2018 Performance Measures Results

Introduction

The Performance Measures for Student Success Report is the North Carolina Community College System’s major accountability document. This annual performance report is based on data compiled during the previous year and serves to inform colleges and the public about the performance of our 58 community colleges.

In 1993, the State Board of Community Colleges began monitoring performance data on specific measures to ensure public accountability for programs and services. In 1998, the General Assembly directed the State Board to review past performance measures and define standards to ensure programs and services offered by community colleges in North Carolina were of sufficient quality.

In 2010, a Performance Measures Committee was established to develop new performance-based student success measures to go into effect in 2013. During the development of these measures, it was determined that it was important to establish a three-year review process to ensure the measures and methods for evaluating colleges were current and remained focused on improving student success.

To facilitate the first three-year review of the measures, the Performance Measures Adjustment Committee was appointed to review the current set of measures and recommend deletions, revisions, and additions. This included individuals representing college leadership and research. The Committee formally presented the following seven measures to the State Board in March 2015:

Basic Skills Student Progress
Student Success Rate in College Level English Courses
Student Success Rate in College Level Math Courses
First Year Progression
Curriculum Student Completion
Licensure and Certification Passing Rate
College Transfer Performance

These measures were approved by the State Board and adopted by the General Assembly in 2016 through Section 10.1 of S.L.2016-94.

Baselines and Excellence Levels

As previous performance measures were being finalized in 2012, a Performance Funding Committee was appointed to develop a performance funding model incorporated into colleges’ regular formula budget allocations. One of the outcomes of this committee was the establishment of system-wide baseline and excellence levels for each measure. The committee recommended using consistent, statistically-defined levels to promote transparency, simplicity, and objectivity. This utilization of the levels is a departure from the System’s historical use of “standards.”

Based on three years of data (if available) for each measure, baseline levels are set two standard deviations below the system mean, and excellence levels are set one standard deviation above the system mean. These levels remain static for three years and are reset every three years.

Each performance measure begins with a purpose and description, goal and baseline, and the College’s performance for that measure. Additional information about the seven performance measures is available from the Wayne Community College Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

Basic Skills Student Progress. To ensure adult students with low literacy skills are progressing academically toward basic skill attainment necessary for employment and self-sufficiency. Percentage of Basic Skills students who achieve an Educational Functioning Level gain during the program year (July 1-June 30). System Excellence Level: 68.3%; System Baseline: 34.5%; WCC Performance=74.5%.
Student Success Rate in College-Level English Courses. To ensure students are successfully completing credit-bearing English courses within their first two academic years. Percentage of first-time Associate Degree seeking and transfer pathway students passing a credit-bearing English course with a “C” or better within two years of their first term of enrollment. System Excellence Level: 55.9%; System Baseline: 23.8%; WCC Performance=63.0%
Student Success Rate in College-Level Math Courses. To ensure students are successfully completing credit-bearing Math courses within their first two academic years. Percentage of first-time Associate Degree seeking and transfer pathway students passing a credit-bearing Math course with a “C” or better within two years of their first term of enrollment. System Excellence Level: 32.5%; System Baseline: 10.1%; WCC Performance=30.3%
First Year Progression. To ensure first-year students reach an academic momentum point that helps predict future credential completion. Percentage of first-time fall curriculum students attempting at least twelve credit hours who successfully complete at least twelve hours within their first academic year (fall, spring, summer). System Excellence Level: 75.0%; System Baseline: 54.1%; WCC Performance=69.9%
Curriculum Completion. To ensure student completion and/or persistence toward a post-secondary credential. Percentage of first-time fall curriculum students who, within six years of first term of enrollment, have either graduated, transferred, or are still enrolled with at least 36 non-developmental credit hours. System Excellence Level: 51.9%; System Baseline: 35.9%; WCC Performance=49.4%
Licensure and Certification Passing Rate. To ensure programmatic coursework prepares students to competently practice in their chosen profession. Aggregate institutional passing rate of first-time test-takers on licensure and certification exams. Exams included in this measure are state mandated exams which candidates must pass before becoming active practitioners. System Excellence Level: 90.9%; System Baseline: 69.9%; WCC Performance=88.6%
College Transfer Performance. To ensure the academic success of community college students who transfer to a four-year college or university. The percentage of students who exited NCCCS after having completed an Associate Degree and/or least 30 cumulative hours of articulated transfer credits and subsequently transferred to a four-year college or university and earned a GPA of 2.25 or better after two consecutive semesters within the academic year at the institution. System Excellence Level: 87.6%; System Baseline: 65.1%; WCC Performance=80.1%