Conclusion

This report highlights the increasingly complex landscape of adult re-enrollment in community colleges, emphasizing the need for approaches that are effective, sustainable, and scalable. While initiatives have emerged at both the state and institutional levels, coordination and clarity around effectiveness remain limited. State strategies for adult re-enrollment aim to help adults return and complete their credentials; however, implementation at the community college level varies. Statewide coordination and support must be balanced with institutional autonomy so that strategies meet the specific needs of learners within their local contexts. As strategies and policies around re-enrollment evolve and the question of sustaining these initiatives grows more pressing, research will be critical in identifying and refining effective approaches that not only bring adults back to college but also support their success through completion and beyond.