Achieving the Dream (AtD): Community Colleges Count, originally funded by the Lumina Foundation, is a multiyear national initiative to help more community college students succeed. The initiative is particularly concerned about student groups that traditionally have faced significant barriers to success, including students of color, low-income students, and first generation college students.

In Summer 2006, Lone Star College System received funding from the Houston Endowment Foundation to join 58 other colleges and 14 national partner organizations in the Achieving the Dream initiative. As part of the Achieving the Dream initiative, we will be working to improve student achievement by making lasting changes in both our practices and culture. The 2006/2007 academic year was used for planning and Lone Star College System staff and faculty identified 5 critical areas:

• Completion of developmental math, reading and writing sequence;
• Transition from developmental into credit classes;
• Completion of two critical gatekeeper courses- College algebra and English Composition I;
• Fall to fall retention/persistence; and
• Promotion of community engagement. 

• Creating a campus climate where early and continuous intervention is part of the college culture, thus providing additional support to the most at-risk students;
• Developing and implementing a student success course;
• Focusing a program of professional development for faculty and student services staff to promote a culture of evidence and to improve student engagement in the learning and advising processes;
• Reviewing policies, practices and procedures related to advising, assessment, placement, prerequisites, and payment practices; and
• Engaging the community in an advisory capacity.