| Title: |
The Montana 10 Student Support Program: Early Findings from an Experimental Evaluation |
| Language: |
English |
| Authors: |
Alyssa Ratledge; Makoto Toyoda; Erika Lewy, Contributor; Rebekah O’Donoghue, Contributor; Keith Olejniczak, Contributor; Austin Slaughter, Contributor; Kayla Warner, Contributor; Diane Wren, Contributor; MDRC |
| Source: |
MDRC. 2025. |
| Availability: |
MDRC. 16 East 34th Street 19th Floor, New York, NY 10016-4326. Tel: 212-532-3200; Fax: 212-684-0832; e-mail: publications@mdrc.org; Web site: http://www.mdrc.org |
| Peer Reviewed: |
N |
| Page Count: |
21 |
| Publication Date: |
2025 |
| Sponsoring Agency: |
Ascendium Education Group, Inc.; Institute of Education Sciences (ED) |
| Contract Number: |
R305C240065 |
| Document Type: |
Reports - Evaluative |
| Education Level: |
Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges |
| Descriptors: |
Public Colleges; Undergraduate Students; Access to Education; College Enrollment; Academic Persistence; Low Income Students; In State Students; Student Financial Aid; Academic Advising; Career Counseling; Academic Support Services; Community Colleges; Program Implementation; Student Experience; Program Effectiveness; Academic Achievement |
| Geographic Terms: |
Montana |
| Abstract: |
Open- and broad-access public colleges (those with open or minimally selective admissions policies) serve the majority of American undergraduates, especially those who come from low-income backgrounds or are the first in their families to attend college. In Montana, more than 90 percent of undergraduates attend the 16 public institutions within the Montana University System; the remainder attend one of the state's three private universities or seven tribal colleges. Despite the geographic spread of the institutions in the Montana University System, large swaths of Montana's rural population live very far from any college. In response to the great need to improve college access and college completion rates in the state and based on rigorous research evidence on what works to improve graduation rates for students from low-income backgrounds, Montana's Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education has developed and implemented a statewide initiative called Montana 10. The goal of Montana 10 is to meet the needs of Montana's college students to ensure they enroll in and graduate from public colleges and universities in the state. In particular, Montana 10 seeks to support students who live in rural areas, are from low-income families, are first-generation college students, or are Native American. This multifaceted program combines financial assistance, specialized advising and career services, and academic support, all in a one-stop shop for students. Montana 10 offers students two to four full years of services, depending on the length of their study program, and operates in all types of institutions in the state, from small, rural community colleges to the large, four-year flagship university. MDRC is evaluating Montana 10 through a randomized controlled trial, in which students are randomly assigned to either the program (Montana 10) or a control group ("business as usual" at the college). This brief summarizes the Montana 10 intervention, the research study, the study sample, and early qualitative and quantitative findings for a subset of the full sample. |
| Abstractor: |
ERIC |
| IES Funded: |
Yes |
| Entry Date: |
2026 |
| Accession Number: |
ED678122 |
| Database: |
ERIC |