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Divided We Fail
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In 2010, The Campaign for College Opportunity, the Institute for Higher Education Leadership & Policy (IHELP) at Sacramento State University, and 14 partnering organizations released a report entitled, Divided We Fail: Improving Completion and Closing Racial Gaps in California’s Community Colleges. The report tracks more than a quarter of a million degree seeking students who entered a California community college (CCC) in 2003-04, over 6 years and analyzes their progress and outcomes by major racial/ethnic populations.
NEW! Released Nov. 21, 2011: Profile by Gender and Race/Ethnicity
Key Findings
The key findings highlight the urgent need to improve student outcomes in our community colleges, particularly for blacks and Latinos:
- Too Many Students Fail to Complete: After six years, 70% of degree-seeking students had not completed a certificate or degree, and had not transferred to a university. Most had dropped out – only 15% of non-completers were still enrolled.
- Significant Disparities Exist Across Racial/Ethnic Groups: only 26% of black students and 22% of Latino students completed a certificate, degree or transfer within six years compared to 37% of white students.
- Transfer Success Is Low: About 23% of degree seekers transferring to a university, and Latino students only half as likely as white students to transfer (14% versus 29%).
Recommendations
The report also identifies promising patterns of student enrollment that lead to higher levels of success. The research also offers institutional and policy recommendations that can improve college completion and help close the racial gaps.
1) Collect Data and Act Upon It
2) Create a Public Agenda for Higher Education
3) Develop a Statewide Funding Model that Rewards Colleges for Student Success
4) Assess and Support Students to Succeed
5) Increase Transfers, Associate Degrees and Certificates
The California Community College system plays an integral role in our state. As open-access institutions and often the college of preference for low-income and under-represented students, the success of our community colleges and these students will translate directly into prosperity for California. The Campaign’s goal in commissioning this research and sharing the findings is to press for solutions that focus on improving completion rates for all students and closing the disparities across racial/ethnic groups.
Student Success Task Force
A promising opportunity lays in the California Community College Chancellor’s Office newly formed Student Success Task Force, charged with providing the legislature with a plan to improve student success, set degree completion rates and recommend alternative funding models that reward completion. Learn more about the task force.