Research Network to Study Pandemic Recovery in Community Colleges

A new network of research teams, led by the Community College Research Center (CCRC) in partnership with the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center and the University of California, Davis Wheelhouse Center for Community College Leadership and Research, is embarking on a three-year project to study ways to combat community college enrollment drops and learning loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, the Accelerating Recovery in Community Colleges Network (ARCC Network) will explore strategies such as enhanced financial aid, innovative workforce programs, improved online and hybrid education, new course formats, and more, with a particular focus on students of color, low-income students, first-generation students, and adult students — those groups most impacted by the pandemic at community colleges. The network will tap into student records data from the National Student Clearinghouse to "gauge progress in pandemic recovery and identify the places and populations that are in greatest need of intervention," as well as "work closely with community colleges and college systems to identify and evaluate programs and policies designed to bring students back to college and accelerate their academic progress," CCRC explained in a news announcement.

"There is deep concern about the steep drop in enrollment at community colleges, particularly among Black and Indigenous students," said Tom Brock, director of CCRC, in a statement. "The goal of the network is to identify strategies that community colleges can use to bring students back, support their learning, and ensure they can succeed in the rapidly evolving post-pandemic economy. This work is critical for students and colleges that have been set back by the COVID pandemic."

Currently, there are three research projects taking place within the network (more projects from the Institute of Education Science's education research grants program may be added over time):

The ARCC Network lead team also plans to study how federal recovery funds are being spent at community colleges, and conduct a survey to learn more about community colleges' responses to the pandemic and issues that still need to be addressed, CCRC said. It will also coordinate the sharing of research findings in order to "have the maximum impact on practice and policy."

For more information, visit the CCRC site.  

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Abstract AI symbols, including neural network diagrams and circuit-like patterns, blending seamlessly with a blue sky filled with soft white clouds

    UC Berkeley Announces Sky-T1-32B Open Source AI Model, Offering High Performance at a Fraction of the Cost

    UC Berkeley researchers have introduced Sky-T1-32B, an open source, reasoning-focused language model that delivers high performance at an unprecedented cost of under $450 for training.

  • glowing digital brain made of blue circuitry hovers above multiple stylized clouds of interconnected network nodes against a dark, futuristic background

    Report: 85% of Organizations Are Using Some Form of AI

    Eighty-five percent of organizations today are leveraging some form of AI, according to the latest State of AI in the Cloud 2025 report from Wiz. While AI's role in innovation and disruption continues to expand, security vulnerabilities and governance challenges remain pressing concerns.

  • AI robot with cybersecurity symbol on its chest

    Microsoft Adds New Agentic AI Tools to Security Copilot

    Microsoft has announced a major expansion of its AI-powered cybersecurity platform, introducing a suite of autonomous agents to help organizations counter rising threats and manage the growing complexity of cloud and AI security.

  • The AI Show

    Register for Free to Attend the World's Greatest Show for All Things AI in EDU

    The AI Show @ ASU+GSV, held April 5–7, 2025, at the San Diego Convention Center, is a free event designed to help educators, students, and parents navigate AI's role in education. Featuring hands-on workshops, AI-powered networking, live demos from 125+ EdTech exhibitors, and keynote speakers like Colin Kaepernick and Stevie Van Zandt, the event offers practical insights into AI-driven teaching, learning, and career opportunities. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to integrate AI into classrooms while exploring innovations that promote equity, accessibility, and student success.