“A Ragtag Team of Like[-Minded] Individuals Who Are Willing to Help”: The Implementation and Evolution of Student Support Services at Community Colleges with Promise Programs

July 2026

As promise programs have become increasingly popular at community colleges, these institutions have either created or repurposed student services for their promise students, in addition to covering their tuition and fees. Using a multiple case study design, we interviewed 32 community college administrators and analyzed documents to understand how support services associated with promise programs are implemented at community colleges. We found that community colleges were able to capitalize on the localized nature of programs to facilitate a smoother transition between high school and college, but that services were largely shaped by institutional constraints and capacity. Practitioners exercised their discretion to revamp services based on lessons learned during implementation, shifts in the operating environment, and student feedback.

Keywords

promise programs; student support services; policy implementation; street-level bureaucrats

Education level

Post-secondary education

Topics

Pathways to and Through Postsecondary