This qualitative study explored the impediments, social adjustments challenges, and classroom experiences of F-1 international students enrolled at community colleges in the Midwest region of the United States with at least one semester completed after their arrival. Through their respective accounts, the participants shared their positive and…

Retaining students through degree completion is a challenge for community colleges, with nontraditional, adult students being retained at a lower rate than their traditional counterparts. Though student engagement is recognized as an effective strategy for retaining students, there is a gap in research on how effective these strategies are for…

Community colleges experience difficulties in effectively placing students in the first college-level, gateway mathematics course. The use of one standardized exam, such as the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA) has been proven ineffective. The effectiveness of using multiple measures is not known. This quantitative predictive…

This mixed-methods dissertation examines the experiences of academic counselors in the California community college (CCC) system who have provided distance/online counseling. As online education increases and is seen as a way to provide access to higher education at a lower cost to institutions, the need for online support services such as…

Objective: While much research has been conducted on retention, attrition, and college completion among those who voluntarily withdraw from college, few studies have focused on involuntary withdrawal in the form of academic dismissal. Even less scholarship has examined the subsequent restoration of academic momentum for returning students.…

This participatory action research (PAR) dissertation study investigates the implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles by community college faculty in first-year writing courses to support students with learning disabilities at a New Jersey community college. Through a collaborative approach involving faculty as active…

This research study examined the difference in academic motivation and academic self-efficacy of traditionally underrepresented students in community college who previously participated in high school dual enrollment programs versus their comparable peers without dual enrollment experience. This is important given the socio-economic disparities…

This study investigates the impact of GeoGebra, a dynamic, accessible, and easy-to-use mathematics software, on student confidence and perceptions of its helpfulness in the context of Calculus III courses. A quasi-experimental design was employed to compare four sections of Calculus III, with two sections integrating GeoGebra for in-class…

Objective/Research Question: The global pandemic has caused major disruptions to technical education, a leading innovator in providing students with the most up-to-date education and training as they transition into careers. Although there is growing evidence of instructional changes in higher education more broadly in response to COVID-19, we…

Pursuant to Assembly Bill 132 Section (89)(e), the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office and the Board of Governors for California Community Colleges are pleased to release the 2024-2025 LGBTQ+ Program Legislative report. In accordance with the reporting requirements, the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office is required to…

The 2024 Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Initiative (IEPI) Legislative Report provides a comprehensive analysis of California's efforts to improve student success, institutional effectiveness, and equity across its 116 community colleges. Covering activities from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, this report highlights key findings,…

The number of Idaho high school students earning college credit through participation in dual credit courses has risen dramatically over the last decade. This study aimed to investigate whether the sense of belonging among dual credit students influenced their choice to pursue higher education opportunities. The study took place at a small…

Dual enrollment (DE)--taking college courses in high school--can help improve student access to and success in college. In the past few years, California has passed legislation that expanded DE through the College and Careers Access Program (CCAP) and enacted reforms in assessment and placement for English and English as a Second Language (ESL).…

Twenty-two times, state courts have ruled that legislatures are inadequately funding K-12 schools based on constitutional rights to public education. When states implemented court-ordered financing reforms, the poorest school districts increased per-student spending by 11.5% to 12.1%. Those districts then showed increased graduation rates by…

Though they have experienced recent enrollment declines, historically, community colleges (i.e. public two-year colleges) have served a larger portion of undergraduates than any other institution type. They also serve a more diverse group of students than other institution types and do this with less funding, on average, than four-year…