The author reports on recent efforts by community college faculty to make the teaching and learning from their classrooms more visible. Spurred on by numerous reports that point to the urgency around basic skills education, faculty members at California community colleges are working together to improve teaching of basic skills, using a variety of…

The author writes that for too many low-income students the open door to American higher education has become a revolving door. In examining what can be done, he recognizes the centrality of the classroom to student success.