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| For Release: IMMEDIATE | Contact: Public Affairs |
| Date: June 23, 2004 | (919) 807-6963 |
North Carolina Community Colleges earn top grades for performance
Raleigh:
Do you know what North Carolina college puts just about all of its graduates to work, keeps the people who hire those graduates happy, and delights its business customers?
If you named any of North Carolina’s community colleges, give yourself an "A."
According to a report just released by the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS), all 58 of its comprehensive community colleges last year met or exceeded the state’s rigorous standards for employment of graduates, employer satisfaction and business and industry satisfaction with customized training.
These are three of the 12 standards described in the annual Critical Success Factors Report, which documents each community college’s performance as part of strict accountability requirements of the General Assembly. This year’s report shows impressive gains in several areas.
For the past four years, community colleges have had the opportunity to earn the designation of "superior" based on their results. The first year, five of the 58 comprehensive community colleges earned "superior" rankings. Twenty-six did so the second year, and 31 colleges achieved that rank last year.
This year the total is 36 colleges with a "superior" ranking. The rankings are based on the 2002-2003 academic year. (Full listing follows this release).
"This report on how our colleges rated on Critical Success Factors is our ‘report card’ to the General Assembly and the people of North Carolina," said System President H. Martin Lancaster. "By any standard our colleges deserve an ‘A’ on their performance. Legislators and citizens can take great pride in how well their community colleges have responded to record enrollment with slightly declining net funding. Once again we've done more with less and done it well!"
Five community colleges received a perfect score by meeting or exceeding all 12 measures: Blue Ridge Community College (Flat Rock); Coastal Carolina Community College (Jacksonville); Fayetteville Technical Community College; Rockingham Community College (Wentworth); and Sandhills Community College (Pinehurst).
Blue Ridge Community College and Tri-County Community College (Murphy) have earned superior rankings in each of the four years the report has been generated.
"Our colleges are wholeheartedly committed to providing the programs and services that support the economic needs of North Carolina, " said Keith Brown, NCCCS Associate Vice President for Planning, Accountability, Research and Evaluation. "This report validates their dedication." Brown added the reports are made possible and more reliable by steadily improving data collection methods.
Examples of 2002-2003 results include:
- Business/Industry Satisfaction with Customized Training: Every business and industry client registered satisfaction with services provided by community colleges, earning all 58 community colleges and the system as a whole a 100 percent average, compared to the statewide standard of 90 percent.
- Employment of Graduates:
The statewide average for 2002-03 was 99.5% with all community colleges meeting or exceeding the performance standard of 95%.- Employer Satisfaction With Graduates:
The statewide average for 2002-03 was 94% with all community colleges meeting or exceeding the performance standard of 85%.- Licensure or Certification Exams for First-Time Test Takers:
The statewide average for 2002-03 was 86% of test takers receiving a passing score. Forty-eight community colleges met or exceeded the performance standard of 80%, eight more than last year. Community colleges prepare students for a myriad of professions that require state licensure or certification, including Nursing, Aviation Maintenance, Emergency Medical Technician, and Dental Hygiene.- Curriculum Student Retention & Graduation: The statewide average for 2002-03 was 64% with 51 community colleges meeting or exceeding the performance standard of 60%, up from 46 last year.
- Progress of Basic Skills Students
: The statewide average for 2002-03 was 79% with 51 community colleges meeting or exceeding the performance standard of 75%. Basic skills services include literacy, ESL, and other non-curriculum or certificate resources
The following community colleges earned superior rankings:
| Alamance | Fayetteville Technical | Robeson |
| Beaufort County | Gaston College | Rockingham |
| Bladen | Guilford Technical | Sandhills |
| Blue Ridge | Halifax | Southwestern |
| Central Piedmont | Haywood | Stanly |
| Cleveland | Lenoir | Surry |
| Coastal Carolina | Mayland | Tri-County |
| College of The Albemarle | McDowell | Vance-Granville |
| Craven | Mitchell | Wake Technical |
| Davidson County | Nash | Wayne |
| Durham Technical | Randolph | Western Piedmont |
| Edgecombe | Richmond | Wilson |
The complete 2004 Critical Success Factors Report is available on the NCCCS Web page at http://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/Publications/docs/Publications/csf2004.pdf Summary tables begin on page 45.
The North Carolina Community College System is the open door to opportunity, providing world-class workforce training and convenient, quality education resources.
-NCCCS-
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