Project Description
The Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE) at The University of Texas at Austin has received a $2,337,900, two-year grant from Ascendium Education Group to support a national study of Guided Pathways adoption, advancement, and sustainability at community colleges. A portion of the grant award is designated to directly support participating colleges.
Over the past decade, community colleges, state systems, national organizations, and funders have invested in Guided Pathways reforms designed to improve student progression, completion, transfer, and post-college opportunities. Yet the field has lacked a consistent national way to understand the depth and sustainability of implementation across institutions and over time. This project will establish a nationally representative baseline and create a foundation for measuring change.
CCCSE is partnering with NORC at the University of Chicago to develop and administer the National Guided Pathways Survey. NORC will lead the research and measurement work, including survey development, sampling, administration, analysis, reporting, and a data dashboard. CCCSE will lead institutional recruitment and engagement, practitioner-focused dissemination, and efforts to help colleges interpret and use the findings. The Community College Research Center (CCRC) will provide expert input and guidance.
Connecting Institutional, Student, and Faculty Perspectives
The project will connect institutional measures of Guided Pathways implementation with evidence about what students and faculty experience. CCCSE is developing supplemental modules for its national surveys.
The grant-supported CCSSE and CCFSSE item sets, Advancing the Student Experience: The Next Frontiers, explore how students connect their programs of study with employment and transfer opportunities, develop adaptable skills, experience onboarding, and make informed academic and career decisions. The faculty items examine faculty knowledge of pathways, career-connected and experiential learning, and the institutional information and resources that help faculty support students’ progress.
Learn more about the CCSSE and CCFSSE Next Frontiers item sets.
CCCSE is also developing a supplemental module for SENSE 2027 as part of the project.
Module Development Advisory Committee
A committee of community college leaders and Guided Pathways researchers is advising CCCSE on the development of the additional survey items. Members include:
- Laura Emerick, Associate Vice President of Student Success & Engagement/CSAO, Marion Technical College (OH)
- Holly Clendenen, Chief Student Services Officer, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College (WI)
- Michelle Andreas, Vice President for Instruction, South Puget Sound Community College (WA)
- Sheri Rowland, Vice President for Student Affairs, Tallahassee State College (FL)
- Chris Wikstrom, Vice President of Instruction & Student Services, Patrick & Henry Community College (VA)
- Hana Lahr, Senior Research Associate and Director of Applied Learning, Community College Research Center (CCRC)
- Davis Jenkins, Senior Research Scholar, Community College Research Center (CCRC)
20-College Pilot Cohort
A pilot cohort of 20 community colleges will participate in the National Guided Pathways Survey. Each college will also administer CCSSE in spring 2027 and SENSE in fall 2027, with the option to administer CCFSSE.
CCCSE will support the colleges as they examine these complementary data sources together—identifying where institutional practices align with student and faculty experiences, where gaps may exist, and how findings can inform improvement.
Resources and Findings
CCCSE will share findings and practical resources to help community colleges interpret and use the national evidence. Resources will include field briefs, a national findings infographic, webinars, conference programming, data-use tools, and an online resource collection.