Performance Measures

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 from the previous year and serves to inform colleges and the public on 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, President Scott Ralls established a Performance Measures Committee to develop new performance‐based student success measures to go into effect in 2013. The Committee was led by two community college presidents, Dr. Dennis Massey of Pitt Community College and Dr. Molly Parkhill of Blue Ridge Community College. The Committee was comprised of college presidents, vice‐presidents, faculty, and directors from a diverse group of colleges representing various areas of expertise.

After a year of researching, drafting, and soliciting feedback from college faculty and staff on potential measures, the Committee formally presented the following eight measures to the State Board.

  • 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

In November 2011, the State Board formally approved the Performance Measures. These measures were then submitted to the General Assembly in March 2012 and later adopted in June 2012 through Section 8.5 of S.L. 2012‐142.

As the revised performance measures were being finalized, attention was turned to developing recommendations for incorporating performance into colleges’ regular formula budget allocations. In May 2012, President Ralls appointed a team of college presidents to a Performance Funding Committee to develop a performance funding model. This committee was led by State Board Chairman K. Ray Bailey and Garret Hinshaw, President of Catawba Valley Community College.

One of the outcomes of this committee was the establishment of system‐wide “baselines” and “goals” for each measure. The committee recommended using consistent, statistically‐defined baselines and goals to promote transparency, simplicity, and objectivity. This utilization of baselines and goals is a departure from the System’s historical use of “standards.”

Based on three years of historical data (if available) for each measure, baselines were set two standard deviations below the system mean, and the goals were set one standard deviation above the system mean. These baselines and goals remain static for three years and are reset at the end of that cycle.

The 2013 edition was the inaugural report utilizing the new measures, goals, and baselines.

Results for Tri-County Community College 2018 (Reporting Year 2016-2017)

Performance MeasureSystem Excellence LevelSystem BaselineAverage College PercentageSystem TotalsTCCC Result
Basic Skills Progress68.3%34.5%60.1%58.4%67.7%
Credit English Success55.9%23.8%53.0%55.0%72.4%
Credit Math Success32.5%10.1%32.5%33.8%25.2%
First Year Success75.0%54.1%70.9%69.6%84.8%
Curriculum Completion Rate51.9%35.9%43.4%43.9%44.7%
Licensure Passing Rate90.9%69.9%79.8%81.6%63.2%
Transfer Performance87.6%65.1%83.7%83.4%93.0%

The full 2018 Performance Measures report can be found here at the NCCCS website.

Selected Student Completion Indicator: 3-year National Student Clearinghouse Total Completion Rate (2-year institutions only) (As of: November 2016)

Tri-County Community College22.9%
Peer Group's Average27.9%

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