Factors Impacting Community College Outcomes: A study by the Brookings Institution explores to what degree community colleges are accountable for their students’ outcomes or whether factors outside of institutions’ control, such as learner characteristics, play a greater role. Researchers investigated program-level data on earnings and loan repayment outcomes at over 1,200 community colleges. The study concluded the following:
- Earnings outcomes vary significantly by field of study. For instance, associate degrees in construction, engineering technology and allied health fields lead to higher earnings than associate degrees in consumer science, education and communications technology.
- Although institutions with the largest populations of underrepresented students tend to have worse earnings and loan repayment outcomes, these institutions also tend to offer fewer programs in high-paying fields. This suggests that field of study rather than demographics is the main cause for variation in student outcomes.
- At institutions with the lowest share of underrepresented students, nearly a quarter of learners are enrolled in the highest-paying fields of study, compared to only 16% of learners at colleges with the largest share of underrepresented students.
Relatedly, the Postsecondary Value Commission recently released the Equitable Value Explorer, which is an interactive tool that allows users to explore how returns on investment at over 4,000 postsecondary institutions vary by demographic groups. Using public data from the College Scorecard and other sources, the tool highlights the need for transparency and equity in postsecondary outcomes.
Education and Training Patterns of Working Adults: The Community College Research Center recently released a report discussing the patterns of community college participation among working adults. Using results from the 2020 American Training Survey conducted by the National Opinion Research Corporation, researchers studied trends in enrollment, credential attainment, demographics and more to reveal the following findings:
- Approximately 48% of working adults attended community college at some point in their lives and about a quarter did so as adults. Black, Hispanic and female workers utilized community college at a higher rate than white and male workers.
- About 68% of those who attended community college obtained a credential and/or transferred to a four-year institution. Black respondents were more likely to obtain a degree or certificate than white respondents and females obtained certificates at higher rates than males.
- The study also examined the use of other training venues across a workers’ career and found that online training programs were the most utilized option, followed by community colleges. As respondents aged, community colleges were used less than almost all other venues.
Supporting Single Moms: While single mothers represent 10-11% of the postsecondary population, only 28% earn a degree or other credential within six years of enrolling. In response to this issue, Education Design Labs partnered with four community colleges to launch programs focused on increasing postsecondary completion rates by 30% for at least 6,000 single mothers by 2024. A recent report outlines each colleges’ program models and the following design recommendations for institutions interested in improving completion rates for single mothers:
- Create streamlined programs that provide career advising and connect mothers to essential resources, such as advisors that serve as both case managers and career coaches.
- Establish an inclusive space for single mothers by raising institutional awareness through student and faculty training as well as community groups and courses tailored for mothers.
- Implement flexible educational experiences through online learning, individualized career and academic plans and earn-and-learn opportunities.
- Collect data, such as surveys, to understand an institution’s single mother population as well as collaborate with community partners to connect mothers with resources for meeting basic needs.
Benefits of Wraparound Supports: The University of Chicago Inclusive Economy Lab published interim findings from an ongoing eight-year study on the impact of wraparound supports on community college students’ outcomes. Researchers focused on a non-profit program, One Million Degrees (OMD), which provides financial, academic and professional assistance to under-resourced community college students in Chicago through an application-based process. The following points are key findings from their study:
- Wraparound supports can significantly impact credential attainment. For example, students enrolled in the program were 18% more likely to earn an associate degree within three years, while those who were offered OMD but did not participate were 9% more likely to earn an associate degree.
- Program participants who applied during their high school senior year were 73% more likely to earn an associate degree, the greatest degree attainment increase out of all groups.
- The program also led to meaningful increases in full-time enrollment. OMD students were 29% more likely to enroll in community college full time, while those who were offered OMD but did not participate were 11% more likely to enroll full time.
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