The skills gap--the disparity between job openings and job seekers in an employment category--is wider in some sectors and parts of the country than others. The disconnect between community colleges and employers perpetuates the skills gap. Despite the current push among educators, politicians, and employers to increase completion rates, that…

When the 10 members of the American Association of Community College's (AACC's) 21st-Century Implementation Team 7 (nine of whom are community college presidents) sat down in 2013 to talk about reforming institutional roles and functions at the nation's two-year career and technical colleges, everyone in the room knew the work before them would be…

The nation's community colleges have an impressive to-do list: (1) Increase college completion by 50 percent by 2020; (2) Dramatically improve college readiness; (3) Close the American skills gap; (4) Refocus the community college mission; (5) Invest in new support structures; (6) Target public and private investments; and (7) Promote rigor and…