For many years there has been debate about how to help low income and first-generation college students succeed in college. A new Texas study of top performing colleges cites Northeast Texas Community College as one of the best examples of success with students who normally do not thrive at college.

The study, commissioned by the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education and released this week, is already being discussed in the halls of Congress and among policy makers in the Obama administration. The administration is seeking ways to reach President Obama's goal to have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. According to the Pell Institute, Northeast Texas Community college is one of six colleges in Texas who are already enjoying unexpected success with those students capable of a college degree but not typically earning a degree.

"As a community college we strive to provide the best education and support possible for our students. Now national policy makers are considering what we're doing here in Northeast Texas as a possible national answer," Dr. Brad Johnson, NTCC President, said.

The study highlights what is working to increase transfer rates for low-income and first-generation students at the six top performing community colleges in Texas (TCCD Southeast Campus, Trinity Valley Community College, Northeast Texas Community College, Laredo Community College, Victoria College, and Southwest Texas Junior College).

"We found that the community colleges in this study are deliberate and strategic about capitalizing on what works on their campuses; for example, leveraging the early exposure and confidence building of dual enrollment programs, providing targeted academic support to their students through early alert systems, and configuring the campus-wide practices of TRIO programs such as Student Support Services,"” said Chandra Taylor Smith, Ph.D., director of The Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education. “The way they bring these practices together to create effective transfer cultures may contribute to why these particular community colleges achieve higher than expected transfer rates among low-income and first-generation students.”

To learn more about Northeast Texas Community college visit ntcc.edu or call 903-434-8100.