Increasing College Enrollment and Success for Adult Students

Session Submission Type: Panel

Abstract

Increasing college attainment in our communities benefits both individuals and society as a whole (College Board, 2023). Adults with college degrees are more likely to vote, engage in civic life, and read to their children—behaviors that have long-term intergenerational impacts (College Board, 2023). Despite these clear benefits, fewer than half of older adults, typically defined as individuals over the age of 25, hold a postsecondary credential (Educational Attainment in the United States, 2021). As the demand for a highly skilled workforce continues to grow, policymakers increasingly recognize that relying solely on recent high school graduates will not be enough to meet labor market needs. This has spurred a growing interest in strategies to support college enrollment and completion among adult learners. 

While a robust body of research has identified effective practices to support traditional-age college students, relatively little is known about how to best serve adult learners, who often face distinct challenges such as childcare responsibilities, full-time employment, or long gaps since their last formal education experience. Our panel addresses this critical gap in the literature by examining four policy interventions designed to boost postsecondary attainment among adult students. 

The first paper investigates how access to community college courses in prison influences postsecondary outcomes for formerly incarcerated individuals. The second examines a set of interventions at three geographically diverse community colleges that integrated basic skills instruction into certificate programs in high-demand science and technology fields. The third paper uses a difference-in-differences approach to estimate the causal effects of a targeted financial aid policy for adult learners in Michigan. Finally, the fourth paper draws on more than 50 in-depth interviews to explore how the federal CCAMPIS program—which offers childcare subsidies to student parents—is implemented on college campuses. 

Together, these papers explore four different potentially high-impact interventions that aim to address some of the unique barriers older adults face to postsecondary attainment. As demographic and economic trends make adult college students an increasingly important part of the higher education landscape, research in this area is essential for designing effective, equitable policies that expand opportunity and promote economic mobility. 

Increasing College Enrollment and Success for Adult Students

Policy Area

• Education

Secondary Policy Area

• Employment and Training Programs

Chair

• Veronica M. Minaya, Teachers College, Columbia University

Discussants

• Lindsay Daugherty, RAND Corporation

• Rajeev Darolia, University of Kentucky

Organizer

• Coral Flanagan, Vanderbilt University

Individual Presentations

• Postsecondary Educational Trajectories of Formerly Incarcerated Persons - Presenting Author: Tolani A Britton, University of California, Berkeley

• Enhancing Literacy, Numeracy, and Problem-Solving Skills Among Adult Learners in Community Colleges - Presenting Author: Rita Tewfiq Karam, RAND Corporation; Non-Presenting Co-Author: Jenna W Kramer, RAND Corporation; Non-Presenting Co-Author: Lucas Greer, Strada Education Foundation

• Does Free College “Work” for Adult Learners? Enrollment Impacts of Michigan Reconnect - Non-Presenting Co-Author: Taylor K. Odle, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Presenting Author: Sky Ranee Duke, University of Wisconsin-Madison

• The Implementation of the Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program - Presenting Author: Coral Flanagan, Vanderbilt University; Non-Presenting Co-Author: Adela Ruth Soliz, Vanderbilt University