MDRC hosted a recent colloquium to celebrate their 40th anniversary and the contributions of former Board Chair Robert Solow. This paper summarizes a panel presentation featuring Frank Levy, Richard J. Murnane, Cecilia E. Rouse, and Ronald F. Ferguson, who discussed current challenges in education and how MDRC's research can help address them.

Community colleges provide access to higher education for millions of Americans who might not otherwise be able to pursue it. However, despite the pivotal role these institutions play in promoting social equity, they continue to struggle with low student persistence and completion rates, particularly among male students of color. It is this…