Report Stackable Credentials in Career Education at California Community Colleges By Sarah Bohn, Shannon McConville Oct 22, 2018 California is investing in career education programs at its community colleges. Stackable credentials are a key component—students who “stack” multiple, related awards can build skills and increase earnings over time. We need to know more about how well-designed stackable credential programs help students succeed.
blog post More Students Completing College Prep Courses By Sara Adan Apr 5, 2017 As more school districts have made college prep courses mandatory for graduation, more students are passing them with a grade of C or higher.
blog post Federal Data Could Help Students Choose a College By Jacob Jackson Jun 12, 2017 A nationwide data system could help students and parents weigh the costs and benefits of specific colleges and majors.
blog post COVID-19 Altered College Plans for Most Students By Niu Gao Oct 30, 2020 The pandemic has caused major disruptions for college students. The impact has been especially large for low-income students, African Americans and Latinos, and students who are the first generation in their families to attend college.
blog post Video: Remedial Education Reform in Community College By Mary Severance Sep 12, 2018 California community colleges are reforming their remedial placement policies and course offerings.
blog post Testimony: Improving College Access and Success through Dual Enrollment By Olga Rodriguez Nov 6, 2023 At a hearing of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, PPIC Higher Education Center director and senior fellow Olga Rodriguez discusses the state landscape for dual enrollment—by which high school students take college courses and earn college credit—and how this approach can help improve student outcomes.
blog post Community College Placement: Lessons from North Carolina By Olga Rodriguez Oct 25, 2016 As California’s community colleges reexamine the way they assess and place students in developmental—or remedial—courses, North Carolina’s reforms may offer guidance.
blog post Video: Supporting Student Parents in Community College CalWORKs Programs By Stephanie Barton Nov 4, 2020 PPIC’s Bonnie Brooks and Shannon McConville discuss new research on how programs at California community colleges help support the economic mobility of CalWORKs student parents.
blog post Does Guaranteed Tuition Lower College Costs? By Jacob Jackson Jun 22, 2016 Colleges that guarantee the same tuition for four years make planning easier for students—but don’t necessarily make degrees less expensive.
blog post Is College the Answer to Income Inequality? By Hans Johnson, Marisol Cuellar Mejia Apr 29, 2014 Educational attainment is by far the single most important determinant of an individual’s income. A key question, then, is whether improvements in educational outcomes can reduce inequality.