A three-year study tracking outcomes for approximately 3,000 students across California shows that career-focused dual enrollment programs can provide important benefits for those who are underachieving and underrepresented in higher education. Dual enrollment, which allows high school students to take college courses and earn college credit, was…

More than 87% of America's public high schools offer their students the opportunity to gain college credit prior to graduation. Learning opportunities that allow students to gain college-level credit often are referred to as "dual credit" programs, and they are experiencing a growth in both the number of students who take advantage of them and the…

The success of America's economy depends on a dramatic increase in the number and diversity of people who complete college with a high-quality credential. To meet this goal, the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) is leading a national effort to increase support for students who left higher education without a degree but are eligible…

Community colleges, which serve almost half of postsecondary students in the United States, are receiving ever-increasing attention from policymakers and researchers. Although these institutions have always served a wide range of people in their communities, the number of students who enter community college requiring additional preparation before…

The purpose of this brief is to provide information to state, district, and school personnel seeking support to determine whether their students are on a path to postsecondary success. The College and Career Readiness and Success Center (CCRS Center) has received technical assistance requests from a number of states regarding factors that predict…

Many adult students struggle to finance their educations, often contending with work and child care expenses in addition to the extra cost of remedial courses. Moreover, there is little need-based grant aid to help. This report presents early findings from an evaluation of a program in New York City targeted to low-income adults (ages 22 to 35)…

This report from the Community College Research Center sheds light on the current policies and practices that shape "dual enrollment" efforts in California. The report, funded by The James Irvine Foundation, demonstrates the feasibility of using dual enrollment programs to enhance college and career pathways for low-income youth who are…

This 2011 edition of the "SREB (Southern Regional Education Board) Fact Book on Higher Education" is something new--bigger and better. As always, it continues a proud tradition begun in 1956 of presenting comparative data for colleges and universities in the SREB region in a national context. But this year--for the first time--it provides data for…

Early College High Schools (ECHS) are defined as "small schools where students can earn both a high school diploma and two years of college credit toward a bachelor's degree" (Early Colleges, 2005). ECHSs are designed as places of learning to help young people progress toward the education and experience they need to succeed in life and…

Cross-crediting, or credit transfer, exists in Australia as a confused plethora of agreements in and amongst tertiary institutions. By and large the student is responsible for initiating or requesting credit for studies undertaken elsewhere, either in the past or concurrently. This study describes the development of an agreement on cross-crediting…

Developed by the Chancellor's Task Force on Academic Quality, this report presents background, analysis, and recommendations concerning remedial offerings in the California community colleges. Part I presents background material on the scope of remediation in the colleges, and the student constituencies and social conditions that have created the…

Movement toward a North American free trade agreement has provided impetus for a similar academic common market. However, differences in educational structure and quality make integration difficult. Priorities must be articulated, financing cooperation arranged, credit transfers facilitated, and achievement measures coordinated. Some isolated…

Any plan to institute student fees for California community colleges should address public concerns about budgetary matters, course repetitions, avocational courses, and courses that are not clearly lower division, while at the same time protecting districts from unanticipated enrollment losses and preserving the right of access to education by…

Examines minority students' enrollment based on a national survey data. Describes students' background characteristics, college choice, engineering decision, financial need, college environment, and factors related to college success. Reports that commitment to the university, high school grade, SAT-mathematical score, and financial need were…

Following a literature review, this article analyzes the financial impact of credits for experiential learning on a major midwestern university. Both students and the institution appear to have benefited economically. Questions are raised concerning who should benefit from publicly supported education--students, society, or all three. Includes 28…