Success is what counts. A Better Way to Measure Community College Performance Presentation about the ATD Cross-State Data Workgroup NC Community College

Success is what counts.

A Better Way to Measure Community College Performance

Presentation about the ATD Cross-State Data WorkgroupNC Community College Planning & Research OrganizationMarch 19, 2010


Presentation Summary:

Overview of Achieving the Dream & the Cross-State Data Workgroup

Recommendations for an Alternative Set of Outcome Measures for Community Colleges

Development of Intermediate Milestones

Overview of the Developmental Education Initiative

Implications for Policy and Practice


Achieving the Dream Overview

National initiative to help more community college students succeed (earn degrees, earn certificates, or transfer)

Particularly focused on student groups that have faced the most significant barriers to success, including low-income students and students of color


Over 100 Institutions in 22 States


Achieving the Dream Values

Student-centered

Equity and excellence

Culture of evidence, inquiry, accountability, and shared responsibility


Components of Achieving the Dream

Institutional Change

Policy Development

Knowledge Development

Engagement


State Policy Priorities Clear public policy commitment to student success Strong data-driven accountability systems Aligned expectations, standards, and assessments across education sectors Incentives for improving success for underprepared students Financial aid policies that promote persistence Public support


Cross-State Data Workgroup


Test Drive: Six States Pilot Better Ways to Measure and Compare Community College Performance


Some of the Needed Changes to IPEDS:

Expand success outcomes to include:

Earned degree or certificate

Transferred without an award

Enrolled in with at least 30 hrs

Included full- AND part-time students

Change the timeframe to measuring success from three years to six years

Disaggregate results by age, enrollment status


Results of Cross-State Comparison from Test Drive








A Better Set of Community College Measures

Fourth- and Sixth-Year Measures Award of less than associate’s degree w/o transfer

Award of associate’s degree or higher w/o transfer

Award of less than associate’s degree and transferred

Award of associate’s degree or higher and transferred

Transferred w/o an award

Still enrolled with 30 or more college hours

Total success rate


2002 and 2004 Fourth-Year Final Success Measures Younger (18-22), Full-time Students

DRAFT DATA: DO NOT DISTRIBUTE WITHOUT PERMISSION


2002 and 2004 Fourth-Year Final Success Measures Younger (18-22), Part-time Students



Next Step: Developing Intermediate Benchmarks to Track Student Progress

First-Year Milestones Persisted fall to spring Passed 80% or more of attempted hours Earned 24 or more hours

Second-Year Milestones Persisted fall to fall Completed developmental math by year 2 Earned 48 or more hours

Third-Year Milestones Passed gatekeeper English or higher by year 3 Passed gatekeeper math or higher by year 3


Predicting Student SuccessFirst Year Age 22 or Younger

Full-time Part-time



Predicting Student SuccessFirst Year Age 23 or Older Full-time Part-time



Predicting Student SuccessSecond Year Age 22 or Younger Full-time Part-time



Predicting Student SuccessSecond Year Age 23 or Older Full-time Part-time



Predicting Student SuccessThird Year Age 22 or Younger Full-time Part-time



Predicting Student SuccessThird Year Age 23 or Older

Full-time Part-time



Tracking toward outcomes…final success is key

Fourth- and Sixth-Year Measures Award of less than associate’s degree w/o transfer

Award of associate’s degree or higher w/o transfer

Award of less than associate’s degree and transferred

Award of associate’s degree or higher and transferred

Transferred w/o an award

Still enrolled with 30 or more college hours

Total success rate


Next Steps…The Developmental Education Initiative

Three year initiative to improve the outcomes of students that place into developmental education: 6 states & 15 institutions

Run benchmarks at state and institutional levels

Disaggregate and analyze performance by:

academic readiness

income

ethnicity

gender

Identify and document promising interventions


Demographics – Comparing the SubgroupsYounger (18-22), Full-time Students (Florida Sample)

College Ready Students

Upper-Level Dev Ed Math Students

Lower-Level Dev Ed Math Students


Looking Across InstitutionsNC Sample: Passing gatekeeper math by year 3

by attendance status & age


What does all this mean and what are the implications?


Context of the Data

Reflects the mission of colleges/state systems Examples: age distribution, award distribution

Reflects differences in state priorities/policies Example: college transfer policy

Not all measures pertain to all students Example: gatekeeper math course


Implications of the Data: College Perspective

Identification of at-risk students Student advising Review of policies/practices

Examples: Course taking sequence/timing Drop/add policies


Implications of the Data: State/System Perspective

Policy development to improve student success Review of regulations Performance indicators Development/refinement of student database Benchmarking college performance


Implications of the Data: National Perspective

More appropriate measure of student success: accountability

Financial aid policy

Expand the body of knowledge on successful community colleges/practices


Questions?


Achieving the DreamSuccess is what counts.www.achievingthedream.org

Chris Baldwin – [email protected] DirectorJobs for the FutureBoston, MA

Documents

Success is what counts. A Better Way to Measure Community College Performance Presentation about the ATD Cross-State Data Workgroup NC Community College