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Does Free College 'Work' for Adults? Enrollment Impacts of Michigan Reconnect

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Title: Does Free College 'Work' for Adults? Enrollment Impacts of Michigan Reconnect
Language: English
Authors: Sky Duke, Taylor Odle (ORCID 0000-0001-9188-8575)
Source: Educational Researcher. 2026 55(4):244-254.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 11
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Two Year Colleges
Adult Education
Descriptors: Community Colleges, Adult Education, Student Financial Aid, College Enrollment, Adult Students, Sex, Age, Part Time Students, State Programs, Program Descriptions, Program Effectiveness
Geographic Terms: Michigan
DOI: 10.3102/0013189X251393204
ISSN: 0013-189X
1935-102X
Abstract: Despite rapid growth in adult free-college ("reconnect") programs, little is known about their impact on the enrollment of adults. We leverage the 2020 rollout of Michigan Reconnect to estimate causal impacts of a statewide adult free community college program on adult enrollment overall and enrollment of adults by gender, enrollment intensity, and age. We show that Michigan Reconnect significantly increased adult enrollment in community colleges by 38% (roughly 620 students), with larger gains among women and younger adults (ages 25-34). However, we show these increases were entirely driven by growth in part-time students. We expand the empirical understanding reconnect programs, discuss actionable recommendations for policy and practice, and lay a foundation for future research in this area.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1503704
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Does Free College 'Work' for Adults? Enrollment Impacts of Michigan Reconnect
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sky+Duke%22">Sky Duke</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Taylor+Odle%22">Taylor Odle</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9188-8575">0000-0001-9188-8575</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Educational+Researcher%22"><i>Educational Researcher</i></searchLink>. 2026 55(4):244-254.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: 11
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Two+Year+Colleges%22">Two Year Colleges</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Adult+Education%22">Adult Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Community+Colleges%22">Community Colleges</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adult+Education%22">Adult Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Financial+Aid%22">Student Financial Aid</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Enrollment%22">College Enrollment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adult+Students%22">Adult Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sex%22">Sex</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age%22">Age</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Part+Time+Students%22">Part Time Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22State+Programs%22">State Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Descriptions%22">Program Descriptions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Effectiveness%22">Program Effectiveness</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Michigan%22">Michigan</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
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  Data: 10.3102/0013189X251393204
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0013-189X<br />1935-102X
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Despite rapid growth in adult free-college ("reconnect") programs, little is known about their impact on the enrollment of adults. We leverage the 2020 rollout of Michigan Reconnect to estimate causal impacts of a statewide adult free community college program on adult enrollment overall and enrollment of adults by gender, enrollment intensity, and age. We show that Michigan Reconnect significantly increased adult enrollment in community colleges by 38% (roughly 620 students), with larger gains among women and younger adults (ages 25-34). However, we show these increases were entirely driven by growth in part-time students. We expand the empirical understanding reconnect programs, discuss actionable recommendations for policy and practice, and lay a foundation for future research in this area.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1503704
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.3102/0013189X251393204
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 11
        StartPage: 244
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Community Colleges
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Adult Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Financial Aid
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Enrollment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Adult Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sex
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Age
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Part Time Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: State Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Descriptions
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Effectiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Michigan
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Does Free College 'Work' for Adults? Enrollment Impacts of Michigan Reconnect
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            NameFull: Sky Duke
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            NameFull: Taylor Odle
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              M: 05
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 0013-189X
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              Value: 55
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            – TitleFull: Educational Researcher
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