California Reconnect Program Evaluation: An Independent Study by Education Northwest
Third-party program evaluation shares early results and learnings from InsideTrack's California Reconnect initiative
California Reconnect is a three-year pilot initiative led by InsideTrack, in partnership with the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), aimed at re-engaging California learners who have earned some college credit but have not yet completed a credential or degree. In collaboration with higher education institutions across the state, California Reconnect supports returning students through personalized success coaching and institutional capacity building, with the ultimate goal of helping learners get back on track toward program completion, improve their employment opportunities, and gain upward economic mobility.
In the spring of 2025, Education Northwest, an independent 3rd-party evaluator, released an evaluation of California Reconnect’s initial results. This evaluation report highlights early insights, successes and lessons learned from the initiative’s first phase of implementation — including measured impact on the “some college, no credential” students and recommendations for systemic improvements in re-enrollment practices across California’s colleges and universities.
The first cohort of the California Reconnect initiative showed promising results
In this evaluation, you'll find:
- Background on the California Reconnect initiative, including measured progress against program objectives
- Firsthand accounts from California Reconnect learners about their re-enrollment coaching experience
- An exploration into how institutional factors impact learners’ re-enrollment journeys
- Insights from institutional community of practice meetings, including staff experiences with and learnings from program implementation
- Documentation of institutional processes and policies that might promote increased student re-enrollment across the California higher education system
