In their influential 2015 book, Redesigning America’s Community Colleges: A Clearer Path to Student Success, researchers Thomas Bailey, Shanna Smith Jaggars, and Davis Jenkins from the Community College Research Center (CCRC) explored the reasons behind the stagnant completion rates and persistent equity gaps in student achievement within community colleges, despite over a decade of reform efforts. They posited that the “cafeteria college” model, adopted to broaden access to higher education in the U.S., unintentionally created obstacles to student success. This model lacked clear pathways to student goals, provided insufficient support for career and college exploration, resulted in many students getting stuck in remedial courses, failed to monitor student progress effectively, and focused instructional innovation on individual courses rather than comprehensive skill development across programs.
Redesigning America’s Community Colleges advocated for a complete overhaul of programs and student support systems, guided by the What Is Guided Pathways model. This model proposes systematic changes in policies, practices, and systems, focusing on four key areas:
- Clarifying the routes to student education and career aspirations.
- Assisting students in embarking on a pathway.
- Supporting students in staying on their chosen pathway.
- Ensuring meaningful learning across all programs.
Since the publication of Redesigning, CCRC’s understanding of the fundamental elements of what is guided pathways has progressed further. They are actively gathering evidence on effective strategies for implementing guided pathways, promoting equity, and assessing the impact on students.
The what is guided pathways reform is being implemented by nearly 400 community colleges as part of formal national or statewide initiatives across 16 states, with numerous other colleges adopting these principles independently. This widespread adoption highlights the growing recognition of the importance of structured, supportive educational pathways for student success. The central question of “what is guided pathways” is increasingly relevant in the modern landscape of community college education.
Essentially, the what is guided pathways model aims to transform the community college experience by providing students with structured, well-defined routes to their academic and career goals. This includes comprehensive advising, clear program maps, and proactive support systems designed to help students navigate the complexities of higher education and achieve their desired outcomes. By addressing the shortcomings of the “cafeteria college” model, guided pathways offers a promising approach to improving student completion rates and fostering greater equity in higher education.
