What is Guided Pathways?

Guided Pathways is an integrated, highly structured, approach to student success that:

  • Provides all students with a set of clear course-taking patterns that promotes better enrollment decisions and prepares students for future success
  • Integrates support services in ways that make it easier for students to get the help they need during every step of their community college experience.

Guided Pathways is a college-wide reform that provides a framework for integrating initiatives such as Math Pathways, the Co-Requisite Model, and 60x30.

The Four Pillars of Guided Pathways

Guided Pathways consists of four dimensions or “Four Pillars”:

  • “Clarify the Path” – create clear curricular pathways to employment and further education
  • “Enter the Path” - help students choose and enter a program pathway
  • “Stay on the Path” – help students stay on their path
  • “Ensure Learning” - ensuring that learning is happening with intentional outcomes

Key Elements of Guided Pathways

  • Programs that are fully mapped out and aligned with further education and career advancement while also providing structured or guided exploration for undecided students.
  • Proactive academic and career advising from the start through completion and/or transfer, with assigned point of contact at each stage.
  • Early alert systems aligned with interventions and resources to help students stay on the pathway, persist, and progress.
  • Redesigning and integrating basic skills/developmental education classes to accelerate students to college-level classes.
  • Structured onboarding process including improved placement tests and co-requisite instruction that provide students with clear, actionable, and usable information they need to get to the right start in college.
  • Instructional support and co-curricular activities aligned with classroom learning and career interests.