New Pathways Guidebook Series for Community College Professionals
The REACH Collaborative guidebooks highlight equitable practices needed to increase credential attainment among adult learners at community colleges.
Researchers at the School of Education have created a new guidebook series to help more adult students of color earn high-quality credentials and degrees at community colleges.
Community colleges are vital to America’s education system, accounting for over 40% of all undergraduate students nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Yet, students face many barriers to completion.
Aiming to help institutions develop pathways that help students succeed by embracing the unique experiences and needs of adult students of color, the guidebooks are part of the Lumina Foundation’s Racial Equity in Adult Credentialing in Higher Education Initiative, also known as the REACH Collaborative.
Each guidebook is focused on a key area of practice faced by practitioners:
- Framework for Advancing Equitable Credit for Prior Learning (PDF)
- Culturally Sustaining Professional Development for Community College Faculty and Staff (PDF)
- Outreach and Engagement for Racially Minoritized Adults at the Community College (PDF)
Building on Research and Practice
The REACH Collaborative is a multi-year effort involving institutions in six states—California, Colorado, North Carolina, New York, Texas, and Virginia—with the goal of strengthening credential attainment for Black, Hispanic and Latino, and Native American adults.
Meant for community college faculty, staff, and administrators, the guidebooks are grounded in current research, practitioner experience, and insights gathered from interviews and cohort meetings with REACH and REACH Deeper colleges. The series offers practical guidance, actionable tools, and real-world examples to help institutions strengthen their efforts to better serve adult learners of color.
“The REACH Collaborative project is transforming community colleges and the students they serve by creating equitable pathways to quality credentials and degrees for adult learners of color,” said Zamani-Gallaher. “This initiative is dedicated to fostering environments where every student can flourish.”
The guidebooks were created by the School of Education’s Community College Research, Praxis, and Leadership (CCRPL) team. Led by Zamani-Gallaher, the CCRPL team includes Director for Community College Research and Engagement Raina Dyer-Barr; Adult and Learning Workforce Manager Jason Keist; and Senior Director of Pathways Research and Strategy Brett Visger.
More Information
For questions or to learn more, please contact Brett Visger, Senior Director of Pathways Research and Strategy, at brett.visger@pitt.edu.
