nontraditional students similar to those who attend community colleges. This month, the university opened its fifth satellite campus at a community college, giving […]

Students get discouraged if they have to complete multiple semesters of remedial education or need to take courses that won’t count toward a college degree. Discouraged students often veer off their academic course. The 13-college Colorado Community College System (CCCS) recently launched a pair of initiatives that attempt to address these issues. A developmental redesign […]

As more community colleges move toward competency-based education, they are providing college credits for prior learning and on-the-job training. Some community colleges are going a step further and working with local employers to link apprenticeships to community college degrees. What follows is an excerpt of an article that first appeared in AACC’s Community College Daily […]

Over its 94-year history, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) has promoted the academic and professional success of all community college students, many of whom face challenges, such as being a first-generation American, coming from a low-income community or balancing school and work to support their families. Last month, The New York Times published […]

Some people need to be convinced that community college investments pay off for students and communities. Illinois’ community colleges now have plenty of state-specific data to back up that assertion. A recent Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) study found that Illinois community college graduates can expect a lifetime earnings gain of more than $570,000 — […]

Increasing the number of community college students who graduate with a degree or certificate is on the mind of every community college president — and President Obama. According to the Phi Theta Kappa honor society, more than 3 million livable-wage jobs are unfilled in the United States because students are not getting the education and […]

As U.S. troops leave Afghanistan and the military begins to downsize, our nation’s veterans are returning home in even greater numbers. Many of them will need some form of higher education to successfully move into the workforce, and states are wise to help them navigate whatever educational path they choose. What follows is an article […]