| For Release: IMMEDIATE | Contact: Public Affairs |
| Date: June 8, 2005 | (919) 807-6963 |
North Carolina Community Colleges earn top grades for performance
Raleigh: Community college students are extremely pleased with the education they receive. Employers are extremely pleased with the performance of community college students they hire. Businesses whose employees are trained by community colleges are extremely pleased with the customized training resources they receive.
A report just released by the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) indicates that for the second year in a row, all 58 of its comprehensive community colleges met or exceeded the state’s rigorous standards in three performance areas last year. The indicators are completer and non-completer satisfaction, 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 once again that North Carolina’s community colleges are a great investment paying tremendous dividends to the communities they serve.
For the past five years, community colleges have had the opportunity to earn the designation of "superior" based on their performance results. The first year, only four of the 58 comprehensive community colleges earned a "superior" ranking. After that first year, improvement was impressive. Twenty-six were ranked "superior" the second year, 31 the third year, and 36 achieved that ranking last year.
This year, there are 37 colleges with a "superior" ranking. The rankings are based on the 2003-2004 academic year. (Full listing follows this release).
"I continue to marvel each year at how well our colleges continue to perform, especially considering the growing enrollment and funding challenges our colleges must grapple with. This is our ‘report card’ to the General Assembly and to the people of North Carolina," said System President H. Martin Lancaster.
"By any standard all our colleges deserve an ‘A’ on their performance, several an A+. Legislators and citizens can take great pride in how well their community colleges have responded to the changing education and workforce preparedness needs of North Carolina. 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: Alamance Community College (Graham); Coastal Carolina Community College (Jacksonville); James Sprunt Community College (Kenansville); Sandhills Community College (Pinehurst) and Tri-County Community College (Murphy).
Blue Ridge Community College and Tri-County Community College earned superior rankings in each year 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 2003-2004 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.
- Employer Satisfaction with Graduates: The statewide average for 2003-04 was 95% with all community colleges meeting or exceeding the performance standard of 85%.
- Student Satisfaction of Completers and Non- Completers: The statewide average is 98% with all 58 community colleges meeting or exceeding the System standard of 90%.
- Licensure or Certification Exams for First-Time Test Takers: The statewide average for 2003-04 was 85% of test takers receiving a passing score. Fifty community colleges met or exceeded the performance standard of 80%, two 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.
- Employment of Graduates: The statewide average for 2003-04 was 99% with 56 community colleges meeting or exceeding the performance standard of 95%.Curriculum Student Retention & Graduation: The statewide average for 2003-04 was 65% with 52 community colleges meeting or exceeding the performance standard of 60%, an increase of one over last year.
- Progress of Basic Skills Students: The statewide average for 2003-04 was 80% with 55 community colleges (51 last year) 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 Asheville-Buncombe Technical Beaufort County Bladen Blue Ridge Caldwell Cape Fear Carteret Catawba Valley Central Carolina Central Piedmont Cleveland Coastal Carolina Craven Davidson County Edgecombe Fayetteville Technical Forsyth Technical |
Gaston College Guilford Technical James Sprunt Martin McDowell Randolph Richmond Rowan-Cabarrus Sampson Sandhills Southeastern Stanly Surry Tri-County Vance-Granville Wake Technical Wayne Western Piedmont Wilson |
The complete 2005 Critical Success Factors Report is
available on the NCCCS Web page at http://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/Publications/docs/Publications/csf2005pdf
. Summary tables begin on page 48 on the site. The report is filled with
comprehensive information about the Community College System in several areas
including workforce development statistics, diverse population learning needs,
technology, and System resources.
The North Carolina Community College System is the open door to opportunity, providing world-class workforce training and convenient, quality education resources.
-NCCCS-
RETURN TO TOP OF CURRENT PAGE
Last modified: Wednesday, November 02, 2011 02:28:29 PM
This page maintained by Public Affairs.