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Re-engaging at Scale: How State and Institutional Policies Impact Re-enrollment and Success for Adult Learners

Thursday, November 5, 1:45 to 3:15pm, Property: Boston Marriott Copley Place, Floor: 3rd Floor, Room: Berkeley

Session Submission Type: Panel

Abstract

Current research suggests the United States will face a staggering skills gap over the next decade, requiring 5.25 million more workers with postsecondary training by 2032 to fill open positions in critical occupations (Smith et al., 2025). Across the nation, state leaders have increasingly recognized that meeting these workforce demands will require re-engaging adult learners (those aged 25+), especially the more than 37 million working-age adults who have completed some postsecondary coursework but never earned a credential (often referred to as the “Some College, No Credential” [SCNC] population) (Cohen et al., 2025). However, the policy mechanisms that effectively facilitate re-enrollment and persistence for this population remain under-researched. This panel addresses this gap by synthesizing findings from three studies across multiple state contexts, evaluating the communication, financial, and administrative interventions designed to bring these students back to campus and, ultimately, into the workforce. In alignment with this year’s theme, this panel will share how community colleges in three different states and regions of the United States are moving the needle on re-enrolling adult learners. Using a variety of sophisticated study designs and methods, ranging from multi-site randomized controlled trials to cluster analysis, the papers in this panel provide rigorous evidence for the interventions that are most effective in re-engaging adult learners and fostering their academic success. Notably, while the papers in this panel represent different state contexts, different institutions, and different populations of adult learners, certain themes emerged as important across the board: namely, the importance of direct communication with adults to provide them personalized information about how and why they should re-enroll and proactive and holistic advising that allows adult learners to build close, trusting relationships that foster their success inside and outside the classroom. As many community colleges grapple with the uncertainty of an impending “enrollment cliff” and as we all grapple with the uncertainty of the US economy, the sustainability of higher education institutions and the labor market depend on the successful reintegration of adult talent. By synthesizing data from diverse state landscapes, this panel offers clear insights for APPAM attendees and for policymakers by identifying which interventions offer the highest return on investment and effectively transform the "Some College, No Credential" population from a national challenge into a state’s greatest economic asset.

Cohen, J., Causey, J., Randolph, B., Holsapple, M., and Shapiro, D. (June 2025), Some College, No Credential Student Outcomes, Annual Progress Report – Academic Year 2023/24, Herndon, VA: National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., Adelson, M., & Strohl, J. (2025). Falling behind: How skills shortages threaten future jobs. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/skills-shortages

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