Kilgore College’s Quality Enhancement Plan

1. Kilgore College’sQuality Enhancement Plan

2. QEP • The centerpiece for reaffirmation of our accreditation • Must change the learning environment • Must be measurable and quantifiable

3. QEP • Must focus on measurable student learning outcomes (not student achievement – retention, grades, graduates, etc.) • Must be instructor driven • Must be an institution-wide initiative • Constitutes a 5-year plan

4. Questions we have asked: • Where could KC make a great deal of improvement? • What data exist to indicate our problems or lack of success? • Where could we make the greatest impact? • And others…

5. We have conducted focus groups with • Faculty • Staff • Students • Community members • Retirees • Board members

6. What did we learn from these groups? Top ranked subjects on a scale of 1-5 were: • Students in any developmental class: 3.71 • Students in developmental reading: 3.34 • Students in developmental math: 3.23 • Students in developmental English: 2.63 • Students in classes with low success rates, including pre-health career courses: 2.37

7. What does the data show? • Of Fall total 5149 students – • All areas complete: 3397 or 66%* • Incomplete in at least one area: 1752 or 34% • *Caution: the 66% figure includes students who still need math 0308 and those students in certificate classes whose program does not require them to be TSI complete

8. First Time in College (FTIC) Students • Total: 1188 • All areas complete: 529 or 44.5%* • Incomplete in at least one area: 659 or 55.5% *Same comment as above re: math 0308 and certificate programs

9. Initial Testing Results Of those who take the THEA or other placement test, • Approximately 63-73% of math fail (variation depends on semester) • Approximately 38-49% of writing fail • Approximately 51-53% of reading fail • Approximately 69% failed at least one section • And… 21.5% of all those who needed testing fail all three areas

10. Student success in developmental courses – earned grade of A,B, or C in Spring ’07 • Math: 36.7% • Writing: 52.6% • Reading: 61.2%

11. Advantages/Disadvantages of each of the top three choices All developmental education: • probably too broad • would have to be narrowed • might include only first time in college students • might need to look at one level – such as all 0306 classes • could still be too broad • however, addresses all three areas

12. Advantages/Disadvantages Reading: • smaller cohort and manageable • only one full time reading teacher and many adjuncts • students have other ways to leave reading – through success in other college courses • reading skills critical to almost all other course work • students in developmental reading have highest rate of success, so is it our area of most critical need?

13. Advantages/Disadvantages Math: • much larger cohort; • sheer numbers are challenging • student success the lowest in math • we may have our least success in math • it could be the greatest challenge • how to narrow the QEP and have numerous faculty lead the initiative.

14. Challenges for KC • How to move from “language of deficiency” to “language of assets” • How to embrace an institution-wide, faculty driven initiative focused on creating significant success in student learning outcomes

15. Next steps: • Conduct this next round of faculty focus group balloting • Work more intensely with select groups of faculty to narrow the topic • Faculty-produced proposal moves forward for final faculty/staff approval • Select QEP team and begin to study best practices and formulate the Plan

16. Thank you for your valuable participation!