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CCRC studies community colleges because they have the potential to dramatically improve educational equity and social mobility in the United States. Community colleges are for everyone, at any time of life: high school students exploring their interests and getting a head start on a degree; college students seeking the most affordable route to a bachelor’s degree; career-changers looking to acquire new skills; lifelong learners exploring interests and making new connections. Community colleges make it their mission to open up opportunities for students from traditionally underserved groups—including racially minoritized, low-income, immigrant, and first-generation students. But while community colleges play an essential role in higher education and workforce development, they operate with far fewer resources than their four-year counterparts, and completion rates for their degree-seeking students tend to be lower.
We believe that all students can succeed in the right environment and with the right supports. To that end, CCRC partners with community colleges across the country to investigate the roots of educational inequity and identify promising approaches to institutional improvement. Our goal is to provide every college leader, educator, and policymaker with the evidence they need to make decisions that promote student success. By conducting high-quality research, we aim to help community colleges enrich the lives of every student who passes through their doors, and in doing so, to promote a more just higher education system and a more just society.
CCRC is an independent research organization funded entirely by grants from foundations, government agencies, and other organizations.
We use scientific methods to produce accurate and reliable information on community college programs and the students they serve. Our researchers take a broad interdisciplinary approach that combines quantitative and qualitative analysis.
Community colleges are crucial sites for improving educational equity. We aim to identify policies and practices that enable institutions to counteract social disparities by race and class and promote the success of students from all underserved populations.
Our studies are designed to yield evidence that practitioners and policymakers can use to improve students’ experiences and outcomes.
We partner with community colleges, states, federal agencies, philanthropies, and other organizations to design studies and disseminate lessons from research. Our collaborative approach enables us to address pressing issues in the field and offer recommendations that are attuned to the realities on the ground.
Our work is fundamentally driven by the idea that research can improve outcomes for community colleges and their students. Our optimism is bolstered by the deep dedication we observe among community college faculty and staff.
Community colleges have long sought to improve educational outcomes for underserved student groups, but this goal took on new urgency during the summer of 2020, as racialized police brutality spurred global protests and a renewed push for systemic change. Now more than ever, college leaders, educators, and policymakers are looking for resources to help counteract social disparities by race and class.
Several CCRC projects aim to center the experiences of minoritized students and examine whether policies intended to improve outcomes and eliminate racial gaps are effective. We’re currently conducting an exploratory study on English language learners, working to identify racially equitable state funding strategies for community colleges, examining advising practices that meet the needs of Black, Latinx, and low-income students, and partnering with state higher education agencies to improve dual enrollment outcomes for underrepresented high school students. You can also find relevant commentary on our blog with the #equity tag.
Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University
Box 174 | 525 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027
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