Community colleges are the backbone of the American higher-education system. They are economic engines providing skilled workers for local industries. They offer affordable and accessible education to millions, equipping students with the skills needed to succeed in the workforce while also offering a stepping stone to a bachelor’s degree for many. 

Yet, community colleges continue to underperform. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the graduation rate at two-year postsecondary institutions is just 31.2 percent.....

....In response, CUNY designed the Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP), a postsecondary student intervention initiative, to give their cohorts a better chance for success. ASAP provides students with financial benefits, direct support services, and an educational structure to help keep students on the path to graduation. The program has served over 100,000 students so far.

A study by MDRC, a nonprofit education- and social-policy research group, confirmed that ASAP was directly responsible for improved academic performance among students. The study found that students at CUNY who are involved in the Accelerated Study program graduate at a rate of 40.1 percent. The graduation rate of their non-ASAP counterparts was barely half that, at Students participating in CUNY ASAP graduated at a rate of 40.1%. The graduation rate of their non-ASAP counterparts was barely half that, at 21.8 percent. They also found that the program reduced the cost-per-degree for the college, despite a higher initial investment, and returned to the taxpayer three dollars for every one dollar invested.....

.....The ASAP replication efforts began in 2014. CUNY collaborated with MDRC and the Ohio Department of Higher Education. ASAP supported three Ohio-based community colleges in replicating the ASAP model. After three years, MDRC released its findings, which confirmed that programs like ASAP almost doubled three-year graduation rates as well as increased the number of students who transferred to four-year colleges. After six years, the Ohio programs increased annual earnings by $1,948.....

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