Opening Doors to Student Success: a Synthesis of Findings From an Evaluation at Six Community…

"The Opening Doors Demonstration tested four distinct programs targeting four different groups of community college students. The initial positive findings provide a good starting point for building even better programs in the future: financial incentives tied to academic performance helped students do better and stay in school; learning communities, an instructional reform, improved some academic outcomes for freshmen; and two different enhanced student services programs improved academic outcomes" (p. 2). (Abstractor: Author)

Full Publication Title: Opening Doors to Student Success: a Synthesis of Findings From an Evaluation at Six Community Colleges

 

• Reforms in higher education practices and policies can help students succeed — even nontraditional students. • Short-term enhancements can generate short-term effects but are not likely to generate longer-term gains. • Single-focus, “light-touch” student service interventions can make a difference for students but may not be robust enough to substantially improve outcomes. • Financial incentives can influence students’ behavior. • Requirements can increase participation and improve student outcomes. (p. 7-8) (Abstractor: Author)

• Last Updated:
• Created:
• Resource Publication Date: 2011
• Author(s): Scrivener, Susan; Coghlan, Erin
• Organizational Author(s): MDRC
• Funding Source: Carnegie Corporation of New York
• Resource Availability: Publicly available
• Posted by:
• Posted in: Workforce System Strategies