Compete LA

Abstract

Postsecondary education has never mattered more than it does presently. It is critical for adults, particularly for non-credentialed adults, to complete postsecondary pathways, ensuring they are prepared to compete in the global economy. Despite the well-documented benefits of a postsecondary degree, nearly one-fourth of adults in Louisiana have college experience, but no degree. Adult learners experience barriers to navigating higher education that negatively impact their ability to return and persist to graduation. Recognizing these challenges, the University of Louisiana System and their nine member institutions created Compete LA, a program designed to re-engage adult learners and create equitable academic pathways to obtaining a college degree. This chapter will serve as a case study by focusing on the creation and scaling of the Compete LA initiative. It will explore the characteristics of the team, the structural composition of the program, as well as the efforts to dismantle the systemic barriers that exist in higher education that make adult student re-entry challenging.