Community College Reform: Mentors, Not Money

A more modest investment, around $75 million, could create a strong program of mentors to help students stay focused, make plans and develop goals, figure out child care and transportation systems, and link their studies to employment opportunities. Some community colleges already have programs involving older students, work-study funds, and specific populations, but a large-scale pilot project -- one connecting mentors, state education agencies, and grants to local community colleges under Title 3 of the Higher Education Act-- is worth trying.