North Carolina Community Colleges advances strategies to boost completion rates for adult learners

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The North Carolina Community College System is intensifying efforts to support adult learners in response to shifting enrollment patterns and evolving workforce demands. At this month’s board meetings, the State Board of Community Colleges explored innovative strategies to increase credential completion rates for non-traditional students.

Dr. Patrick Crane, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at the System, led the discussion and highlighted the urgent need for community colleges to expand their focus beyond high school students as the number of 18-year-olds in the U.S. declines.

“Luckily for community colleges, they’ve always served adults. About 50% of their students are adult learners in North Carolina — so they’re well equipped in this space, but there’s still work to be done,” Crane said.

North Carolina’s community colleges are implementing two initiatives geared toward adult learners: NC Reconnect and the REACH Collaborative.

NC Reconnect helps colleges reengage with students who have some college credits but no degree, while the REACH Collaborative supports Black, Hispanic, and Native American adult learners by enrolling them in high-value credential programs. Twenty-three community colleges are participating in REACH, which utilizes culturally responsive practices and provides wraparound support to foster student success. 

From fall 2020 to fall 2022, the number of adult learners in North Carolina community colleges increased by 10%, with a 19% rise in workforce and continuing education enrollments.

Crane noted that 7 out of 10 adult learners in North Carolina pursue workforce and continuing education programs. 

“Thinking about a two-year commitment is in many cases unimaginable for a working adult, especially if they have family responsibilities,” he said. “If they can do something in eight weeks, 16 weeks that’s going to dramatically increase their earnings, that’s a much more palatable approach.” 

Dr. Lisa Eads, Associate Vice President of Academic Programs at the System, highlighted ongoing work to improve credit mobility for adult students and recognizing that credits for prior learning can significantly accelerate degree completion. 

The System identified nine types of prior learning credits, including military credit, standardized exams, and industry-recognized certifications. Moving forward, the System will streamline processes for translating prior experience into college credits.

To further enhance these efforts, the System recently created a new position, a State Director of Credit Mobility, to help build sustainable support systems for adult learners across North Carolina. 

Dr. Brian Merritt, Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer at the System, reiterated their commitment to replicating successful practices statewide.  

“Students who are awarded prior credit are retained and complete at higher levels,” he said. “We want to be able to tell that story system wide. There’s a lot of great work to be done, and we’re excited to have the person here at the system office going to be leading this effort moving forward.”

The System will host the Inaugural Adult Learning Conference in Raleigh on November 21-22 entitled Strategies for Serving the New Majority Leader. The goal of the conference is to create a common understanding of the changing world of work for adult learners and the critical role community colleges play.

See the conference agenda and register here. 

Other Headlines 

• Dr. David Heatherly, president of Coastal Carolina Community College, is now president of the North Carolina Assocation of Community College Presidents. He succeeds Dr. Laura Leatherwood, president of Blue Ridge Community College.
• The board approved the 2023-2024 NCEdge Customized Training Expenditures Report. The colleges served 853 companies with 29,924 trainees, which is the highest number of trainees since 2020.
• The board approved Montgomery Community College to offer a Dental Hygiene program. Fourteen colleges now offer this program across the state.
• The board approved Rowan-Cabarrus Community College to offer Social and Human Services program. Twenty-one colleges are now approved to offer this program with the Addiction and Recovery Subject Area.
• The board approved the FY 2024-2025 State Aid Allocations and Budget Policies.
• The board approved the 2024 Risk Assessment and Audit Plan. 

The next board meeting is September 20 at Haywood Community College in Clyde, NC.