Remediation has become one of the greatest barriers to student success and disproportionately affects the persistence and retention rates of African American community college students. Nearly 70% of the African American students at community colleges required remediation, which results in low persistence and graduation rates for these students.…

Improving college completion is a shared objective of higher education. It is the focus of colleges, foundations, state governments, and the White House. Students have gotten the message--their aspirations are on the rise. But the nation's collective ambition far exceeds today's outcomes. Many students are not attaining their goals. College…

This study highlights the narratives of five Latino males from three different postsecondary institutions--a community college, a four-year public state college, and a large private research university--and the impact of their participation in college preparation programs. The data is drawn from a study in which the impact of college preparation…

Dual-enrollment (DE) science courses offer a way to strengthen the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics pipeline between high school and college. These courses offer high school students the opportunity to experience college science in a more supported environment, allowing them to adjust to the different academic and social demands…

What works to increase Latino student success in higher education? Since 2005, "Excelencia" in Education has led the only national effort to recognize evidence-based practices that accelerate Latino student success in higher education through Examples of "Excelencia." Through this process, "Excelencia" recognizes…

Research on college access and enrollment indicates that a college education is one of the most effective avenues to increase social mobility. Each year, low-income students of color face a number of barriers to college access and success at every stage of their educational trajectory (Gandara, 2000; Gandara, 2002; Gandara & Contreras, 2009;…

Nationwide, low percentages of community college students graduate. Although community colleges' higher percentages of low income, academically underprepared, non-traditional, and minority students are often cited as the reason for low graduation rates, this study sought to examine common characteristics of community college students who do…

Since the publication of the initial report of the League's Commission on the Future (COTF), there have been many reports written and the California Community Colleges have taken many steps to improve student success and completion. However, there is still much to do. This paper will provide a brief assessment of where we are--in relation to…

As open-door institutions of higher learning, community colleges should continue to increase their understanding of the characteristics, needs, and satisfaction of underprepared students. Understanding the satisfaction levels of underprepared students provides a foundation upon which to build support for student success and retention for…

The growing national evidence on the number of students who enter community colleges with weak academic skills demonstrates the dramatic increase in the incidence of underprepared students matriculating into postsecondary education. But the same evidence demonstrates that what happens to these developmental students upon enrolling into…

In an era when college completion dominates the policy agenda, matters of access and equity are critically important. The allure of raising completion rates by reducing access for students thought unprepared for college and incapable of finishing is too attractive to deny. This article discusses the importance of linking access and completion to…

Many states are experimenting with mechanisms for making college more affordable while maintaining quality and access. This report examines promising or innovative state programs to improve college affordability and credential attainment. Many of these approaches show innovative thinking and bear watching to see if they result in meaningful…

Sixty-three percent of AISD's Class of 2013 graduates enrolled in a postsecondary institution the year after high school, and 74% of Class of 2012 graduates persisted in college for a second year. A supplemental report (published separately) provides technical documentation. [For the technical documentation report, see ED626499.]

College completion is a priority for federal and state governments as well as policy makers and funders. Yet a major barrier exists for many students seeking college certificates or degrees. The barrier is that more than half of community college students and about one-quarter of students at four-year universities are not well prepared to succeed…

Accelerated learning options such as dual credit, dual enrollment, and Advanced Placement have been increasing in popularity, yet there is minimal research to demonstrate the effectiveness of these programs in meeting their implied objective among public, private, and charter school students. Even less research exists to indicate the effectiveness…