Guided Pathways
Introduction to Guided Pathways
Since 2015, there has been a nationwide initiative to redesign community colleges around the country to increase completion rates. This is called Guided Pathways, which is based on findings from the Community College Research Center’s (CCRC) intensive eight-year study of community colleges. We have wholeheartedly embraced Guided Pathways at LWTech since 2016.
The Guided Pathways framework divides work into four guiding principles or pillars.
Guiding Principles
- Mapping pathways to student end goals
- Helping students choose and enter a program pathway
- Keeping students on path
- Ensuring that students are learning
As of 2024, nearly 400 community colleges are implementing guided pathways reforms as part of formal national or statewide initiatives in 16 states.
Guided Pathways at LWTech
Continued implementation of Guided Pathways is a key component of LWTech's Mission Fulfillment Plan. Our work to date includes:
- Mapping pathways to student end goals
- Program Career Paths that show programs and related employment opportunities.
- Academic programs of study with related courses and career goals grouped into"Schools Of."
- Transfer options and articulation agreements.
- Helping students choose and enter a program pathway
- Admission Coaching to support prospective student enrollment.
- Contextualized, integrated academic support through I-BEST.
- English and Math placement redesign concluding in a faculty-led Guided Self-Placement process.
- Keeping students on path
- Caseload advising based on program of study.
- Clear quarter by quarter plans, published annually in the college catalog.
- Legend student success software implemented that improves communication, degree planning, appointments, scheduling, early intervention, and referrals to support services.
- Supplemental Instruction intervention in courses with low pass-rates.
- Open Educational Resources expansion to reduce material costs and increase access for students.
- Ensuring that students are learning
- Data access and training expansion for program and service improvement.
- Diversity and Social Justice (DSJ) course requirement to provide the knowledge and skills needed for a multicultural workplace.
- The 4 Connections framework to improve success and reduce equity gaps.
Title III Strengthening Institutions Grant
Title III Strengthening Institutions Grant
In October 2023, LWTech was awarded a federal Title III Strengthening Institutions Grant (P031A230161). The college will receive nearly $500,000 per year for five years to expand our Guided Pathways goals to infuse and expand equity-centered use of data in technical education, and build systems that lead to equitable enrollment, retention, and completion outcomes for students.
We are focusing our work in three different areas at the college:
- Institutional Research:
Create a culture of equity-centered and data-informed decisionmaking and continuous improvement. - Student Services:
Transform Student Services into a holistic, collaborative department to improve access, retention, and completion for historically underrepresented students. - Instruction:
Enhance faculty-driven, equity centered teaching and advising practices – in hybrid, online, and in-person courses – to ensure historically underrepresented students can access and complete high-quality technical education
Future guided pathways work will include:
- Refined intake and orientation processes- Launched Fall 2024
- Creation of student support teams - anticipated 2025
- Enhanced advising practices- anticipated 2025
- Expanded faculty training and support on best practices- anticipated 2025
- Establishing a Writing Center- anticipated 2026
- Increasing data training and tools- anticipated 2025
The enclosed materials were compiled through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education: Title III Part A Programs - Strengthening Institutions. However, the contents have not been reviewed by the Department and no endorsement should be inferred.
Guiding Team
The Guiding Team provides oversight and advisory to the College in reference to the implementation of Guided Pathways and the Title III grant.
Project Management & Implementation Support, Title III Manager
Student Services
Instruction
Institutional Research
