Rural-Focused NCII Project Engages Community Colleges Implementing Guided Pathways Reforms

Rural community colleges are an important postsecondary option for learners and workers. However, leaders at these institutions often have fewer opportunities to connect with stakeholders and peers to learn about strategies they can apply to increase student success and address institutional challenges within a rural context. The National Center for Inquiry and Improvement (NCII) is working to change that through the Rural Guided Pathways Project.

This project engages rural community colleges to work with each other and community partners in their regions to implement evidence-based, institution-wide reforms grounded in the guided pathways framework. Building off the first phase, this new three-year project will include a national cohort of up to 32 rural community colleges. Leaders at each college will collaborate with partners in their regions, including employers and K-12 leaders, to improve educational and workforce outcomes through guided pathways implementation at their institutions.

According to Dr. Gretchen Schmidt, NCII senior fellow and lead co-researcher for the project, the project is unique because it focuses specifically on the needs of rural institutions and requires that community partners, including employers, be deeply embedded in the implementation of pathways reform. Watch the videos to learn more about the Rural Guided Pathways Project.

Why do guided pathways reforms matter, especially to rural institutions?

What have NCII and the participating community colleges learned through the first cohort of the Rural Guided Pathways Project?

Provide a preview of what’s to come for the next cohort of colleges participating in the project.