blog post Video: Tracking Progress in Community College Access and Success By Vicki Hsieh Nov 8, 2023 Four years ago, state lawmakers dramatically broadened access to key transfer-level courses at California’s community colleges. PPIC researcher Cesar Alesi Perez presents findings from a new report on what these reforms have meant for improving student outcomes.
blog post How Community College Reforms Could Help English Learners By Olga Rodriguez, Bonnie Brooks Oct 3, 2019 Two-thirds of English Learner students are not on track to earn a degree, but new initiatives may create clearer, more accessible pathways for advancement.
blog post The Pandemic’s Effect on Community College Enrollment By Jacob Jackson, Cesar Alesi Perez Oct 14, 2020 As COVID-19 began to spread this past spring, course enrollment dropped substantially at California’s community colleges, especially among African American and Native American/Alaska Native students.
Report Preparing Students for Success in California’s Community Colleges By Hans Johnson, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Olga Rodriguez Nov 9, 2016 Community colleges identify 80 percent of incoming students as underprepared for college-level work. Fewer than half of these students advance to and succeed in a college course (44% in English and 27% in math). Concerns about poor outcomes have led to institutional reforms. This research was supported with funding from The Sutton Family Fund.
blog post Covering the Real Costs of College By Kevin Cook Dec 11, 2019 With many students struggling to afford California’s high cost of living, state policymakers have sought to reform financial aid programs to address the full cost of attending college.
blog post A New Look at College Enrollment Rates By Jacob Jackson, Paul Warren Jul 25, 2019 New data from the California Department of Education show notable disparities in college enrollment across racial/ethnic groups and throughout the state’s regions—including within school districts.
blog post Basic Needs Centers at California Colleges Can Help Fight Student Hunger By Eliana Blachman, Caroline Danielson Sep 19, 2022 California’s community colleges, which serve a large number of low-income students, are using basic needs centers to increase students’ access to CalFresh food assistance.
blog post Testimony: Ensuring That More Students Succeed in College By Hans Johnson Mar 9, 2017 Ensuring that more students succeed in college is a challenge in California, where 60% of high school students are socioeconomically disadvantaged.
blog post Testimony: The Need for College Graduates in California’s Future Economy By Hans Johnson Nov 1, 2017 California needs to enroll more students in college—especially in our four-year institutions—and ensure greater success of those already in college.
Report Higher Education in California: Meeting California’s Workforce Needs By Hans Johnson, Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia Oct 1, 2019 Strong and growing demand for highly educated workers has been a hallmark of the state’s economy for decades, and forecasts show this demand continuing into the future. But the importance of increasing the number of college graduates goes beyond workforce needs.