In this issue brief, we discuss our evaluation of the Wisconsin Technical College System’s delivery of various support services to improve healthcare students’ success.
In 2014, 16 colleges from the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) embarked on a project to develop, improve, and expand adult education and training for healthcare-related occupations. Like many other states across the country, Wisconsin experienced tremendous growth in the healthcare industry over the last 20 years, driven in part by an aging population and associated healthcare needs.
Strategies include academic supports such as enhanced classroom instruction, tutoring, and test preparation, as well as non-academic supports like personal counseling and case management, job search and placement, and study skills and time management.
This Issue Brief is structured as follows:
- Section 1: An overview of national research on support services and student success, with a focus on technical and community colleges.
- Section 2: A typology of the various supports offered at ACT for Healthcare colleges, providing a description of each approach, and presenting examples from various colleges to highlight promising practices.
- Conclusion: A summary and overview of next steps for the evaluation.
