Montgomery College Joins National Project to Expand Shorter, More Flexible Academic Terms

Montgomery College has been selected by Achieving the Dream (ATD), a national reform network committed to advancing community colleges as accessible hubs of learning, credentialing, and economic mobility, to participate in a new nationwide effort to help state and college higher education systems scale the adoption of shortened academic terms. Sixteen colleges nationwide will take part in the initiative.

The Scaling Shortened Academic Terms initiative, funded by Ascendium Education Group, will support participating colleges — all of which have already taken steps toward implementing shortened terms — in accelerating their progress as a strategy to improve student outcomes and align academic structures with the complex needs of today’s learners.

Traditional 15-week semesters can pose barriers for students who balance college with work, family, and other responsibilities. Shortened academic terms offer a flexible, evidence-informed alternative that allows students to focus on fewer courses at a time, maintain momentum, and complete credentials more quickly. Research and institutional experience show that well-designed short-term structures can boost course completion rates, increase persistence, and strengthen student confidence.

“Montgomery College is pleased to collaborate on this national initiative that reimagines how community colleges can better serve today’s learners,” said Dr. Jermaine F. Williams, president of Montgomery College. “Expanding shortened academic terms reflects our ongoing commitment to equity, access, and student success. By creating structures that are student-centered, equity-focused, and data-informed, we can help more learners achieve their goals, complete their credentials, and contribute to the strength and vitality of our communities.”

Scaling such models, however, requires intentional design, strong student supports, and alignment with institutional goals. The Scaling Shortened Academic Terms initiative addresses these challenges directly — helping colleges build the capacity to design, implement, and sustain shortened terms in ways that advance student success and expand the field’s evidence base for effective reform.

Through targeted coaching, professional development, cross-state learning, and data-informed decision-making, ATD will help participating colleges embed and sustain shortened term formats in ways that enhance student momentum and credential attainment.

The Community College Research Center (CCRC) at Teachers College, Columbia University, will lead a comprehensive external evaluation of the initiative to deepen the evidence base on effective design and implementation of shortened academic terms.

“This initiative reflects the kind of whole-college transformation ATD supports across our Network,” said ATD President and CEO Dr. Karen A. Stout. “By working with states and institutions already leading this change, we can scale structures that help students — especially adults and working learners — build momentum and achieve their goals. Equally important, the evaluation led by the Community College Research Center will provide the evidence the field needs to understand which students benefit most, what conditions enable success, and how to sustain these models over time. Together with our partners and Ascendium’s support, we are expanding both the evidence and the capacity needed to make shortened terms a sustainable part of student success strategies nationwide.”

Montgomery College joins three other colleges in Maryland — Community College of Baltimore County, Howard Community College, and Wor-Wic Community College — as well as colleges in Michigan, Ohio, and Virginia as participants in the initiative.