Integrating Periodic Review with an Expanded Student Success Agenda

1. Integrating Periodic Review with anExpanded Student Success Agenda MSCHE 2011 Annual Conference Mary Frances Archey, VP for Learning and Student Development Kevin G. Smay, Executive Director of Strategic Planning

2. The Community College of Allegheny County • Serves Pittsburgh PA metro area • Four Campuses • Five Centers • 33,000 annual unduplicated credit headcount • 30,000 annual unduplicated non-credit headcount • 5,000 students access CCAC via distance education • 2,663 grads last year • Among two year colleges: • Largest producer of nursing grads • Second largest producer of allied health professionals

3. Challenges facing CCAC and Other Community Colleges • Increasing numbers of under-prepared students • Expanded governmental regulations • Focus on accountability • Shrinking financial resources

4. Integrating Major College Functions • Middle States Periodic Review • Achieving the Dream Initiative • Institutional Planning • Student Success Tactical Plan • National Completion Agenda

5. Recent Accreditation History • 2005 Warned that accreditation may be in jeopardy • Standard 7: Assessment of Institutional Effectiveness • Standard 14: Assessment of Student Learning • 2006 • 1st Monitoring Report and Small Team Visit • CCAC admitted into Achieving the Dream • 2007 2nd Monitoring Report • December 2009 PRR Process kick-off • June 2011 PRR submitted to peers and MSCHE • August 2011 reviewers’ report accepted as written

6. Approach to Periodic Review • 17 member team representing college locations and functions • Several team members attended Middle States PRR workshop in Philadelphia • Started early and followed program recommended in PRR Handbook • Used a SharePoint Site to facilitate group work from multiple campuses • Established a “knowledge base” for future self study • PRR occurred parallel to strategic plan update

8. Tips • Start early • Assemble a team that can help tell your PRR story • Think positively • Give yourself credit for the progress you have made • Be relentless

9. Periodic Review ObjectivesSource: Handbook for Periodic Review 2011 • To assess the impact of significant major developments, changes, or challenges subsequent to the last evaluation • To assess the institution’s response to recommendations resulting from the previous evaluation • To review the institution’s enrollment trends, financial status, and enrollment and financial projections • To determine the current status of the implementation of plans for the assessment of institutional effectiveness and the assessment of student learning outcomes (accreditation standards 7 and 14) • To assess the extent to which linked institutional planning and budgeting processes are in place (standard 2)

10. Focus of Periodic Review • Institutional Assessment (Standard 7) • Assessment of Student Learning (Standard 14) • Planning, Resource Allocation, and Institutional Renewal (Standard 2)

11. Achieving the Dream • ATD is national nonprofit that is dedicated to helping more community college students, particularly low-income students and students of color, stay in school and earn a college certificate or degree. • Conceived in 2004 by Lumina Foundation • 160 community colleges and institutions • Helps 3.5 million community college students • CCAC admitted in 2006

12. Achieving the Dream Leader Colleges • CCAC achieved a Leader College status in 2011 • Leader Colleges exemplify: • systematic improvement • use of data • broad-based participation • elimination of achievement gaps • Motivate other colleges to advance • Pilot, scale initiatives

13. Alignment with Achieving the Dream (ATD)

14. INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

15. Standard Seven Key ElementsInstitutional Assessment • Documented, organized assessment processes to evaluate the total range of programs and services • Time-bound, resourced, comprehensive yet simple and practical • Assessment results are shared, discussed and used for planning, resource allocation and improvement • Written institutional plan based on assessment results • Periodic evaluation of the assessment process itself

16. ATD Parallels to Standard SevenFour Principles of Institutional Improvement • Systemic institutional improvement • Use of evidence to improve programs and services • Broad engagement • Committed leadership • Administrators, board members, and faculty and staff leaders demonstrate a willingness to make changes in policies, programs, and resource allocation to improve student success. • ATD institutional plans based on a year-long self assessment process.

17. CCAC’ Institutional Effectiveness Model

18. Measurement of Institutional Effectiveness • ACT Student Opinion Survey (2-Year College Form) • Supports assessment of student service units • Administered every two years • Compares institutional scores with prior year’s administration and national benchmarks • Topics: • Background information • College Impressions • College Services • College Environment

19. Investing in Data Needed for Assessment 2009 Sampling N = 450 2011 All Students N = 1,951 Web based Administration

20. Section III: College Services

22. ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING

23. Standard Fourteen Key ElementsAssessment of Student Learning • Clearly articulated student learning outcomes • Documented, organized and sustainable assessment processes • Time-bound, resourced, comprehensive yet simple and practical. • Collaboration between faculty and administration • Evidence that students are achieving key institutional learning outcomes • Assessment results are shared, discussed and used to improve teaching and learning • Integration with institutional assessment

24. Achieving the Dream Initiative • Student centered vision • ATD interested in disaggregated data to reveal and address achievement gaps • Follows cohorts from start dates • ATD Outcomes: • advance from remedial to credit-bearing courses; • enroll in and successfully complete gatekeeper courses; • enroll from one semester to the next; • earn degrees and/or certificates.

25. Strategic Priority One: Ensure the success of learners through ongoing assessment of learning outcomes and overall institutional effectiveness. Alignment: Student Success Tactical Plan 2010-15 Achieving the Dream • Improve learner success in developmental courses • Increase learner retention and academic success • Increase the number of learners who graduate • Develop a culture of assessment and effectiveness

26. CCAC Response • Learning assessment processes and infrastructure put in place and implemented • Student Success tactical plan

27. Achieving the Dream – Direct Interventions • Supplemental Instruction • Learning Communities • Early Intervention • First Year Experience (SDS 102) • Math Enrichment

28. Achieving the Dream – Policy Changes • Began with a data-driven review of policies and procedures • “Identify existing values, assumptions, structures and systems at the college that nurture and impede student success” • ATD Kick-off Institute manual, July 2006 • D Policy • Tiered Probation • Reading First • Elimination of the Graduation Application Fee

29. Developmental Course Completion TrendPercent who complete developmental courses by second year. Source: ATD Measures Report, September 2011

30. Student Success Matrix: ATD Proxy Groups

31. Student Success Matrix: Program Cohorts * The first year for Pittsburgh Promise Fall 2008

32. Student Success Matrix: Student Goal

33. Student Success: Engagement and RetentionThe Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) Focus - institutional practices and student behaviors that promote student engagement Benchmarks - 38 of the most important survey items are grouped into five conceptually related categories of high-quality educational practices 3rd administration – able to measure changes over time

34. Raw Benchmark Scores 2007-2011

35. 2011 Standardized Benchmark Scores • The mean is always 50. • Scores are relative to the overall performance of the institutions in the cohort. • 2011 cohort = 699 institutions

36. National Graduation InitiativeDegree Completion Agenda * President Obama – Goal/Challenge given in 2010 to have the highest proportion of students in the world graduating from college by 2020 * The Gates Foundation - double the number of individuals who earn a postsecondary degree by 2025 * The Lumina Foundation - increasing the proportion of U.S. adults who earn college degrees to 60 % by 2025.

37. National Graduation InitiativeCCAC Scenario with Class of 2011 Update Assumes 7.3% growth in graduates per year 2,663 Historical average = 2,119 graduates per year Growth target was 161 and actual was 495 grads.

38. Improved Graduate Survey Richer Data for Program Review Process

39. Graduate Employment by Program Area

40. PLANNING AND RESOURCES

41. Standard Two Key ElementsPlanning, Resource Allocation and Institutional Renewal • Clearly stated goals drawn from assessment results that are linked to mission and resource allocation • Clearly communicated and participative planning processes • Assignment of responsibility and accountability • A record of improvement efforts and results • Assessment of planning and resource allocation processes

42. ATD Parallels to Standard SevenLeader College Characteristics • Systematic institutional improvement: • An established strategic planning process • Annual plans focus on student success • Regular review of programs and services • Linked budgeting, planning and assessment • Student success agenda integrated with accreditation activity

43. Institutional Planning • Five-year strategic plans • Scorecard • Annual operating plans • Quarterly review process • Tactical Plans • Student Success • Diversity and Inclusion • Workforce • Institutional Data Forum • Institutional Data Forum • “Student Success Matrix” reports to board of trustees

44. Student Success Tactical Plan • Preparation • Placement Testing • Orientation • Engagement • Academic Advising • First Year Experience Course • Retention • Early Intervention • Financial Aid • Student Activities • Completion • Graduation • Job Placement

45. Discontinuation of Supplemental Instruction in Developmental Mathematics 09FA Cohort

46. Institutional Planning • Program Reviews • Academic • Student Development • Conducted Annually and Every Five Years • Incorporates assessment activities

47. Student Success Tactical Plan: 2010-2015 • Improve learner success at CCAC in developmental education courses and the selection of appropriate courses. • Student Success Interventions • Developmental Studies • SDS 102 • Math Initiative • Reading and English support

48. Student Success Tactical Plan: 2010-2015 • Expand student involvement with in-class and college sponsored events • CSSE Benchmarks • Co-and Extra-curricular activities • Online Services • Library/Learning Centers • Increase student retention and academic progress as measured by credits completed and GPA earned • Early Intervention • Case Management/Student Success Coaches • Faculty Resource Program • Financial Assistance

49. Student Success Tactical Plan: 2010-2015 • Increase the number and rate of students meeting their stated goals at the College • Graduation • Transfer • Job Placement • Certification Examinations • Expand the college’s programs to increase student success through professional development and grant funded programs • Outreach • Professional Development • Foundation and Other Grants

50. Student Success Tactical Plan--Resources Federal Grants—Selective • Biotech Workforce Collaborative • National Science Foundation--$ 597,920 • Center of Excellence for Veterans Student Success • US Dept of Education—Post Secondary Education-- $423,435 • Innovative Strategies—Mechatronics • US Dept of Ed-Post Secondary Education-$748,896 • Perkins • PA Dept of Education--$ 1,184,492 • RN Achievement Grant • US Dept of Health and Human Services--$1,211,852 • TAACCCT • US Dept of Labor-Employment and Training Adm--$ 2,629,935 (CCAC)