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Smoothing the Path for Transfer: Implementing Interstate Passport at Community Colleges

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Title: Smoothing the Path for Transfer: Implementing Interstate Passport at Community Colleges
Language: English
Authors: McKay, Heather A., Edwards, Renée, Douglas, Daniel
Source: New Directions for Community Colleges. Spr 2022 (197):71-80.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 10
Publication Date: 2022
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Two Year Colleges
Descriptors: Community Colleges, Two Year College Students, Interstate Programs, College Transfer Students, Barriers, Rural Schools, Program Effectiveness
DOI: 10.1002/cc.20498
ISSN: 0194-3081
Abstract: This article examines how states and community colleges can streamline the transfer process through an innovative national program known as Interstate Passport. The program enables block transfer of lower-division general education attainment based on a set of learning outcomes rather than on individual courses and credits. The article shows how common transfer is for students in community colleges. It also outlines the challenges students face when they transfer including credit loss and the negative consequences including loss of time and money. These challenges are often exacerbated when students move between states. The article also presents an implementation case study of Interstate Passport at a rural community college and the implications of this program for the community college and its students. Finally, the article provides thoughts and recommendations for community college leaders on transfer policy and practice.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2021
Accession Number: EJ1319708
Database: ERIC
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  Value: <anid>AN0154250709;0yg01mar.22;2021Dec23.05:55;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0154250709-1">Smoothing the path for transfer: Implementing interstate passport at community colleges </title> <sbt id="AN0154250709-2">INTRODUCTION</sbt> <p>This article examines how states and community colleges can streamline the transfer process through an innovative national program known as Interstate Passport. The program enables block transfer of lower‐division general education attainment based on a set of learning outcomes rather than on individual courses and credits. The article shows how common transfer is for students in community colleges. It also outlines the challenges students face when they transfer including credit loss and the negative consequences including loss of time and money. These challenges are often exacerbated when students move between states. The article also presents an implementation case study of Interstate Passport at a rural community college and the implications of this program for the community college and its students. Finally, the article provides thoughts and recommendations for community college leaders on transfer policy and practice.</p> <p>Community colleges are the first step in the post‐secondary educational journey for 40% of students in the United States (Doyle, 2009; Giani, 2019; NCES, 2015; Shapiro et al., 2016; Shapiro et al., 2017; Shapiro et al., 2015). Research indicates that approximately 80% of students who begin their education at a community college have plans to transfer to a 4‐year school and earn a bachelor's degree (Jenkins & Fink, 2016). However, the aspiration of transfer and the reality of transfer for community college students are starkly different (Wang, 2020). Students face many challenges in the transfer process, including the lack of advising and guidance and credit loss upon transfer (Bahr et al., 2013). Additionally, when credits are accepted, they often do not count toward degree requirements and instead are credited as electives (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2017).</p> <p>These realities have harsh consequences for students. Jenkins and Fink (2016) note that only about half of students who transfer from community colleges earn a bachelor's degree. Recommendations to improve transfer policy within states and institutions abound (Crowe et al., 2020; Yeh & Wetzstein, 2020); changes in transfer policy and practice are especially crucial for students of color and low‐income students, who research has shown, are disproportionately impacted by barriers to successful transfer (Budd & Stowers, 2015; Dougherty & Kienzl, 2006; La Sota & Zumeta, 2016; Taylor & Jain, 2017). A recent study by Meza and Blume (2020) found evidence of a racial transfer gap and suggests that good transfer policy and practice at receiving institutions is particularly important to addressing to these inequities (Crisp et al., 2020).</p> <p>Innovation in policy and practice, and collaboration among higher education institutions and between states are required to address the transfer challenge (Crowe et al., 2020; Meza & Blume, 2020; Yeh & Wetzstein, 2020). This article describes the Interstate Passport, a innovative collaborative effort to improve transfer, focusing on its implementation at a rural community college. Interstate Passport is the only nationwide program of accredited, nonprofit, public, and private 2‐ and 4‐year institutions dedicated to the block transfer of lower‐division general education (LDGE) attainment. This article uses data collected during a third‐party evaluation of Interstate Passport for a United States Department of Education First in the World Grant. The article outlines the realities and challenges of transfer for community college students; introduces Interstate Passport as a policy innovation; demonstrates the implementation of Interstate Passport at Laramie County Community College (LCCC), a rural community college in Wyoming; and provides some concluding considerations for advocacy, policy, and practice change in other institutions and states.</p> <hd id="AN0154250709-3">THE REALITIES AND CHALLENGES OF TRANSFER</hd> <p>Contemporary postsecondary education is characterized by student transfer between and among institutions and states (Soler, 2020; Soler & Meza, 2018; Taylor & Jain, 2017). Compared to students in previous decades, students today are more likely to transfer; they are also more likely to transfer more than once, complete a reverse transfer, a lateral transfer, or even swirl between multiple institutions (Adelman, 2006; Borden, 2004; Giani,2019; Goldrick‐Rab & Pfeffer, 2009; Shapiro et al., 2018). National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) data show that about 37% of students who start post‐secondary education at a 2‐year public institution transfer at least once during the 6 years following their initial enrollment (Shapiro, 2018). The 2018 NSC study found that about a fifth of public 2‐year transfer students (18.6%) moved to an institution in a different state, increasing the complexity of the transfer process.</p> <p>In the United States, transfer is complicated in terms of both policy and practice for students, institutions, and states. Three of the biggest challenges are credit loss, the assignment of earned credits as elective rather than degree credits, and the lack of information for students to navigate the transfer process. Credit loss costs transfer students both time and money in their pursuit of a degree and decreases the likelihood of degree completion (Jenkins & Fink, 2016). A study by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that 35% of first‐time students completed at least one transfer during the study period (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2017). These students typically lost about 13 credits (43% of their college credits) or one semester of full‐time coursework upon transfer. This same study found that credit loss varied greatly depending on the sending and receiving institutions. Students pursuing vertical transfer—from public 2‐year to 4‐year colleges—lost just 22% of their credits. In comparison, students who moved between public 2‐year colleges lost an average of 69% of their credits.</p> <p>These striking findings may be explained by the many factors that hamper successful transfer. One prominent challenge is when the two schools involved in the transfer do not have an agreement in place detailing how credits will be transferred and there is no state policy in place to take the place of an institutional agreement (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2017). This lack of agreed upon transfer policies may be one of the reasons for the high degree of credit loss between 2‐year public institutions. Poor advising or lack of communication between advisors on transfer rules can also result in credit loss (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2017). Finally, in vertical transfer situations from a 2‐ to a 4‐year, there may be concerns about academic rigor that prevent credit articulation (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2017).</p> <p>Monaghan and Attewell (2015) examined first‐time 2‐year students and found significant variance in terms of credit loss. Among the study's sample, 14% of students lost 90% or more of their credits, 58% of students transferred 90% or more, and the rest of the students (28%) lost anywhere between 10% and 89% of their previously earned credits. As noted above, these wide variances in credit loss likely relate to articulation policies and processes in place among different institutions; there may also be implications related to major, race/ethnicity, gender, and other factors. Both studies also noted that credit loss reduces the likelihood of degree attainment, but credit loss is not the only challenge. An institution can accept credits, but if they are articulated as elective credits, they do little good for student progression and completion. For transfer credit to be useful, the credits must apply to a student's degree plan or general education requirements (Giani, 2019; Kisker et al., 2011). Credit loss and use must be viewed through an institutional or faculty lens. Colleges that want to maintain or improve degree standards and quality must scrutinize mechanisms of credit transfer.</p> <p>Another barrier in transfer relates to guidance, advising, and information. In the United States, students typically navigate the transfer process with very little information or advice, which spurred calls for Guided Pathways (Bailey et al., 2015). Traditionally, community colleges are "structured like a cafeteria" in which students must navigate the many services, programs, and activities offered without much guidance (Bailey, 2017, 10). This navigation includes transfer, as students have trouble accessing information on transfer (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2017). Typically, states and institutions use a set of policy and practice tools to facilitate transfer. The most prominent tool is the statewide articulation agreement, but such agreements may not be understood (or work) in practice. In addition to articulation agreements, other policy tools exist to aid credit preservation, including common course numbering, common core courses, and transfer‐oriented associate degrees (Giani, 2019; Millard, 2014). However, these policies do not always accomplish their intended goals and are typically limited to a single state.</p> <p>Giani (2019) notes that while one might think that state transfer and articulation policy results in less credit loss for students and better persistence and attainment, these outcomes are not always the case. Research shows that states with and without transfer‐oriented policies have nearly equivalent outcomes for transfer students because quality of transfer policies varies (Giani, 2019). In states with less robust transfer policy, it is up to college personnel to develop and maintain transfer and articulation policies with other institutions often called transfer partnerships (Bragg et al., 2020). Transfer partnerships are valuable, but they also have challenges and limitations. Institutions cannot feasibly create individual agreements with every student's potential destination institution, and maintaining even a portion of them can be tedious and costly in personnel time. Additionally, many institutions do not have articulation agreements that extend out of state. As is the case with statewide agreements noted above, even when these agreements exist, they might not work well in practice (GAO, 2017). All the barriers described above can and do still happen with articulation policies and practices in place. The remainder of this article describes the Interstate Passport as a policy and practice tool meant to improve the process of transfer and outcomes for transfer students, institutions, and states.</p> <hd id="AN0154250709-4">THE INTERSTATE PASSPORT</hd> <p>In 2010, academic leaders at 2‐ and 4‐year institutions in the western United States envisioned an initiative to streamline the transfer process based on learning outcomes rather than individual courses or credit numbers. At their request, the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) began a project focused on developing "a widely acceptable agreement by and among faculty members about general education based on student learning outcomes, with an eye toward a more efficient and supportive transfer system" (Walker et al., 2016, p. 47). In 2011, the emerging network focused on developing a framework for the block transfer of lower‐division general education (LDGE) credits. The work was funded by an initial grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and by subsequent grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Lumina Foundation. Most recently, the work was funded by a First in the World grant from the US Department of Education's Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education entitled <emph>the Interstate Passport Initiative: Accelerating Transfer to a Credential</emph> with a goal to enhance and nationally scale the student transfer project known as Interstate Passport.</p> <p>The design of Interstate Passport was not an accident; the focus on learning outcomes emerged out of policy discussions happening at the time in states, at institutions, and more generally in the higher education community. States were creating statewide articulation agreements, putting common course numbering in place, and implementing other tools to facilitate transfer and credit articulation. For some faculty members, these changes created a climate in which they felt unable to teach creatively or to a higher pedagogical standard. As an alternative, institutions and faculty members nationally began to highlight the importance of student learning outcomes to define and evaluate college‐level learning, instead of reliance on a checklist of course numbers as a basis for course transfer. Those involved with the creation of Interstate Passport were inspired and informed in part by the work of the Association of American Colleges & Universities in developing the Liberal Education and America's Promise (LEAP) Essential Learning Outcomes (Walker et al., 2016).</p> <p>Interstate Passport's framework consists of faculty‐developed Passport Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and Transfer‐Level Proficiency Criteria (PC) in nine concept knowledge and skill areas: foundational skills in oral communication, written communication, and quantitative literacy; knowledge of concepts in natural sciences, human cultures, creative expression, and human society and the individual; and cross‐cutting skills in critical thinking and teamwork/value systems (Sherman & Shea, 2020). Through the development of Interstate Passport, faculty teams from multiple institutions and states discovered that learning outcomes across institutions are remarkably consistent. However, there is far more variation in how learning outcomes are divided into credits and courses for transfer. Also, through the development process, there was "widespread agreement among faculty members that the actual curriculum and pedagogy—how learning is delivered and assessed—should remain the collective responsibility of each institution's faculty" (Walker et al., 2016, p. 46). Within this collective climate, institutions were facing increased pressure to change in‐state transfer policies, faculty were feeling constricted by the changes, the inadequacies of in‐state articulation agreements to solve transfer problems for out‐of‐state transfer students were being revealed, and a general acceptance of learning outcomes as a better way to evaluate learning was becoming more widespread. These factors contributed to the structure and policy process in developing the Interstate Passport.</p> <p>To date, Interstate Passport is the only nationwide network of accredited, nonprofit, public, and private 2‐ and 4‐year institutions dedicated to the block transfer of LDGE attainment. Network institutions began awarding Passports in fall 2016. As of October 2020, there were 59 Interstate Passport Network (Network) institutions across 17 states, including 31 4‐year universities and 28 community or technical colleges. Both entire state systems and individual institutions have joined Interstate Passport. When systems join, it has typically been via a top‐down policy change as was the case in South Dakota and Utah. In other states, one or two institutions have joined, and then the state system has signed on later; for example, in Hawaii, two institutions first joined and then the state system followed. Still, in other cases, single institutions have joined without any movement at the state level. Later in this paper, we highlight an institution‐level implementation of Interstate Passport at Laramie County Community College (LCCC), a rural community college located in Cheyenne, Wyoming.</p> <p>Interstate Passport LDGE blocks are based on multi‐state faculty‐developed learning outcomes and proficiency criteria instead of specific courses and credits. Interstate Passport seeks to eliminate unnecessary repetition of academic work after students transfer from one network member higher education institution to another. Upon completing all LDGE requirements in any school in the Interstate Passport Network, a student will have completed all LDGE requirements at any other Network institution, even if the course and credit requirements differ. As such, there are no circumstances under which any student with a Passport will have to retake courses to fulfill any LDGE requirements if they remain within the Network. In essence, the Interstate Passport could be viewed as a "mega‐articulation agreement" or multi‐institution Transfer Partnership among Network institutions (Bragg et al., 2020; Sherman & Shea, 2020, p. 8).</p> <p>When Network member institutions join Interstate Passport, they agree that their learning outcomes are congruent and cover the same learning as the PLOs. Each participating institution constructs its Passport Block, that is, a menu of courses and/or learning experiences via which its students can achieve the PLOs. Constructing the Passport Block of courses requires substantial coordination among faculty and staff, and the network has both provided professional development and created resources to facilitate this institutional work. Students must receive a C or better in every course applied to the Passport. In some cases, this may be a higher grade than is required to pass the course; for example, in the Utah system, a passing grade is typically a D. Students who complete their institution's Passport Block will be awarded a Passport that gives them the ability to transfer to another Interstate Passport Network school and not have to repeat their general education courses. Learning outcomes are not assumed to be static indefinitely; the Network is prepared to conduct periodic reviews of PLOs in the future, following the same faculty‐led process.</p> <hd id="AN0154250709-5">Interstate Passport at work</hd> <p>Laramie County Community College (LCCC) was engaged in the early stages of the development for Interstate Passport. Transfer is common in Wyoming, with transfer students often leaving the state to continue their degree. Six‐year data from the NSC indicate that among the 2012 cohort of first‐time college students in Wyoming, there were 770 within‐state transfers and 579 out‐of‐state transfers, suggesting that about 43% of Wyoming transfer students departed for out‐of‐state institutions (Interstate Passport, n.d.). Wyoming has only one 4‐year university, the University of Wyoming, and transfers from LCCC to the university are common. LCCC is also within 6‐ to 7‐hour drive of 4‐year colleges and universities in Colorado, Nebraska, Montana, and South Dakota.</p> <p>Before joining the Interstate Passport Network, a primary challenge associated with transfer from LCCC was that receiving institutions did not accept general education credits as equivalent, thereby requiring students to retake courses they had already completed, which was the case for transfer students from LCCC to the University of Wyoming despite the existence of a robust articulation agreement between the institutions. Although they would not lose the credits they had earned, those credits were counted as electives, effectively forcing students to retake courses they had already completed. This retaking of coursework had implications for students' persistence, achievement, and financial cost.</p> <p>Interstate Passport was of interest at LCCC because there was general agreement that student transfer was going to happen, that it would occur both within Wyoming and outside, and that current practices and policies could be improved. Therefore, it was in the institution and its students' best interests to make transfer as "friction‐free" as possible (Wang, 2020). For LCCC, this meant adopting the passport innovation. LCCC's president was involved in conversations when Interstate Passport was in the planning phases. In 2014, faculty from the college joined other faculty nationally to develop the PLOs. LCCC then worked to develop their own Passport Block. Once their Passport Block was complete, LCCC began awarding passports in 2016.</p> <p>The institution promptly focused on educating advisors about the program, creating materials to inform students about the benefits of Passport and when they had earned one. Faculty at the college remained engaged and enthusiastic about the program. Upon earning a Passport, students receive a letter congratulating them for the achievement and briefly explaining how it could help them transfer. As of Spring 2020, 104 students at LCCC had earned Passports, which represents approximately 8% of the annual number of transfer students at the college. Most passports (78%) were earned by female students. In terms of race and ethnicity, 68% of Passports at LCCC were earned by white students, which is close to the proportion of white students at the college in general. LCCC students were approximately 23 years old when they earned the Passport, which remained generally constant over time. About 52% of LCCC's Passport earners were eligible for Pell awards at some point in the study period.</p> <p>Shortly after joining the Network, LCCC began redesigning its general education core as part of its guided pathways initiative. Because the institution had participated in the collaborative development of the PLOs, and created its Passport Block, redesigning the general education core was done with the Interstate Passport in mind. This work combined two important initiatives at the college, and the work for each initiative helped the other. Whereas the college's general education core was previously large and caused confusion among students, it now mirrors the schools' Passport Block, focuses on learning outcomes, and aligns with the guided pathways at LCCC. Effectively, this means any student completing the general education core at LCCC will also earn a Passport if they receive a "C" grade or higher in their general education courses. Using course unit data for LCCC's Passport awardees allowed for an examination of the number of credits earned by Passport earners both before and after their awards. Note that the course unit data go back only to the Fall 2016 term, and it is likely that some students—particularly in the earliest award period—earned credits at LCCC before this term. Additionally, students from the latest award period had fewer semesters to continue earning credits.</p> <p>Overall, students who were awarded a Passport earned an average of 47 credits prior to the award. Those who continued on at LCCC after their Passport Award (about 55%) earned an average of 17.8 credits after their award. Looking at pre‐Award credits among the two more recent cohorts, we see a consistent level of credit earning around 50 credits. Looking at post‐award credits among the earlier cohorts, we see a consistent level of credit earning around 22 credits. These data suggest that in addition to transfer, Interstate Passport could have some value as a milestone or momentum point.</p> <hd id="AN0154250709-6">Early student and institutional outcomes</hd> <p>The evaluation of the Interstate Passport on transfer at LCCC was part of a more extensive study focused on nine Interstate Passport institutions across two states (McKay et. al., 2020). Findings from that quasi‐experimental study show that students who transferred among Network institutions were enrolled more continuously, earned more credits, and had a slightly higher grade point average (GPA) than similar students who transferred into Network institutions from non‐member institutions. The findings for enrollment and credit accumulation suggest that the Interstate Passport program may facilitate students' post‐transfer pathways in their receiving institutions. The modest GPA impact could mean that, compared to similar policies and practices, the PLOs are better at preparing students for academic success after transfer (McKay et al., 2020).</p> <p>As a part of the evaluation, interviews were done with students who had transferred using the Passport. These students noted the Passport saved them time and money because they did not have to repeat general education courses. Additionally, faculty and staff noted that the Interstate Passport might change the way transfer is perceived by students. One respondent said that many 4‐year universities have a reputation as being "unfriendly" to transfer students and have strict transfer policies. Respondents thought that the Interstate Passport could play a role in alleviating these perceptions.</p> <hd id="AN0154250709-7">CONCLUSION</hd> <p>The era of students enrolling and graduating from the same institution in postsecondary education is over. Transfer of credits within and across states is the new normal. Given this fact, college presidents, trustees, system leaders, and regional higher education associations can work to influence policy in support of the transfer function. Research suggests that articulation policies established most often between two and four‐year colleges within the same state or system may make a huge difference for students in terms of credit loss (GAO, 2017; Giani, 2019). States should invest in supporting 2‐year transfer as a means to achieve attainment goals and to improve overall outcomes from the investment in public higher education.</p> <p>Interstate Passport is an important innovation in higher education. It seeks to align lower‐division general education (LDGE) across institutions and states to enable student transfer with minimal or no credit loss. LCCC was the first institution in its state to join the Passport Network, and since 2016, it has been joined by the University of Wyoming and Casper College, another community college. It is presumed that all seven community colleges in the state will ultimately join the Network because they will benefit from a more streamlined transfer process with the university. Nationally, the Network continues to grow and has expanded well beyond the initial Western states that inspired its existence. Although it is currently still funded by various grants and foundations, Interstate Passport has a sustainability plan that will consist of annual fees adjusted for institutional size to cover administrative costs.</p> <p>From an institutional policy perspective, the climate is right for Interstate Passport. Colleges were already looking for ways to create a focus on learning outcomes to evaluate college‐level learning, and faculty were looking for ways to maintain control over curriculum and teaching. Interstate Passport was already attractive to institutions looking to focus more on student learning outcomes, those looking to stave off legislative changes to force better interstate transfer processes, and those looking to attract more transfer students across state borders who often pay higher tuition rates. Doing the work to implement Interstate Passport can also complement efforts to create and implement Guided Pathways, as was the case at LCCC. Colleges can join the network individually, but Interstate Passport is also being supported by many of the regional higher education associations. It is led by WICHE, but The Southern Regional Education Board and the New England Board of Higher Education have been involved and may be poised to support regional efforts for network participation.</p> <p>From a student perspective, Interstate Passport can make transfer easier and clearer. It can also save students time and money when transferring to other institutions in the network because they will not have to repeat general education coursework. The friction points of transfer are alleviated for students with an Interstate Passport. For institutions, Interstate Passport can also ease the process of transfer for their staff and their students.</p> <p>From a state policy perspective, policymakers continue to focus on the disparities and inequities in transfer, and it is imperative that institutions find ways to ease the transfer burden in a manner that student and faculty focused. Interstate Passport embodies these concepts and continues to strive to make interstate transfer easier, more streamlined, and less expensive.</p> <ref id="AN0154250709-8"> <title> REFERENCES </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> Adelman, C. (2006). The toolbox revisited: Paths to degree completion from high school through college. Office of Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib2" type="bt">2</bibl> <bibtext> Bahr, P. R., Toth, C., Thirolf, K., & Masse, J. C. (2013). A review and critique of the literature on community college students' transition processes and outcomes in four‐year institutions. In M. B. Paulsen (Ed.), Higher education: Handbook of theory and research (Vol. 28, pp. 459 – 510). Springer Science & Business Media.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib3" type="bt">3</bibl> <bibtext> Bailey, T. R., Jaggars, S. S., & Jenkins, D. (2015). 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Community College Research Center, Aspen Institute, and the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/media/k2/attachments/tracking‐transfer‐institutional‐state‐effectiveness.pdf</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Kisker, C., Wagoner, R. L., & Cohen, A. M. (2011). Implementing statewide transfer & articulation reform: An analysis of transfer associate degrees in four states (Report # 11‐1). Center for the Study of Community Colleges.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> LaSota, R. R., & Zumeta, W. (2016). What matters in increasing community college students' upward transfer to the baccalaureate degree: Findings from the beginning postsecondary study 2003–2009. Research in Higher Education, 57 (2), 152 – 189.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> McKay, H., Douglas, D., Edwards, R., & Khudododov, K. (2020). Interstate Passport project First in the World grant: Final report. Rutgers University.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Meza, E. A., & Blume, G. (2020). Exploring how institutional partners vary in outcomes for Transfer Students of Color. In D. Bragg, T. Ling Yeh, L. Wetzstein, & E. A. Meza (Eds), New Directions for Community Colleges : No. 192. Transfer partnerships for improved equity and outcomes (pp. 37 – 44). https://doi.org/10.1002/cc.20421</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Millard, M. (2014). Students on the move: How states are responding to increasing mobility among post‐secondary students, Transfer & articulation: Postsecondary. Education Commission of the States. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED561000.pdf</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Monaghan, D. B., & Attewell, P. (2015). The community college route to the bachelor's degree. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 37 (1), 70 – 91. https://doi.org/10.3102/0162373714521865</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> National Center for Education Statistics. (2015). Enrollment and employees in post‐secondary institutions, fall 2014; and financial statistics and academic libraries, fiscal year 2014: First look (provisional data). National Center for Education Statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2016/2016005.pdf</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Shapiro, D., Dundar, A., Huie, F., Wakhungu, P. K., Bhimdiwali, A., Nathan, A., & Youngsik, H. (2018). Transfer and mobility: A national view of student movement in post‐secondary institutions, Fall 2011 cohort (Signature Report No. 15). National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. https://nscresearchcenter.org/wp‐content/uploads/Signature‐Report‐15.pdf</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Shapiro, D., Dundar, A., Huie, F., Wakhungu, P. K., Yuan, X., Nathan, A., & Hwang, Y. (2017). Tracking transfer: Measures of effectiveness in helping community college students to complete bachelor's degrees (Signature Report No. 13). National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. https://nscresearchcenter.org/wp‐content/uploads/SignatureReport13_corrected.pdf</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Shapiro, D., Dundar, A., Wakhungu, P. K., Yuan, X., & Harrell, A. (2015). Transfer & mobility: A national view of student movement in post‐secondary institutions, fall 2008 cohort. National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. https://nscresearchcenter.org/wp‐content/uploads/SignatureReport9.pdf</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Shapiro, D., Dundar, A., Wakhungu, P. K., Yuan, X., Nathan, A., & Hwang, Y. (2016). Completing college: A national view of student attainment rates, fall 2010 cohort (Signature Report No. 12). National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. https://nscresearchcenter.org/signaturereport12/</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Sherman, J., & Shea, P. (2020). Interstate Passport®: The general education transfer highway. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 52 (1), 8 – 14. https://doi.org/10.1080/00091383.2020.1693814</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Soler, M. C., & Meza, E. (2018). Exploring characteristics of students who demonstrate multi‐institutional attendance patterns (MIAP) in two states. University of Washington.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Soler, M. C. (2020). Conceptualizations and strategies to enhance student success in the transfer swirl. In D. Bragg, T. Ling Yeh, L. Wetzstein, & E. A. Meza (Eds.), New Directions for Community Colleges : No. 192. Transfer partnerships for improved equity and outcomes (pp. 45 – 53). https://doi.org/10.1002/cc.20422</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Taylor, J. L., & Jain, D. (2017). The multiple dimensions of transfer: Examining the transfer function in American Higher Education. Community College Review, 45 (4), 273 – 293. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091552117725177</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> U.S. Government Accountability Office (GOA). (2017). Higher education students need more information to help reduce challenges in transferring college credits (GAO‐17‐574U). https://<ulink href="http://www.gao.gov/assets/690/686530.pdf">www.gao.gov/assets/690/686530.pdf</ulink></bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Walker, C., Sherman, J., & Shea, P. (2016). The Interstate Passport: A new framework for seamless student transfer. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 48 (5), 44 – 51. https://doi.org/10.1080/00091383.2016.1227675</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Wang, X. (2020). On my own: The challenge and promise of building equitable STEM transfer pathways. Harvard Education Press.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Yeh, T. L., & Wetzstien, L. (2020). Transfer partnership continuum: Toward intentional collaborations to improve transfer outcomes. In D. Bragg, T. Ling Yeh, L. Wetzstein, & E. A. Meza (Eds.), New Directions for Community Colleges : No. 192. Transfer partnerships for improved equity and outcomes (pp. 21 – 35). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/cc.20420</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <aug> <p>By Heather A. McKay; Renée Edwards and Daniel Douglas</p> <p>Reported by Author; Author; Author</p> <p></p> <p>Heather McKay is the Director of the Education and Employment Research Center at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.</p> <p>Renée Edwards is a Senior Researcher at the Education and Employment Research Center at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.</p> <p>Daniel Douglas is a Senior Researcher at the Education and Employment Research Center at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and a Visiting Assistant Professor of Educational Studies and Sociology at Trinity College.</p> </aug>
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  Data: Smoothing the Path for Transfer: Implementing Interstate Passport at Community Colleges
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  Data: This article examines how states and community colleges can streamline the transfer process through an innovative national program known as Interstate Passport. The program enables block transfer of lower-division general education attainment based on a set of learning outcomes rather than on individual courses and credits. The article shows how common transfer is for students in community colleges. It also outlines the challenges students face when they transfer including credit loss and the negative consequences including loss of time and money. These challenges are often exacerbated when students move between states. The article also presents an implementation case study of Interstate Passport at a rural community college and the implications of this program for the community college and its students. Finally, the article provides thoughts and recommendations for community college leaders on transfer policy and practice.
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