The Postsecondary Pathways for Former Foster Care Youth (PP-FFCY) study is a research project that focuses on the transitions of foster care alums to and through postsecondary institutions. Through the Ofice of Community College Research and Leadership (OCCRL), the PP-FFCY project team is conducting a comprehensive needs assessment report that:…

As the 21st century job market continues to advance, more jobs are requiring post-secondary training. Currently less than fifty percent of the United States population has a post-secondary degree or credential (Duke-Benfield et al., 2019). Thus, there is a need for expanding pathways to higher education to meet the needs of a changing workforce.…

The statewide program review process for Illinois community colleges required by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) is scheduled on a five-year cycle, however, the value of program review is lost without regular opportunities for engagement and reflection on what has been learned through the process (Eggleston, 2020). Furthermore, one of…

While there is overwhelming evidence of the positive impact of culturally responsive and equitable practices for adult learners and students of color, there is a remaining lack of infrastructural and institutional support for culturally sustaining work. Much anti-racist work has relied on individual dedication, grant-specific funding, and…

Steps taken to address racial inequality in the private sector and higher education are not always altruistic. This brief examines the economic impact of having a representative workforce, focusing on the state of North Carolina (NC). It discusses the importance of successful education programming designed to address issues related to Black,…

Highlighting the work of the Texas Success Center, Dr. Luis Ponjuán discusses how he has collaboratively engaged with boards of trustees to develop equity-minded agendas to create spaces for brave conversations and help them use an equity-minded leadership approach toward student data for organization planning and change.

As higher education institutions across Colorado continue to address the impact of COVID19 on enrollment and identify practices that promote student success and institutional sustainability, many are focusing their attention on the enrollment of adult learners. The Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) has actively engaged in building…

The foster care system is not absolved from its role and complicity in the expansion of the shadow carceral state in the U.S. Educational researchers and social scientists alike concerned with the academic, social, and life outcomes and experiences of Black youth in foster care and other racially/ethnically minoritized groups must broaden the…

This research brief provides community college educators who are facilitating program review with tips, suggestions, and resources to ensure a high-quality review that advances equitable student outcomes.

In Illinois, there are more than 21,000 children and youth in foster care. Approximately 26% of these individuals are 13 and older (Illinois Department of Children & Family Services [IDCFS] 2021). Although career and technical education (CTE) programs are offered at both secondary and postsecondary educational levels, little to no data about…

Recent iterations of the Program Review manual to guide the five-year program review process for Illinois community colleges asks institutions to disaggregate data toward identifying equity gaps, the process provides Illinois community colleges with an opportunity to utilize the review as a vehicle to implement anti-racist change. Within the…

In this OCCRL Community College Context feature brief, Dr. Francena F.L. Turner calls attention to the need for additional historical study of community college educators, particularly Black women who teach at these institutions.

With growing interest among higher education faculty and administration in adopting open educational resources (OER), several nationwide and statewide OER initiatives are attempting to increase the awareness and encourage the implementation of OER. In the exploration of OER resources for career and technical education (CTE) in Illinois community…

The Postsecondary Pathways for Former Foster Care Youth (PP-FFCY) study is a research project that focuses on the transitions of foster care alumni to and through postsecondary institutions. Through the Office of Community College Research and Leadership (OCCRL), the PP-FFCY project team is conducting a comprehensive needs assessment report that:…

The Hispanic-Serving Community Colleges STEM Pipelines (HSCC-STEM) study is a research project that explores the transitions to and through Hispanic-serving two-year institutions for underrepresented minoritized STEM students. This brief uncovers the most viable HSCC STEM pathways for Latinx and other underrepresented minoritized students as well…