Community College Research Initiatives

April 25, 2019

CCRI Receives NSF ATE Grant

The UW Community College Research Initiatives is pleased to announce we received an NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) grant in partnership with the UW Evans School of Public Policy & Governance to study and scale-up data-informed improvements to technical education programs. The project is a collaboration with the State Board for Community and Technical CollegesGreen River College, Seattle Central College, Skagit Valley College, and a professional advisory committee.

The three-year study examines how colleges can leverage statewide longitudinal data to foster data-informed faculty decision making around technical education pathways and programs. The research will serve as a “connective tissue” among valuable existing resources in Washington such as the state’s longitudinal data system, colleges’ longstanding innovation in pathways reform, SBCTC’s partnership with Tableau, and the state’s robust network of advanced technical education programs.

The study activities will include analyzing technical education in Washington, working with faculty at the partner colleges to understand data needs, and developing and testing data tools based on their input. Partnership with SBCTC, specifically the Research and Planning Commission, will serve as a means to scale up lessons learned from the study to colleges across the state.

This collaborative effort will officially launch in September, providing research and data-informed program improvement to strengthen technical workforces throughout Washington and ultimately, the nation.