Unprecedented study on what really works for increasing student engagement and retention at US community colleges

A Matter of Degrees is the first in a series of reports detailing thirteen promising practices that US community colleges can use to increase student engagement and completion rates. Produced by the Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE) at the University of Texas at Austin, the report draws on the largest-ever body of research on the various factors that contribute to student success in community colleges, and what effective community colleges are doing to improve student engagement and retention.

“With around eight million students enrolled nationwide right now — and it’s a student population that defies generalization — as well as historically lean budgets, they’re being faced with some very tough decisions about whom to serve and how best to do that,” said Dr. Kay McClenney, Director of CCCSE.

Though the report focuses specifically on US community colleges, many of the lessons learned from the research can be applied in other educational contexts.

For the whole story, see this featured article on the UT website. You can also download the original report in PDF format here.