Jonathan Feinstein, Texas state director at the Education Trust, a research and policy advocacy organization focused on closing educational equity gaps, said the funding boost has been especially meaningful to community colleges as federal COVID-19 relief funds dissipate. The new model prevents community colleges from feeling what could’ve been sharper post-COVID financial pangs and provides college leaders with “an opportunity to reflect and capitalize on some of the lessons they learned during the pandemic” about promoting student success, Feinstein said.