Dr. Karen A. Stout
The Scaling Shortened Academic Terms initiative, announced by Achieving the Dream (ATD) and funded by Ascendium Education Group, will support colleges that have already begun implementing compressed terms—such as eight-week semesters or quarters—to accelerate their progress and build institutional capacity for sustaining these models.
The selected institutions include four Maryland colleges: Community College of Baltimore County, Howard Community College, Montgomery College, and Wor-Wic Community College. Michigan is represented by Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Mid Michigan College, and Oakland Community College. Five Ohio institutions were chosen: Columbus State Community College, Edison State Community College, Hocking College, Lorain County Community College, and Northwest State Community College. Virginia's participants include Brightpoint Community College, Mountain Empire Community College, Rappahannock Community College, and Tidewater Community College.
Traditional 15-week semesters can create barriers for students juggling college with employment and family obligations, according to ATD. Shortened terms allow students to concentrate on fewer courses simultaneously while maintaining academic momentum and potentially completing credentials faster. Research suggests that well-designed compressed formats can increase course completion rates, improve persistence, and strengthen student confidence.
"We know that compressing time to degree and optimizing the delivery of our schedules, based on student needs, is essential as the field moves from completion to student economic and social mobility as our north star," said Dr. Karen A. Stout, ATD president and CEO.
The initiative will provide participating colleges with coaching, professional development, cross-state learning opportunities, and support for data-informed decision-making. Ascendium is also funding an external evaluation of the initiative through a complementary grant to the Community College Research Center at Teachers College, Columbia University.
"Accelerated term scheduling is a compelling innovation, but colleges need to approach it strategically, equipped with evidence about how and for whom it works," said Keith Witham, Ascendium president and CEO.
Stout noted the importance of the evaluation component in determining which students benefit most from shortened formats, what conditions enable successful implementation, and how to sustain these models long-term.
"We are grateful for Achieving the Dream's continued support as we expand our accelerated pathways to success at Howard Community College," said Howard Community College President Dr. Daria J. Willis. "These innovative programs demonstrate our commitment to removing barriers and creating flexible options that work for our students. Accelerated pathways represent a transformative approach to community college education—one that recognizes the diverse circumstances of our learners and empowers them to achieve their educational and career goals on a timeline that works for their lives."
ATD is a national reform network supporting more than 300 community colleges nationwide in advancing institutional transformation focused on equity and student success.
