Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University

A clear understanding of community college enrollment losses is critical for driving institutional responses. What, then, is causing the enrollment decline—and will it continue? A new blog post from Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University and the #ARCCNetwork looks to Los Angeles Community College District for possible answers: https://lnkd.in/gf82JGqi

Are labor market opportunities contributing to declining community college enrollment? Researchers at the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University took a deep dive into the Los Angeles County labor market to explore how evolving job opportunities might play a role in current enrollment trends. Read about their findings: https://lnkd.in/eJqXtJP3

Our partners spend, on average, 64-77 hours of intense work with Proving Ground to understand and develop comprehensive plans to address significant practice problems. This roughly translates to less than two eight-hour work weeks or 4% of contract time. Acting Director Amber Humm Patnode's recent article in National Network of Education Research-Practice Partnerships (NNERPP) – Rice University suggests ways to reconsider our perceptions of the time required for improvement efforts. Read the article: https://buff.ly/4bRzZeo

Scaling up evidence-based educational interventions to improve student outcomes presents challenges, particularly in adapting to new contexts while maintaining fidelity. Structured teacher adaptations that integrate the strengths of experimental science (high fidelity) and improvement science (high adaptation) offer a viable solution to bridge the research-practice divide. READS Lab at Harvard University studied the effects of structured adaptations compared to strict adherence to established protocols and found structured adaptations were more effective then the strict fidelity for the Model of Reading Engagement. Find more details here: https://lnkd.in/eS38MFgn

This spring, the National Center for Rural Education Research Networks team presented at the Partners for Rural Impact’s annual Rural Summit in Lexington, joining 700 educators, administrators, legislators, and higher ed & nonprofit leaders to share ideas and strategies to increase opportunity for rural youth on all points along the cradle-to-career pathway. Beyond the conference halls, the team explored the heart of Kentucky, visiting Paris and Berea. These visits were not just about learning; they were a powerful reminder of the resilience and rich community spirit that define rural America, where educators are working to implement evidence-based reforms in the face of logistical challenges. 🔍 Dig into the team’s visit—and the learnings they’re bringing back to strengthen their work with NCRERN districts: https://lnkd.in/eegzEy3K

“We had to face the reality that we were doing a disservice to 90% of our students by not preparing them for success for their futures.” Pete Dunn, School Improvement Director, Western Local School District   After data examined through a partnership with the National Center for Rural Education Research Networks revealed that only 10% of its students persisted in college to a second year, a rural Ohio school district’s innovative approach has transformed how it supports students—and their broader community—to achieve career success by emphasizing and providing access to a greater variety of postsecondary pathways. Read NCRERN’s latest rural innovation spotlight: https://lnkd.in/effzbJVH 

Are labor market opportunities diverting potential community college students? Since the pandemic, community college enrollment declines have been pushed into overdrive. Is a changing labor market behind these trends? In a new #ARCC Network brief, the LTES project digs into the Los Angeles County labor market and finds that improving labor market conditions may have altered incentives for the populations most likely to enroll in community college: younger people and those with less than a four-year degree. Community College Research Center Dive in— 📌 Read the blog:  https://lnkd.in/eJqXtJP3  📌  Read the research brief:  https://lnkd.in/ew_XENeJ 

📉 New research explores troubling trends in community college enrollment. During the pandemic, community colleges found themselves at the forefront of a battle against dwindling enrollment. Today, despite modest recovery signs, enrollment remains well below pre-pandemic levels. A clear understanding of community college enrollment losses is critical for driving institutional responses. What, then, is causing the enrollment decline—and will it continue? New research from the LTES project and the #ARCCNetwork looks to Los Angeles Community College District for possible answers. Read on to explore what’s driving enrollment trends—and where they're headed. Community College Research Center 📌 Read the blog: https://lnkd.in/gf82JGqi 📌  Read the research brief: https://lnkd.in/etpxwWZz 

📣 New research: Which academic recovery interventions are working to boost student achievement post-COVID? The COVID-19 pandemic devastated student achievement, with declines rivaling those after Hurricane Katrina. These losses widened achievement gaps between historically marginalized students and their peers. Three years later, achievement remains behind pre-pandemic levels for many students. The latest release from the Road to Recovery project, a collaboration between CEPR and the American Institutes for Research (AIR), examines 2022-23 academic recovery efforts, including tutoring programs, push-in and pull-out small group instruction programs, after-school programs, digital learning programs, an extended school year, double-dose classes, and an expert teacher intervention. Key findings: 🕰 Most were delivered to fewer students and for less time than planned. ✏ One math tutoring programs and two reading tutoring programs had significant positive effects on student achievement—as did having an “expert” teacher. 📈 The most significant impacts resulted from tutoring and small group programs that served few students and were thus unlikely to play a major role in district-wide academic recovery. While highlighting the promise of intensive academic interventions, the findings underscore the challenges school systems face in scaling such interventions to match their recovery needs, and the need for better evidence regarding successful implementation of large-scale interventions. 💡 Read the report: https://lnkd.in/eSZRHBim Check out the summary in Accelerate's Quarterly Research Note: https://lnkd.in/eExCBJqA

Looking for a 2024-2025 academic year internship in the education policy field? The Strategic Data Project at the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University is seeking Outreach & Partnerships Interns to support SDP’s recruitment, partnership building, and business development efforts to grow our robust network of education organizations and data strategists in the PK12 and postsecondary education sectors. Applications are now open and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Learn more and apply here: https://ow.ly/jYVJ50SA2TP