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1️⃣ Awareness of—and access to—caregiving and wraparound services
Multiple barriers make college attendance difficult for students from special populations, including limited childcare support, high living costs, transportation constraints, among others. Participants called for greater awareness of available supports and institutionalized processes that strengthen coordination and delivery.
2️⃣ Accommodating course scheduling and academic support
Special populations have high work and caregiving demands (on average, 28 to 32 hours for students who leave before completion), creating a clear need for course offerings that fit complex schedules. Forum participants suggested that colleges offer expanded evening/weekend course offerings, short-term and asynchronous options, and integrated support services.
3️⃣ Varied learning modalities with high-quality instruction and digital support
Survey results showed varying preferences for learning modalities, reinforcing that flexibility matters and no single course format fits all students. Colleges should align modality to course purpose, invest in online instructional design and faculty development, and ensure technology access and basic digital/AI literacy.
4️⃣ Work-based learning opportunities and access to programs that lead to priority jobs
Forum participants and survey respondents emphasized three strategies to strengthen employment outcomes for students from special populations: 1) increase students’ awareness of high-wage, high-demand careers and their programs; 2) strengthen job readiness with career services support; and 3) formalize employer partnerships and expand work-based learning (WBL) opportunities.
5️⃣ A caring campus with high-touch guidance and culturally inclusive, trauma-informed practices
Forum participants recommended three actions to help cultivate a "caring campus": 1) provide trauma-informed training for faculty and staff; 2) require brief orientation modules on navigating college supports for all new students; and 3) strengthen cross-unit coordination so counselors and instructors align on information and accommodations.
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