Education should be improved to provide education as efficiently and quickly as possible
The Issue: Many community college students face barriers to completing their degrees or certificates in a timely and affordable manner. This can be due to a variety of factors, including lack of support services, financial constraints, or difficulty navigating complex program requirements. When students don’t complete their degrees or certificates, they miss out on the career benefits that come with higher education, and often struggle to repay any debt they may have taken on.
The Solution: We need to focus on streamlining and improving community college services to ensure that students earn their degrees and certificates as quickly and affordably as possible. This includes:
Improving Student Support Services: We need to invest in support services like counseling, tutoring, and mentoring, so that students have the guidance and resources they need to navigate complex program requirements and stay on track to completion.
Increasing Program Flexibility: We need to make sure that community college programs are flexible and responsive to student needs. This includes offering courses at convenient times and locations, providing alternative course delivery methods like online and hybrid classes, and developing stackable certificates that can be earned incrementally.
Prioritizing Affordability: We need to ensure that community college programs are affordable for all students, regardless of their financial circumstances. This includes increasing access to financial aid programs, reducing or eliminating fees and textbook costs, and exploring innovative funding models like income share agreements.
By focusing on Degrees When Due, we can ensure that community college students have the support and resources they need to complete their degrees and certificates quickly and affordably. This will help students realize the full career benefits of higher education, and enable them to thrive in the workforce and beyond.
