Research & Commentary

Recently released evidence from the NCES indicates the prevalence of personal and educational disruptions on community college students, but more detailed data would be needed to see the entire picture.

As we wrap up data collection for 2024 and prepare to release our results in November, this post highlights what we've done so far, what we're working on, and future plans for the project.

Initial IPEDS estimates show community colleges serve almost 75 percent of dually enrolled students nationwide, and there is significant variation across states, institution types, and student demographics.

The credential-jobs misalignment among middle-skill workers has an impact on the economy, causing inefficiencies in employer-employee matching. Rethinking how community colleges and universities approach transfer agreements could provide better alignment.

Community colleges serve students in many ways depending on their educational goals, so much of the value these institutions provide for their communities is overlooked when measuring success.

The looming FAFSA crisis has continued into June, likely leading to a decrease in enrollments for grant and federal loan dependent schools. In turn, community colleges may see an enrollment increase.

Issues surrounding the new FAFSA form have led to a sharp decline in form completions for the coming academic year. This could result in overall enrollment declines across higher education, but it is likely to hit some groups of students and institutions harder than others.

The motivations behind the new gainful employment policy are noble, but community colleges, especially in rural areas, could be disproportionately harmed by the earnings premium test.

In this article, we discuss the history and motivation of federal gainful employment legislation and what the new rules entail.

Dual enrollment programs can play an important role in creating a strong, educated workforce, but they need to make sure the funding policies are available and effective.