Randomized Control Trial of the Puente Community College Project

According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, a bachelor’s degree is an important pathway for economic mobility. Unfortunately, fewer than a third of community college students transfer to a 4-year institution within 6 years of initial enrollment.

Purpose

The Puente Project, implemented for over 40 years in California community colleges, aims to increase transfer and graduation rates for educationally underserved students through academic instruction, mentoring, and counseling.

The program is currently active in 67 colleges and is set to expand into all of California’s 115 community colleges, with funding from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO). This Randomized Control Trial (RCT) led by WestEd will be the first study to rigorously assess Puente’s impact on both short- and long-term student outcomes.

Audiences Served

Policymakers are actively seeking proven, scalable strategies to close persistent gaps in college access and completion for historically underserved students. Study findings will inform state- and campus-level decisions related to resource allocation, program design, and the strategic scaling of evidence-based supports that meaningfully address educational inequities.

Project Activities

WestEd is conducting a two-cohort, multisite, student-level RCT with California community colleges where demand for Puente enrollment exceeds program capacity. Students will be randomly assigned to either a Puente or a non-Puente group. Over a 10-year study period, the research will examine short-term outcomes predictive of degree attainment (credit accumulation, GPA, college-level English and math course completion, and retention), as well as long-term outcomes (completion of 60 transfer-eligible units, certificate or degree completion, transfer to a 4-year university, and 4-year degree attainment).

Noman Khanani 

Noman Khanani is an applied quantitative methodologist experienced in designing and leading rigorous evaluations of education programs, interventions, and policies. He specializes in experimental and quasi-experimental research, along with applied psychometrics, with a focus on early literacy, math education, and educator labor markets

Laura G. Lara-Brady 

Laura Lara-Brady is an education leader with more than 16 years of experience in advancing systems change across higher education. Her work bridges research, practice, and policy to help colleges, systems, and partners redesign structures that expand access, improve outcomes, and strengthen social and economic mobility—particularly for students from historically marginalized communities.

Funder

The project is funded by Arnold Ventures.

Project Duration

12/5/2025 – 4/30/2034