A successful re-enrollment initiative in California is laying the blueprint for institutions and states looking to reel stopped-out adults back into college.
California Reconnect, a three-year initiative spearheaded by nonprofit InsideTrack and the Institute for Higher Education Policy, aims to remove barriers to re-enrollment and degree completion for working adults who have previously stopped out of 13 postsecondary institutions.
Since 2023, the project has reached 14,000 former students and led to a 13% re-enrollment rate—six times the national average captured by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
“When we invest in people’s potential, we can not only change outcomes but also alter the life trajectories for their families,” said Ruth Bauer, president of InsideTrack, a student success coaching nonprofit.
InsideTrack has previously helped North Carolina community colleges re-enroll more than 2,500 stopped-out adult learners through personalized coaching. Coaches identify barriers to re-enrollment, ease transcript releases and help adult learners create plans to stay enrolled.
Listen to our podcast with InsideTrack here: Here is one promising way to unlock stopped-out learners
California Reconnect gathered data from coaching sessions to inform college staff members on the latest best practices in supporting stopped-out adult learners. Institutions also collaborated to fine-tune procedures that can be replicated.
“It emphasizes redesigning higher education systems to meet students where they are, rather than forcing students to navigate systemic barriers on their own,” said Leanne Davis, managing researcher at Education Northwest, which conducted the report’s evaluation. “This is a scalable model that can guide institutions nationwide in reconnecting with the millions of adults who left college before earning a credential.”
Here are some institutional insights from the report to increase adult re-enrollment.
- Increase financial assistance: Tuition assistance, emergency aid, work-study and other campus-based resources will ensure finances won’t inhibit adult learners from re-enrollment.
- Simplify admission process: Stopped-out adults encounter administrative barriers when trying to return to school, such as complex re-enrollment procedures and financial aid roadblocks. Institutions should streamline these processes, improve communication with returning students and expand student support.
- Bridge strategy with implementation: Institutional staff want clearer guidance on applying best practices. Specifically, counselors want a bigger role in improving services.
- Promote flexible learning: Digital and hybrid models can better accommodate busy adult lives, promoting engagement and retention.
The report recommended that states expand funding for targeted re-enrollment initiatives. Sustained investment can help institutions strengthen outreach and student support, and create grants for tuition assistance and other forms of financial aid.
