This brief presents three main takeaways from MDRC’s report Defining the Part-Time Student and Identifying Promising Practices: A Scan of Literature, Approaches, and Initiatives. See the full report for details about the methodology, study results, literature review, and initiatives examined.

While many community college students—about 68 percent—enroll part-time, graduation rates for part-time students are low.^[1] Only 19 percent of students who initially enroll in community college part-time graduate within 6 years, compared with 36 percent of community college students who initially enroll full-time.^[2]

Improving outcomes for part-time community college students may call for new strategies. To identify what that change may look like, MDRC conducted a study to identify evidence-based practices that may improve graduation rates for this student population.^[3] This issue focus highlights three of the seven practices identified by the study and provides examples of how they can be implemented. These three practices in particular may be helpful for practitioners in the initial stages of establishing a program to suit part-time students’ needs.

Defining the Part-Time Student

In studying practices that benefit part-time students, MDRC researchers determined that the “part-time student” classification is not consistently useful, as many students shift enrollment between full-time and part-time over the course of their schooling. Relatedly, the number of community college programs that serve only part-time students is relatively low. Therefore, the study team chose to focus more widely on programs and policies that are likely to benefit populations who tend to attend part-time, regardless of whether those programs and policies cater exclusively to part-time students.

Student populations who tend to attend part-time include the following:

• Individuals over 25, women, and people of color. These individuals choose part-time enrollment over full-time enrollment at an even higher rate than other community college students.^[4]
• People who work. Approximately 68 percent of part-time students work, compared with 47 percent of full-time students.^[5]
• Caregivers. Forty-two percent of community college students (full- and part-time) pursuing a degree are either parents, caregivers to adults, or both.

Promising practice: Tailor initiatives for a specific student demographic

The MDRC study found that successful programs often focus on a specific student demographic, such as parents or students who work. These programs can then be tailored to support the needs of those students. For example, the Adult Learning Center (ALC) at Pitt Community College in Winterville, North Carolina, is designed for adult students over the age of 25. About two-thirds of participating students are enrolled part-time. The ALC offers reenrollment assistance in which staff members support adults and other individuals considering returning to college with the application process and required financial aid forms. The ALC aims to build a sense of belonging and camaraderie among adult students who may have similar life experiences by providing a designated on-campus location where these students can socialize and by hosting regular social activities. To accommodate the schedules of adult students, who are often balancing school with work and other obligations, the ALC operates under extended hours, opening as early as 7:30 a.m. and closing at 6 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Career Pathways Initiative (CPI) at Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville was created to boost the earning potential of parenting students with low incomes. The program supports students who are pursuing a college degree with the goal of securing employment in high-wage, high-demand sectors, such as health, business, and law. Students receive diverse forms of assistance including personalized academic and career advising and payment assistance for educational expenses and transportation. The program also helps cover students’ childcare expenses and partners with a local diaper bank to help parenting students obtain diapers for their children. These forms of support can make it more viable for parenting students with low incomes to afford college, be successful in school, and ultimately obtain employment in a high-wage sector so they can continue to provide for their families.

Promising practice: Partner with employers

Partnerships with employers can help prepare students for the workforce and demonstrate the relevance of coursework to students’ areas of employment. Plus, for students who are working, employer partnerships can help students coordinate study and work schedules and goals.^[6]

As one example of this practice in action, the TEACH Early Childhood Texas (TEACH) program at Houston Community College partners with childcare centers to help center employees earn a certificate or degree in early childhood education. Through this program, full-time childcare workers receive financial assistance for tuition and other academic expenses, along with support to cover the cost of earning or renewing professional childcare licensing fees. TEACH reimburses employers for up to four hours of paid employee release time per week so that TEACH participants can have weekly allocated study time. After program graduation, participants are eligible for achievement bonuses when reaching milestones including specific employment commitment periods or earning their individual Child Development Associate (CDA) credential.

Promising practice: Provide comprehensive support services

Comprehensive initiatives—programs that use multiple strategies to address students’ academic, personal, and financial needs—can help students overcome many different types of challenges, both academic and nonacademic, that may interfere with their ability to attend and thrive at college.

One example of a comprehensive student support program is the Part-Time Students Accelerating in Learning (SAIL) program at Lorain County Community College in Ohio, which provides advising, career development, and financial support for part-time students.^[7] Participating students meet one-on-one with advisors to receive support on academic topics such as course enrollment decisions. In addition, advisors may help students work through challenges related to career development, such as evaluating potential career pathways or learning how to apply for positions. Advisors also connect students to community resources as they navigate financial and personal challenges. Meanwhile, the program provides students with financial assistance, from gas cards and other expenses to full tuition coverage, to ease the economic burden of attending school.

Conclusion

Community college students often fluctuate between part-time and full-time status during their time in school. Effective initiatives that support student populations who tend to attend part-time often serve a specific student demographic such as people over 25 or parents. Programs can also serve these students by partnering with employers to structure opportunities for students who attend school while working, and by incorporating multiple kinds of student support services that address academic, personal, and financial needs.

In addition to the practices discussed above, the full MDRC report also identifies the following strategies for supporting part-time students:

• Develop and sustain collaboration across campus departments
• Cultivate initiative champions
• Recognize and value lived experience
• Facilitate student connection through campus events and social spaces

Particularly when implemented together, these seven practices may be effective tools to support community college students—especially those who are attending part-time—from enrollment to graduation. 

The Joyce Foundation provided support for this issue focus.