Turning High School Partnerships into College Enrollments

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Maximizing colleges’ return on investments in K-12 requires shifting resources to programs that reach and prepare “missing middle” students for success. The 2.7 million students who make up the missing middle are the largest prospective high school student segment.

These students are also highly responsive to the community college value proposition—they’re searching for an intimate college setting with small class sizes, dedicated teachers, and accelerated learning opportunities. Missing middle students are also most likely to benefit from K-12 intervention programs and apply their community college credential to the local economy.

Community colleges must shift resources to interventions optimized for students who make up the “missing middle.” EAB research uncovered three guiding principles for maximizing the impact of K-12 partnerships.