Average effects on community college degree completion are small (0.9–1.7 percentage points) and benchmarking is limited by two outlier interventions with effects of roughly 16 and 18 percentage points¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · q2 quasi-experiment
Currency · newest study 2023 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Based on 20–23 interventions with degree data, mean effects are 0.9, 1.6, and 1.7 percentage points by semesters 4, 5, and 6, and two outlier interventions with original estimates near 16 and 18 percentage points drive much of the distribution. → Michael J. Weiss 2023

q2 i? Based on 20–23 interventions with data, mean degree-completion effects are 0.9, 1.6, and 1.7 percentage points by semesters 4, 5, and 6; two outliers with original estimates of roughly 16 and 18 percentage points dominate, and no other study exceeds 4 percentage points. → Michael J. Weiss 2023

Evidence¶

Michael J. Weiss 2023¶

Michael J. Weiss, Marie-Andrée Somers, & Colin Hill. (2023). Empirical Benchmarks for Planning and Interpreting Causal Effects of Community College Interventions. Journal of Postsecondary Student Success 3 (1). https://doi.org/10.33009/fsop_jpss132759

q2 · i?

Subset analysis of THE-RCT interventions with degree-completion follow-up (20–23 interventions depending on semester). The article reports mean effects of 0.9–1.7 percentage points by semesters 4–6 and that "No other study's original effect estimate is above 4 percentage points."

"The original effect estimates from these studies are approximately 16 and 18 percentage points. No other study's original effect estimate is above 4 percentage points."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• InsideTrack© Coaching shows no discernible effects on college degree completion (attainment) — related
• The Detroit Promise Path effect of 1.8 credits earned after two semesters sits at the 83rd percentile of the distribution of community college intervention effects, indicating a quite large effect — related