The Mixed Methods Blog

Perspectives from our researchers, highlights from recent studies, and other news about CCRC

Why Has Community College Enrollment Declined and What Can We Do About It?

why-has-community-college-enrollment-declined

Recent data suggest that students are returning to community colleges, though total numbers are well below pre-pandemic levels. Davis Jenkins explores the causes of enrollment declines in recent decades and examines ways colleges can build on successful reforms to improve student outcomes.

How Will COVID-19 Affect Community College Enrollment? Looking to the Great Recession for Clues

How Will COVID-19 Affect Community College Enrollment? Looking to the Great Recession for Clues

Based on observations following the last major disruption to community colleges, Davis Jenkins and John Fink explore how the COVID-19 pandemic could affect enrollment trends across three groups of students: students aged 25 and over, students aged 18–24, and dual enrollment students.

Shifting Sectors: How a Commonly Used Federal Datapoint Undercounts Over a Million Community College Students

Shifting Sectors: How a Commonly Used Federal Datapoint Undercounts Over a Million Community College Students

The IPEDS definition of public-two year colleges no longer fits the community college sector and its students, making it more challenging for policy research to provide an accurate statistical picture of these institutions. In this blog post, John Fink and Davis Jenkins describe CCRC's alternative definition.

Redesigning Your College Through Guided Pathways: An Interview With Davis Jenkins and Hana Lahr

gppodcastphoto

In this podcast, CCRC's Davis Jenkins and Hana Lahr discuss what they found when they visited eight colleges at the forefront of implementing guided pathways. 

New Insights for Guided Pathways Reforms From Research on Community College Student Momentum

new-insights-for-guided-pathways-reforms

Recent research is helping to identify the academic behaviors and college practices associated with community college students who achieve momentum in STEM fields and providing new insights for the growing number of community colleges implementing guided pathways reforms, write Davis Jenkins and John Fink.