National Center for Postsecondary Research

The National Center for Postsecondary Research (NCPR) was a partnership that included the Community College Research Center at Columbia University’s Teachers College, MDRC, the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia, and faculty at Harvard University.

Funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of Education from 2006 to 2012, the center focused on measuring the effectiveness of programs designed to help students make the transition to college and master the basic skills needed to advance to a degree. NCPR conducted studies on topics such as developmental education, including learning communities and summer bridge programs; dual enrollment, college readiness partnerships, and financial aid.

In 2014, IES funded a second center led by CCRC and MDRC that is continuing to research college readiness and developmental education, the Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness (CAPR).

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