For low-income people, community colleges offer an important pathway out of poverty and into better jobs. But a host of factors, including inadequate financial aid or student services and poor developmental classes, can keep them from enrolling in and completing postsecondary education.  more

Community Colleges: The Unsung Heroes of Higher Education Community colleges are the unsung heroes of higher education: They enroll close to half of all college students in this country. They serve disproportionate numbers of low-income students, first-generation college students, students of color, and working parents. And they prepare people for jobs that make our communities run: nurses, firefighters, police officers, child care workers, office accountants. Does Education Increase Economic Mobility? The Review of Higher Education Publishes Article Coauthored by Oscar Cerna MDRC Receives Robin Hood Foundation Grants for Projects with NYC Community Colleges MDRC Receives Grant from The Kresge Foundation to Support Preschool and Community College Research, Enhanced Communication Efforts

A Good Start Two-Year Effects of a Freshmen Learning Community Program at Kingsborough Community College Freshmen in a “learning community” at Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, NY, moved more quickly through developmental English requirements, took and passed more courses, and earned more credits in their first semester than students in a control group. Two years later, they were also somewhat more likely to be enrolled in college. Helping Community College Students Cope with Financial Emergencies Lessons from the Dreamkeepers and Angel Fund Emergency Financial Aid Programs The Learning Communities Demonstration Rationale, Sites, and Research Design Helping Low-Wage Workers Persist in Education Programs Lessons from Research on Welfare Training Programs and Two Promising Community College Strategies