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Reclaiming the American dream: A report from the 21st century commission on the future of community colleges

American Association of Community Colleges. Reclaiming the American dream: A report from the 21st century commission on the future of community colleges. American Association of Community Colleges, Washington DC, 2012. Pages: 40.

In April 2012, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) released its Reclaiming the American dream report, which is a culmination of the association’s self-assessment and soul-searching effort initiated in 2011. Historically, community colleges in the US were designed to expand students' access to higher education. But more recently, they have been asked to address issues ranging from unemployment and skills-gaps to preparing students for their transition to universities.

Recently, the number of degree-seeking students enrolled in America's 1 200 community colleges has increased rapidly from about 5.5 million in 2000 to more than 8 million enrolled in the 2010/11 academic year. Challenged by the association’s overarching goal of helping an additional five million students to earn degrees, certificates or other credentials by 2020, the report’s 38-member commission outlined a new vision for the future of community colleges in the US. The proposed concrete recommendations focus on three major areas: redesigning educational experiences of students, reinvesting institutional roles and resetting the system. 

American Association of Community Colleges