President Obama's Agenda for Community Colleges: Evidence of Organizational Change and Impact on Underserved Students

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

President Obama is calling community colleges to shoulder responsibility for college completion and workforce development across the United States. The Trade Adjustment Act Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) is an investment in program and institutional reform to address the middle-skills gap that some economics argue slows America’s economic recovery. President Obama’s wish list includes programs of study in industry sectors such as healthcare and energy. This symposium features four empirical papers from two research centers that are leading TAACCCT evaluation. Results of these studies examine whether and how TAACCCT-funded programs and strategies are serving underserved students and promoting systemic institutional reforms.

Sub Unit

• Division J - Postsecondary Education / Division J - Section 5: Policy, Finance, and Economics

Chair

• Debra D. Bragg, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Papers

• Broadening Access, Maintaining Effectiveness: The Case of One Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Consortium Answering Obama's Calls for Community College Reform - Matt Giani, The University of Texas - Austin

• How Colleges Learn About the Labor Market - Michelle Van Noy, Rutgers University - New Brunswick/Piscataway

• Accelerating Student Success: Developmental Education Redesign in Colorado - Heather McKay, Rutgers University; Suzanne Michael

• Examining Equity Along the Health Professions Pathway Pipeline to Completion - Heather Fox, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Katie Bridges

Discussant

• Gavin Moodie, University of Toronto