Early Momentum Metrics: Leading Indicators for Community College Improvement

This research brief examines nine early momentum metrics (EMMs) in community colleges, demonstrating how students’ first-year progress in credit accumulation, gateway course completion, and persistence strongly predicts their long-term credential completion rates across different student populations. By examining nine EMMs that strongly predict student completion rates, this resource provides you with actionable data to evaluate the potential long-term effects of large-scale reforms and guide your efforts to boost student success.