Academic probation policies and practices can help or hinder students' persistence in reaching college degrees or certificates in community college. The stakes are high for Latino/x men in community colleges as they attempt to balance multiple internal and external demands that may impact academic performance. This practice brief provides…

In 2022-2023, The RP Group surveyed over 7,000 African American/Black students across the California Community Colleges (CCC) system to further explore their transfer experiences. This report offers a selection of highlights from this comprehensive, statewide survey and specifically elevates findings related to the four core student experiences:…

Academic support services such as coaching and mentoring programs have shown the most promise, but only when they are implemented in a very proactive manner--when they provide students with personalized follow-up and attention. Unfortunately, these programs are often expensive, making them hard to implement or scale at a regional or national…

To boost college graduation rates, policymakers often advocate for academic supports such as coaching or mentoring. Proactive and intensive coaching interventions are effective, but are costly and difficult to scale. We evaluate a relatively lower-cost group coaching program targeted at first-year college students placed on academic probation.…

This study provides results regarding the effectiveness of the Bounce Back Retention Program (BBRP), a semester-long voluntary course for students on academic probation (AP). This is the first phase of a longitudinal study of spring 2007 freshmen at San Diego State University (SDSU). Results were analyzed for three samples: 1) "AP…

In this descriptive study, the use of a midsemester Success Workshop is evaluated within the context of the persistence and motivation of students placed on academic probation in a state university between 2005 and 2010. Elements of the Success Workshop are described. The self-assessments, workshop evaluation results, and other institutional data…

Community colleges across the United States face a difficult challenge. On the one hand, they are "open access" institutions, with a mission to serve students from all backgrounds and at varying levels of college readiness. On the other hand, they must uphold high academic standards in order to maintain accreditation and prepare students…

Community colleges across the United States face a difficult challenge. On the one hand, they are "open access" institutions, with a mission to serve students from all backgrounds and at varying levels of college readiness. On the other hand, they must uphold high academic standards in order to maintain accreditation and prepare students…

This issue of "Assessment Update" presents the following articles: (1) Mission Accomplished! The Development of a Competence-based E-portfolio Assessment Model (Shelley Schuurman, Scott Berlin, Jamie Langlois, and Julie Guevara); (2) The Third Rail of Assessment--Dangerous but Powerful (Dale L. Mort); (3) Video Killed the Radio…

As part of MDRC's multisite Opening Doors demonstration, Chaffey College, a large community college in Southern California, ran two versions of a program that was designed to improve outcomes among students who are on probation. Both versions offered a "College Success" course, taught by a college counselor, which provided basic…

This description of the probation-retention-disqualification policy at Santa Monica City College (Calif.) may provide guidelines for other institutions. A student may be placed on probation if he (1) has a GPA below 2.0 in all college units attempted, (2) is a transfer while on probation from or disqualified by another school, or (3) is readmitted…

In July 1967, the California State Board of Education set minimum probation standards for junior colleges, providing that (1) students having less than a 2.0 GPA (with 12 or more units attempted) will be put on academic probation, (2) all such students will receive special counseling, and (3) those failing to maintain a 1.75 GPA for three…

BETWEEN 1959 AND 1963, 351 TRANSFER STUDENTS ENTERING EL CAMINO COLLEGE WERE IN A PROBATIONARY STATUS BECAUSE OF UNSATISFACTORY GRADES EARNED AT THEIR PREVIOUS INSTITUTIONS. OF THIS GROUP, 55 PERCENT WERE LATER SUCCESSFUL (REMOVED THEMSELVES FROM PROBATIONARY STATUS). MORE THAN 70 PERCENT OF THOSE TRANSFERRING FROM 4-YEAR INSTITUTIONS AND 33…

THIS PAPER PRESENTS A CASE FOR MAKING JUNIOR COLLEGE GRADING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES COMPATIBLE WITH THE STATED PURPOSES OF THE JUNIOR COLLEGE. IT LISTS SOME HISTORIC AND PERSONAL PHILOSOPHIC ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING PURPOSES. THE INCOMPATIBILITY OF THE GRADING PRACTICES WITH THESE PURPOSES IS REVIEWED THROUGH SOME STUDIES MADE AT GROSSMONT COLLEGE,…

STATEMENTS OF THE PROBATION AND DISMISSAL POLICIES FOR EACH OF 21 CALIFORNIA JUNIOR COLLEGES ARE ACCOMPANIED BY STATISTICAL DATA SHOWING THE NUMBERS OF STUDENTS AFFECTED BY THE POLICIES, AND--IN SOME CASES--THE EFFECTS OF RAISING THE STATE MINIMUM GRADE POINT AVERAGE FOR GOOD STANDING FROM ITS CURRENT 1.5 TO 2.0. CONCLUDING THAT…