Achieving the Dream

Achieving the Dream
Name	Achieving the Dream
Formation	2004
Type	Nonprofit initiative
Headquarters	Virginia
Area served	United States
Focus	Community college student success

Achieving the Dream is a national nonprofit initiative that supports student success in community colleges across the United States. Founded in 2004, the initiative partners with community colleges, philanthropic foundations, and policy organizations to improve retention and completion for underserved students. It operates through data-driven strategies, institutional reform, and collaborative networks.

Overview

Achieving the Dream works with community colleges to measure and improve student outcomes by deploying data teams, learning analytics, and institutional reforms. The initiative collaborates with foundations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lumina Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Kresge Foundation, and Ford Foundation while engaging peer networks that include statewide systems like the California Community Colleges System, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and institutions such as Miami Dade College, Houston Community College District, and Community College of Baltimore County. Its approach draws from improvement frameworks promoted by organizations like the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and MDRC and is informed by research from scholars connected to Columbia University, Harvard University, University of Michigan, Stanford University, and University of Pennsylvania.

History and Origins

Achieving the Dream emerged from a movement in the early 2000s emphasizing college completion after policy discussions involving Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and education leaders linked to the Lumina Foundation and the Gates Foundation. Early convenings included leaders from American Association of Community Colleges, Association of Community College Trustees, and statewide reformers from Florida Department of Education and Ohio Board of Regents. The initiative built on prior efforts like the Carnegie Foundation’s networks and drew technical assistance from consulting groups such as McKinsey & Company and research partnerships with Community College Research Center at Teachers College, Columbia University. Over time it formed alliances with national nonprofits including Jobs for the Future, Jobs for America's Graduates, Complete College America, and Education Trust.

Programs and Initiatives

Core programs include guided pathways redesign, developmental education reform, and data coaching for equity-focused improvement. Major components mirror practices advocated by Complete College America, National Student Clearinghouse, ACT, College Board, and ETS. Specific initiatives have included redesigns influenced by research from George Washington University, piloted accelerated models akin to projects at CUNY and City University of New York campuses, and collaboration with state systems like the Virginia Community College System, North Carolina Community College System, and California Community Colleges. Professional development has drawn faculty from institutions such as Miami Dade College, Northern Virginia Community College, Montgomery College, and consulting partners like EducationCounsel and SRI International.

Impact and Outcomes

Evaluations of Achieving the Dream’s work reference outcomes tracked by the National Student Clearinghouse, analyses by MDRC, and studies at Columbia University and Harvard University showing mixed but measurable gains in retention and completion at participating colleges. Colleges reported increases in certificate attainment and credit accumulation at places including Miami Dade College, Dallas College, Broward College, and Lone Star College System. Some impacts aligned with policy changes at the state level influenced by reports produced alongside Lumina Foundation and Kresge Foundation, and by partnerships with Complete College America, Education Trust, and National Governors Association.

Funding and Governance

Funding for the initiative historically combined grants from philanthropies like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lumina Foundation, Kresge Foundation, and Annie E. Casey Foundation with contributions from state agencies and institutional dues. Governance structures included boards and advisory councils comprised of leaders from American Association of Community Colleges, Association of Community College Trustees, state system chancellors, and senior executives from partner organizations such as Jobs for the Future, MDRC, and Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Criticisms and Challenges

Critics have questioned scalability and sustainability, citing debates similar to those involving Complete College America and concerns raised in analyses from Brookings Institution, Urban Institute, and RAND Corporation. Challenges include institutional capacity at colleges like community college campuses in rural states, tensions between reform priorities and faculty governance represented by groups such as the American Association of University Professors, and measurement issues flagged by researchers at Teachers College, Columbia University and National Bureau of Economic Research. Discussions have involved policymakers from U.S. Department of Education, state legislatures, and advocacy groups including Education Trust and Delta Cost Project.

Category:American educational organizations