This chapter describes the role microcredentials can play within the context of guided pathways and degree completion, illustrated through three case studies of community colleges and systems.

A three-year study that JFF conducted for the National Science Foundation shows that community college technology internships can be effective bridges to employment for postsecondary students. The research showed that when internships were required for graduation students were much more likely to participate. But for internships to be effective,…

Of the studies of internships at two-year colleges, few have focused specifically on IT and engineering technology (ET) programs and the structures that are essential to building effective technology internships. Case studies at two Florida community colleges enabled the exploration of internship structure, student participation by demographics,…

Despite the growing popularity of WBL, the community college and workforce development fields need greater transparency and clarity on the design of these programs to broaden workforce pathways, ensure the transferability of exemplary program models, and support the advancement of equitable outcomes for all students, especially learners from…

Community colleges provide postsecondary education to millions of students in the United States each year, but their graduation rates are low. Many community colleges have implemented interventions to help students persist in college and earn degrees. MDRC has studied many such interventions; several of them improved students' academic outcomes,…

Millions of individuals in the United States experience problematic substance use that progresses to Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Many people who eventually achieve remission of their SUD symptoms seek vocational and personal fulfillment through pursuing a career in behavioral health counseling with a specific focus in counseling for addictions.…

This quantitative study examined the proportions of students enrolling in and completing transfer-level math pre- and post-Assembly Bill 705 (AB 705), as well as different predictors affecting the completion of transfer-level math within the first year. The study drew attention to the relationship between students' race/ethnicity and the…

The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE) and the state's 28 public colleges and universities have collaborated over the last fifteen years to make easier and more transparent the process of transferring from a community college to a bachelor's degree program in one of the state's public colleges or universities. In this report, we…

This study explored student learning outcomes related to virtual international exchange, namely global perspective-taking and self-efficacy, among a sample of 76 community college students in the United States. Viewing virtual exchange as a possible high-impact educational practice, we anticipated that participation would have a positive…

There are currently too few computer science faculty to meet student demand, and faculty from historically minoritized groups are severely underrepresented. Expanding pathways from community colleges to PhDs is one critical avenue to both grow and diversify the computer science professoriate that has been underexplored. To gain insight into these…

Community colleges face many challenges post-pandemic in fulfilling their open-access mission while weathering increasing complexities, resource limitations, and overall declining confidence in higher education. Ethical leadership is required for community college leaders seeking to successfully address these challenges. Ethical leadership…

We are a team of experienced teacher educators working with various licensure programs: teaching English to speakers of other languages, literacy, primary, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In the summer of 2020, as faculty in a college of education in an urban area in upper Midwest, we participated in a grassroots faculty-led…

Objective: This paper provides evidence on the efficacy and effectiveness of federal and state financial aid programs in supporting community college students. Method: I use a regression discontinuity design that takes advantage of discontinuities in the Pell Grant formula known as Automatic-Zero Estimated Family Contribution to estimate the…

High-impact practices (HIP) are evidence-based teaching and learning tools that improve learning and student engagement. This study investigated HIP implementation in undergraduate introduction to exercise science classes. Faculty at 182 academic institutions reported about the type and number of HIP used in their introductory course. Instructors…

In "More Essential Than Ever," researchers Davis Jenkins, Hana Lahr, John Fink, Serena C. Klempin, and Maggie P. Fay center US community colleges as critical to upward mobility and workforce development in their communities, highlighting new practices these institutions are using to build high-quality programs and support students'…