Founded in 2014, the Success Center provides strategic thought partnership to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. Through professional development, policy development, and special projects, the Success Center assists the Chancellor’s Office in its effort to implement large-scale, systemwide student success reforms.

The California Community College system’s Vision for Success was adopted by the Board of Governors in 2017.  This included a set of bold systemwide goals and commitments designed to ensure that the largest system of higher education in the nation helps students achieve their educational and career goals while also meeting the workforce needs of the state. The Success Center considers this document its “North star” and maintains a strict focus on the Vision for Success as it supports the Chancellor’s Office work to achieve these goals.

Focus and Projects

The Success Center, which was launched in fall 2014, is focused on several priorities:

• Providing data-informed suggestions.  We provide recommendations for shaping student success efforts across the state, backed by thorough data and analysis.
• Conducting detailed and focused research. Our approach to research focuses on providing detailed background information and data analysis to support Vision for Success goals.
• Offering professional development opportunities. We develop tools and offer opportunities for the colleges to most effectively implement the Vision for Success goals statewide.
• Convening stakeholders. We convene researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to build relationships and catalyze actionable research to benefit community colleges.

Policy and Research

The Success Center provides rigorous, actionable, and timely policy development and research support to the Chancellor’s Office, especially as it relates to student success through the implementation of the Guided Pathways framework and the goals set forth in the Vision for Success.

The work of the Policy Development and Research division of the Success Center includes:

• Identifying critical policy areas and emerging state and national reforms
• Providing data-informed suggestions for policy change aimed at improving student success by translating results of research into policy proposals
• Managing special policy development and in-depth research projects with funding from philanthropic partners

Professional Development

In order to support the Vision for Success, the Success Center provides tools, best practices, and convening opportunities for faculty and staff, allowing the system to work together in implementation of the Vision for Success goals. 

Professional development work focuses on:

• Developing and supporting online tools available to the system that offer professional development resources
• Hosting convenings that bring together professionals from across the state to share best practices for supporting student success
• Sharing actionable strategies for meeting Vision for Success goals

Partners and Funders 

The Success Center works with the Chancellor's Office and with critical partners and philanthropic foundations to support our efforts in policy, research, and professional development.