Over six million Californians ages 25 to 64 have completed some college but not yet earned a credential. Shifting higher education structures and systems to support this prospective student population can serve as a critical component to addressing California’s workforce shortage. Yet the needs of those with some college but no credential, who disproportionately come from underinvested populations, remain understudied in the postsecondary landscape—leaving institutions and policymakers with few evidence-based solutions to improve their educational outcomes. To bridge this gap, California Competes, in collaboration with CaliforniaAttain! partners, conducted research and organized a community of practice to better understand the needs and experiences of returning students.
This panel discussion in February delved into the findings of the resulting publication and explores what was learned and the next steps for both institutions and the state to better support comebackers and increase re-enrollment and degree attainment. Watch the recording here.
