Delivering on the Promise: The Role of Supplemental Promise Programs in Reducing Barriers to College Success

As college promise programs proliferate across the country, supplemental promise programs are emerging to fill gaps in services and resources critical for student success, particularly for students with greater economic needs. This mixed-methods study examines the implementation and efficacy of two such programs in Tennessee, Nashville GRAD and Knox Promise, which are distinct in their approaches to providing financial and advising supports to community college students. Findings from interviews with students and program staff suggest that students saw the additional financial supports and interactions with advisers as critical to their continued success. Using administrative data, we further explored the pathways to improved outcomes — college progression (credits earned) and persistence to the next term or academic year — and found that the intensity of student engagement with their advisors and use of program benefits (e.g. textbook and transportation supports) were positively associated with these college outcomes.