New Report: Statewide Coaching Programs Drive Sixfold Increase in Re-Enrollment Among California Adults with Some College, No Credential

InsideTrack and Education Northwest release findings from statewide pilot to re-engage adult learners and support their return to higher education

SACRAMENTO, Calif., July 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new independent evaluation released today shows that California Reconnect, a statewide initiative led by the national student success coaching nonprofit InsideTrack, has made significant progress in re-engaging adult learners across California. According to the report, the initiative has achieved a sixfold increase in re-enrollment rates over the national average for learners with some college but no credential (SCNC) at a time when many institutions are facing declining first-year student enrollment.

"Returning to college takes resilience and commitment, especially for working adults managing job responsibilities, families, and financial pressures," said Ruth Bauer, president of InsideTrack. "This report makes one thing clear: With the right coaching and the right partnerships, we can remove barriers and create real pathways back to higher education. When we invest in people's potential, we can not only change outcomes but also alter the life trajectories for their families."

Since launching in 2023, the California Reconnect has reached more than 14,000 learners who completed some college but did not earn a credential, resulting in a 13% re-enrollment rate among the first cohort—a rate more than six times the national average of 2.1% reported by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Of those who re-enrolled, 44% persisted on to  a subsequent academic term, with four-year institutions showing notably higher progression rates. This success is driven by a proactive, personalized coaching model that focuses on rebuilding students' confidence, identifying and addressing barriers to re-enrollment, and helping learners create actionable plans to return and stay enrolled.

Over five million Californians under the age of 65 have some college credit but never completed an associate or bachelor's degree. To help more Californians earn degrees and credentials of value, California Reconnect uses a multi-pronged approach to help each student navigate the complex—and often daunting—process of returning to higher education after stopping out.

The initiative combines direct student coaching, data analytics, and changes to campus policies to help remove barriers to re-enrollment and degree or certificate completion for working adults who have stopped out of higher education. Through personalized, one-on-one support, coaches build trust with students, helping them identify barriers, clarify their goals, and take the concrete steps needed to re-enroll and persist. Coaches also work with students to secure reduced fees or waive unpaid fees, facilitate timely transcript release, receive wrap-around services, and recognize prior learning. The initiative also convenes implementation teams across its 13 partner institutions to streamline processes and eliminate barriers to re-enrollment and completion.

A collaboration between InsideTrack and the Institute for Higher Education Policy, California Reconnect seeks to address critical attainment gaps by helping adult learners who have some college credits but have not earned credentials of value. Over the past year, the organizations have worked to build the infrastructure needed to help students who have stopped out of college, support learners on the pathway to re-enrollment, and work with institutions to implement policies and practices that support college completion and improved career opportunities.

The evaluation report includes key institutional and policy recommendations aimed at supporting student success and degree or certificate completion. These include streamlining the re-enrollment process by eliminating unnecessary forms and fees; expanding access to personalized coaching and peer mentorship; offering flexible course formats along with wraparound supports to meet diverse student needs; and building statewide data infrastructure to effectively track degree and credential completion and enhance evaluation efforts.

"The model is refreshingly straightforward yet vastly underutilized across higher education," said Leanne Davis, Managing Researcher at Education Northwest. "It emphasizes redesigning higher education systems to meet students where they are, rather than forcing students to navigate systemic barriers on their own. This is a scalable model that can guide institutions nationwide in reconnecting with the millions of adults who left college before earning a credential."

The final year of the pilot phase (2025–26) will focus on expanding support to additional institutions, refining implementation strategies, and enhancing the data infrastructure to include credential completion tracking. The report emphasizes the need for collaboration between colleges, funders, and state leaders to serve California's 5.6 million adults with some college but no credential.

Read the full evaluation report and learn more about California Reconnect here.

‍About InsideTrack: InsideTrack is a mission-driven nonprofit that fuels positive change by empowering and advancing all learners to achieve their educational and career goals through the transformative power of coaching. We help people get the education they need to enhance well-being, create opportunity and secure meaningful employment — ultimately facilitating economic and social mobility. Since 2001, we have served over 3.5 million learners, partnering with more than 380 institutions and organizations to directly improve enrollment, retention, completion, and career advancement — tailoring our coaching outcomes to fit the needs of our partners and the learners they support. Our coaching methodology is evidence-based and research-confirmed, supporting all types of learners at every stage of their journey — especially those who face systemic barriers to postsecondary success. We are a catalyst for transformational impact, ultimately empowering learners and the organizations that serve them. To learn more, visit www.insidetrack.org and follow us on LinkedIn @InsideTrack and X @InsideTrack.

About Education Northwest: Founded in 1966, Education Northwest is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to helping all learners reach their full potential. By partnering with public, private, and community-based organizations across the United States, Education Northwest conducts research and evaluations, builds organizational capacity, provides professional development, and designs learning experiences that promote improved student outcomes.

About the Institute for Higher Education Policy: The Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization committed to building a more equitable and just society through higher education. Through research, advocacy, policy development, and field engagement, IHEP drives systemic change in higher education to advance equitable outcomes and generational impact for communities historically marginalized on the basis of race, ethnicity or income.

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SOURCE InsideTrack