Report Tracking Progress in Community College Access and Success By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Cesar Alesi Perez, Sidronio Jacobo, Fernando Garcia Oct 30, 2023 In 2019, a landmark reform removed barriers for community college students in accessing transfer-level math and English courses. While more students are now completing these key early milestones for transfer, additional efforts are needed to address persistent racial equity gaps and promote students’ longer-term success.
blog post New Reforms at California Community Colleges By Olga Rodriguez Nov 8, 2018 New reforms in California's community colleges could make placement policies more uniform and transparent, with potential to improve student outcomes and narrow achievement gaps.
blog post UC President Napolitano on Tuition, Online Learning, and the Role of the University By David Lesher Mar 25, 2014 UC President Janet Napolitano talked about tuition and budget issues, online education, access for low-income students, and the lessons she’s learned since starting this job about six months ago.
blog post California Remains on Track to Close the Degree Gap By Hans Johnson, Marisol Cuellar Mejia May 18, 2021 Six years ago, PPIC projected a shortage of 1.1 million highly educated workers in California by 2030. Today—despite the disruptions caused by the pandemic—the state is on track to close this gap.
event Remedial Placement and Curricular Reform at California Community Colleges Sep 7, 2018 California’s community colleges are in the midst of a major transformation of developmental education. Several colleges have been experimenting with placement and curricular reforms for some time. PPIC researcher Marisol Cuellar Mejia will outline a new report on the efforts of these early implementers and the potential impact of reforms on student outcomes. A panel of experts will then offer a range of perspectives on key aspects of placement and curricular reforms.
blog post Guided Pathways in Community College By Olga Rodriguez, Mina Dadgar May 12, 2017 Community colleges have begun to adopt a reform known as "guided pathways" to increase completion rates.
blog post 2021 Year in Review By Mark Baldassare Dec 16, 2021 The past year has been another deeply challenging one for California and the nation. As 2021 draws to a close, president and CEO Mark Baldassare reflects on the role PPIC has played in providing essential information—and fostering constructive dialogue—on the critical policy issues facing our state.
Report Improving College Graduation Rates: A Closer Look at California State University By Kevin Cook, Jacob Jackson May 17, 2016 Low college graduation rates come at a high cost—lower salaries, lower tax revenue, and fewer college graduates in the workforce. At California State University (CSU), the nation's largest university system, graduation rates have an outsized financial and economic impact on students and the state. CSU has made strides in improving graduation rates, but there is more work to be done. The system continues to struggle with graduation gaps—underrepresented students are much less likely to complete their degree compared to their peers, and these gaps have not narrowed over time. Also, CSU's on-time (four-year) graduation rates still lag behind those of similar universities nationwide. By 2025, CSU aims to further increase graduation rates while cutting graduation gaps in half. To assist campus planning for this goal, we identify several promising programs and policies. More broadly, the CSU Chancellor's Office must work with campuses to evaluate and expand successful efforts, and the state must play a role in supporting new policies to move the needle on graduation gaps and on-time graduation.
