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Experimental Evidence of the Impact of Re-Enrollment Campaigns on Long-Term Academic Outcomes

Author

Listed:
  • Justin C. Ortagus

    (Higher Education Administration & Policy University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32611)

  • Hope Allchin

    (Higher Education Administration & Policy University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32611)

  • Benjamin Skinner

    (Institute of Higher Education University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32611)

  • Melvin Tanner

    (University of Missouri-Kansas City, Institute of Higher Education University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32611)

  • Isaac McFarlin

    (Institute of Higher Education University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32611, National Bureau of Economic Research)

Abstract

Most students who begin at a community college do not complete their desired credential. Many students fail to graduate due to various barriers other than their academic performance. To encourage previously successful non-completers to re-enroll and eventually graduate, a growing number of community colleges have implemented re-enrollment campaigns focused on former students who have already made substantial progress toward graduation. In this study, we randomly assigned over 27,000 former community college students to a control group, “information-only” treatment group, or “information and one-course waiver” treatment group to examine whether re-enrollment campaigns can improve their likelihood of long-term persistence and credential completion. Although we showed in earlier work that the “information and one-course waiver” treatment had a positive impact on former students’ likelihood of re-enrollment, our findings reveal the re-enrollment intervention has no effect on students’ likelihood of long-term persistence or credential completion for the pooled sample or any subgroup of interest, including low-income students, racially minoritized students, or adult students. Simply put, this particular re-enrollment intervention including one-time, one-course tuition waivers increased former students’ likelihood of re-enrollment but was not an effective lever to increase long-term academic outcomes among previously successful community college students who departed without earning a credential.

Suggested Citation

  • Justin C. Ortagus & Hope Allchin & Benjamin Skinner & Melvin Tanner & Isaac McFarlin, 2025. "Experimental Evidence of the Impact of Re-Enrollment Campaigns on Long-Term Academic Outcomes," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 20(3), pages 494-515, Summer.
  • Handle: RePEc:tpr:edfpol:v:20:y:2025:i:3:p:494-515
    DOI: 10.1162/edfp_a_00434
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