Effective Practices for Postsecondary Student Success in California

Similar to many other states, California’s efforts to boost college completion rates, while commendable, require new innovations to strengthen results. We developed this brief alongside the College Futures Foundation to elevate proven practices and strategies that are resulting in more students graduating from college on time and with the skills and knowledge to support their success in life.

The four practices and 15 strategies included in the brief are drawn from community and four-year institutions in 15 states. Many of these strategies highlight ways that higher education leaders are eliminating common barriers for students who are underrepresented on today’s campuses, including transforming remediation programs to help students save time and money, improving transfer rates to ensure more students make it from two-year to four-year programs, and supporting K-12 to higher education transitions so that students get on the right college path sooner.