Student Achievement Data

Seven student achievement/success measures are used by all 58 community colleges within the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS). These measures are called the NCCCS Performance Measures of Student Success and are commonly referred to as the Performance Measures. Each Performance Measure has goals that include a baseline as the minimum threshold level as well as an excellence level. These levels remain the same for three years and are then reset based on statewide performance.

Basic Skills Student Progress

Purpose:

To ensure individuals with low literacy skills are progressing academically toward credential or employment.

Description:

Percentage of Periods of Participation (PoP) with at least one Measurable Skill Gain (MSG).

Calculation:

Denominator: Number of Periods of Participation (PoP) during the Basic Skills program year (July 1 to June 30). A PoP begins each time a student enrolls in adult education, accumulates at least 12 contact hours, and then exits the program. Subsequent periods occur when a student re-enters the program after 90 days have lapsed since the person last received services and accumulates 12 or more contact hours. If there is no exit, the PoP continues to the next program year.

Numerator: Based on the denominator, number of periods of participation in which at least one measurable skill gain was achieved.

Participants can demonstrate MSG in in five ways:

• Pre and Post testing: The student scores high enough on an NRS approved posttest to place into a higher educational functioning level than indicated by the student’s pretest.
• Adult High School Credits: The student enters an Adult High School (AHS) program with less than 75% of the required AHS credits and obtained enough AHS credits to exceed the 75% threshold prior to the end of the program year (June 30)
• Post‐Secondary Enrollment: The student exits the program and subsequently enrolls in post-secondary education prior to the end of the program year (June 30). Post-secondary enrollment is verified by data matching to the National Student Clearinghouse and the NCCCS Data Warehouse.
• High School Equivalency Test Graduate: The student achieves a passing score on State-approved high school equivalency tests (GED, HiSET, or TASC) prior to the end of the program year (June 30). Credit is given based on matching student records to a passers database populated by the test vendors. Matching occurs based on an exact match of first name, last name and date of birth and/or the HSEID.
• Adult High School Graduate: The student completes the requirements of the Adult High School program and is issued an adult high school diploma prior to the end of the program year (June 30).

Student Success Rate in College-Level English Courses

Purpose:

To ensure students are successfully completing a credit-bearing English course within their first three academic years.

Description:

Percentage of first-time associate degree seeking and transfer pathway students passing a credit-bearing English course with a “C” or better within three years of their first fall term of enrollment.

Calculation:

Denominator: First-time fall associate degree and transfer pathway students (i.e., students with a curriculum code that begins with an A or P) during their first fall.

Numerator: Of those in the denominator, the number earning a standard letter grade of A, B, C, or P in at least one credit bearing (course number >=100) English course within three years (by the end of the third summer term).

Note: See appendix for new first-time fall cohort definition

First Year Progression

Purpose:

To ensure first-year students are making progress toward credential completion.

Description:

Percentage of first-time fall credential-seeking students who graduate prior to or enroll in postsecondary education during the subsequent fall term.

Calculation:

Denominator: First-time fall credential-seeking curriculum students.

Numerator: Of those in the denominator, the number who graduate with a postsecondary credential prior to the subsequent fall term or return to post-secondary education during the subsequent fall term.

Note: See appendix for new first-time fall cohort definition

Curriculum Student Completion

Purpose:

To ensure student completion and/or persistence toward a post-secondary credential in a timely manner.

Description:

Percentage of first-time fall credential-seeking curriculum students who have graduated, transferred, or are still enrolled during the fourth academic year with 42 successfully completed non-developmental hours.

Calculation

Denominator: First-time fall curriculum students

Numerator: Of those in the denominator, the number of students who have graduated, transferred, or are still enrolled during the fourth academic year (fall, spring, or summer) with at least 42 successfully completed non-developmental hours.

To be successful, students must complete one or more of the following:

• Graduation: Graduated from a North Carolina Community College credential program (A, D, or C) before the end of the 4th summer term following the first fall semester.
• Transfer: Transferred to a 4-year college as indicated in the National Student Clearinghouse database at any point through the end of the 4th summer term following the first fall semester.
• Persistence: Student is enrolled in an NCCCS college during the 4th academic year (fall, spring or summer) and has successfully completed at least 42 non-developmental credit hours by the end of the summer term. Successful completion is defined as achieving a course standard letter grade of A, B, C, or P.
• Note: See appendix for new first-time fall cohort definition

Licensure and Certification Passing Rate

*Licensure passing rate changed to a weighted test score index in the 2019 report.

Purpose:

To ensure programmatic coursework prepares students to competently practice in their chosen profession.

Description:

Weighted index score of first-time test-taker results on licensure and certification exams. Exams included in this measure are state mandated exams which candidates must pass before becoming active practitioners. Weights are based on the tier associated with the related instructional program.

Calculation:

License Index Score (LIS): First time pass rate on an exam divided by the statewide first-time pass rate on same exam

License Weighted Denominator (LWD): Number of first-time test-takers for an exam multiplied by the exam tier weight (Tier 1A = 1.30, Tier 1B = 1.15, Tier 2/3 = 1.00)

Total Weighted Denominator (TWD): Sum of License Weighted Denominators across all exams (LWD1+LWD2+LWD3+…)

Total Weighted Numerator (TWN): Sum of the product of each License Index Score and their License Weighted Denominator [(LIS1 × LWD1) +
(LIS2 × LWD2) + (LIS3 × LWD3) + …)

Total Weighted Index Score: Total Weighted Numerator (TWN) divided by Total Weighted Denominator (TWD)

College Transfer Performance

Purpose:

To ensure the academic success of community college students who transfer to a four-year college or university.

Description:

Among community college Associate Degree completers and those who have completed 30 or more articulated transfer credits who subsequently transfer to a four-year university or college during the fall semester, the percentage who graduate prior to or remain enrolled at any four-year college or university the subsequent fall semester.

Calculation:

Denominator: Students who earned an Associate Degree during the fall, spring, and/or summer of the academic year and/or accumulated at least 30 articulated transfer credits in the NCCCS prior to the end of the summer term of the cohort year, who enrolled the subsequent fall in any 4-year college or university that participates in the National Student Clearinghouse Student Tracker program.

Numerator: Of those in the denominator, the number who graduate with a bachelor’s degree or higher prior to the next subsequent fall semester or remained enrolled in any 4-year college or university during the subsequent fall semester.