Toward Equity in Guided Pathways Reforms: Lessons from Californias Career Advancement Academies

Community colleges across California are now investigating and planning Guided Pathways reforms with the goals of improving equity on their campuses and increasing the number of students completing degrees, certificates, and transfers. Some especially helpful lessons for improving equity as part of this reform effort may come from more than 30 California colleges that implemented Career Advancement Academies (CAAs).The CAAs, which were funded by the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office from 2007 to 2017, aimed to reach and serve students who are traditionally underrepresented in higher education. They were shown to improve persistence in college and completion of system-recognized certificates and degrees among underrepresented students. This brief distills insights from that experience, aligns them with the Guided Pathways reform framework, and highlights CAA approaches that practitioners can incorporate into their reforms