Community college: How education’s ‘best-kept secret’ stays afloat

The numbers caused concern: 6,000 students who’d registered for fall and winter classes weren’t signed up for spring. It was January, and Los Angeles City College hoped to teach more than twice that number of students starting the following month.

So the school recruited more than 100 volunteers – half faculty – to call them. Not just about registration, but for a check-in.

“Once they realize somebody from LA City College is calling them, they’re actually very thankful and relieved,” says Armineh Dereghishian, acting dean of outreach and student life.

A similar effort last March saw staff following up with each student over a call, text, and email when the college turned remote. Both campaigns paid off: She says the concerted outreach “directly contributed” to retaining nearly all of last year’s student

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