Top Takeaways In California, more than 5.9 million adults under age 65 have some college credit but no degree. A statewide initiative aims to reengage students who “stopped out” by working with universities to create a path toward completion. A study found the initiative has achieved an overall reenrollment rate of 8.15% across a pool of more than 25,000 learners — nearly three times California’s statewide average. A statewide initiative to help university dropouts reenroll and complete their degrees has cultivated a promising playbook that could raise California’s postsecondary attainment rates, according to a new study. The California Reconnect program has outperformed state and national benchmarks for reengaging students who “stopped out,” meaning they obtained some college credits but did not complete a degree, a study by nonprofit research firm Education Northwest found. The program has achieved an overall reenrollment rate of 8.15% across a pool of more than 25,000 learners — nearly three times California’s statewide average of 2.9% and the national average of 2.7%. “California is showing a path forward for reaching the adults who started college and never finished,” said Leanne Davis, researcher and author of the study. “What’s striking is not just that coaching works, but how consistently it works — across different institutions, different demographics and different points of stop-out.” In California, more than 5.9 million adults under age 65 have some college credit but no degree. Despite making progress in reengaging students, California will likely not reach its targeted 70% student attainment rate by 2030.…
