FCAN’s Research Roundup is a monthly feature highlighting reports and projects related to student access and success that we think are worth sharing. You will also be able to find a link to this page in FCAN’s monthly newsletter. Happy reading!
1. While dual enrollment is increasing, a working paper from the Community College Research Center at Columbia University’s Teacher’s College suggests that dual enrollment courses may not be financially sustainable for many community colleges. Dual enrollment courses result in additional administrative and course-related costs compared to serving more traditional students that are not recovered because many dual enrollment courses are offered to K-12 students at a reduced rate. The paper explores the effects of different models of dual enrollment implementation on community college financial outcomes and finds support for expanding dual enrollment offerings, which can lower the average cost to institutions due to economies of scale.
2. Students who met with a school counselor were more likely to complete a FAFSA, according to longitudinal data released by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). The study examined the percentage of 9th graders in 2009 who completed the FAFSA by 2013 and enrolled in college by the 2016-2017 school year. 87% of students who planned to go to college and met with a school counselor about financial aid completed a FAFSA compared to just 59% of students who planned to go to college but did not meet with a school counselor. The study also found that FAFSA completion percentage among these students increased as parental educational attainment increased.
3. The number of working-age adults with a college degree or credential rose by almost two points nationally between 2019 and 2021. Lumina Foundation’s Stronger Nation Report, released yearly (with the exception of 2020), also found that attainment rose among all races and ethnicities. Here in Florida, degree and credential attainment decreased by .3%, from 52.8% to 52.5%, although degree attainment alone rose by 2.5%. Degree attainment climbed among all races and ethnicities statewide.
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FCAN Research Roundup — January 2023