America's Broken Promise

Bridging the Community College Achievement Gap

Most community college leaders, administrators, faculty, and policymakers take pride in knowing that community colleges are the only postsecondary institutions that promise to educate and prepare all interested Americans. Yet, they are often publicly criticized by politicians, tax payers, and fellow educators. In America's Broken Promise, Dr. Eduardo Marti shows how community colleges have multiple, difficult, and often competing missions, particularly surrounding access and achievement rates. He reminds us that a very high percentage of students entering the community college "open door" are neither college ready nor intent upon graduation. He then critically traces the development of their unique role in American society, differentiates them from selective-achievement institutions, and maps out new ways these institutions can and must come closer to fulfilling their achievement promise.