Report Health Training Pathways at California’s Community Colleges By Shannon McConville, Sarah Bohn, Landon Gibson Dec 1, 2016 State and federal policymakers looking to improve economic mobility and meet workforce needs have renewed their focus on career technical education. Health training is of particular interest—California’s community colleges offer a range of health programs and credentials and demand is growing for health workers with some college training. Students who earn shorter-term health credentials tend to see relatively low wage gains, and relatively few return to school to pursue higher-level training. Targeted outreach and support could help more students move along pathways to higher earnings. This research was supported with funding from the ECMC Foundation and the Sutton Family Fund.
Fact Sheet Remedial Education in California’s Colleges and Universities By Olga Rodriguez, Jacob Jackson, Marisol Cuellar Mejia Oct 26, 2017
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Community College English in California’s New Era of Student Access By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Olga Rodriguez, Hans Johnson, Cesar Alesi Perez Aug 15, 2022 Three years after a landmark law prompted major reforms across the state's community colleges, significant progress has been made. Students are now much more likely to complete college composition—the “gateway” transfer-level English course. But more can be done to address persistent racial equity gaps and pandemic challenges.
Report COVID-19 Emergency Funding and California’s Higher Education Systems By Jacob Jackson, Kevin Cook, Darriya Starr Nov 16, 2022 Federal dollars offered timely, substantial support to the state’s higher education systems during the worst of the pandemic. Funding for students, online instruction, and social distancing measures made up key spending allocations.
Report Determining College Readiness in California’s Community Colleges: A Survey of Assessment and Placement Policies By Hans Johnson, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Olga Rodriguez Nov 9, 2016 Assessment and placement policies govern where students begin their college journey. Yet community colleges vary greatly in how they identify college-ready students—potentially leading to inequitable access to transfer-level courses. This research was supported with funding from The Sutton Family Fund.
Report English as a Second Language in California’s Community Colleges By Olga Rodriguez, Sarah Bohn, Laura Hill, Bonnie Brooks Apr 29, 2019 English language proficiency can facilitate social and economic mobility for non-native speakers—and California’s community colleges are key providers of ESL education. Now that a new law is motivating colleges across the state to reexamine their ESL programs, we need a better understanding of ESL students and the policies that help them succeed.
Report The Impact of Budget Cuts on California’s Community Colleges By Hans Johnson, Belinda Reyes, Sarah Bohn Mar 26, 2013 Student enrollment rates in California’s community colleges have dropped to a 20-year low in the wake of unprecedented cuts in state funding. Colleges have reduced staff, cut courses, and increased class sizes—all of which have led to declines in student access. This research was supported with funding from the Donald Bren Foundation, the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, and The James Irvine Foundation.
Report Coordinating California’s Higher Education System By Paul Warren Mar 6, 2019 Establishing an independent council to provide leadership, expertise, and coordination across sectors of higher education would help California better meet student and workforce needs. This brief report outlines key considerations for building a successful council.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Dual Enrollment in California By Olga Rodriguez, Niu Gao, Mary Severance Oct 18, 2021 Key takeaways from a report on promoting the equitable expansion of dual enrollment, which provides opportunities for high school students to take college courses and earn college credit.
