Postsecondary systems change through Early College reform : a grid and group analysis of two community colleges

My research examines the systems change occurring within two exemplar community colleges in Texas associated with the implementation of Early College (EC). Extant literature indicates EC is an effective policy tool to increase postsecondary completion rates for underrepresented minority students. The body of literature is focused on EC reform within the K-12 system. Emerging research on systems change focuses on pathway alignment happening outside of the college. I examine the underexplored topic of systems change occurring within the college. This qualitative comparative case study provides a deeper understanding of the potential of EC to effectively align disparate K-12 and higher education systems (Royse et al., 2016). I employ Mary Douglas’s institutional theory of culture and utilize grid and group analysis (Douglas, 1973, 1982, 1986; Harris, 1995, 2005, 2015), surveying 10 EC stakeholders to systematically classify the cultural typology of each EC program. Drawing on 11 interviews of EC stakeholders, I provide a rich description of five components of systems change grounded in the context of each institution’s unique cultural typology (Alvarado & Vargas, 2019b; Greiff et al., 2003). Findings illuminate practical applications for institutional leaders seeking to address historical patterns of systemic inequity.