Institutional Effectiveness

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 have historically remained the same for three years and then reset based on system performance. Beginning with the report released in 2022, all metrics shifted to an index score, and the baseline and excellence levels are set to change annually. Although this was the first year of reporting index scores, the NCCCS provided historical data as well for colleges for trend analysis. The baseline and excellence levels, however, were not recalculated for past years and therefore are represented here as static levels over the time periods represented.

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 reenters 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).

Index Score: College success rate divided by the systemwide success rate.

Data Sources:

• LEIS annual data file
• Comprehensive Curriculum Student Report
• Continuing Education data file
• Diploma Sender

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:Index score based on the 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.

Calculation:

Success Rate

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).

Index Score

Pell Index Score: College success rate among cohort students receiving Pell divided by the statewide success rate among cohort students receiving Pell
Non‐Pell Index Score: College success rate among cohort students not receiving Pell divided by the statewide success rate among cohort students not receiving Pell
Pell Denominator: Number of cohort students receiving Pell
Non‐Pell Denominator: Number of cohort students not receiving Pell
Total Numerator: (Pell Index Score X Pell Denominator) + (Non‐Pell Index Score X Non‐Pell Denominator)
Total Denominator: Pell Denominator + Non‐Pell Denominator
Total Index Score: Total Numerator divided by Total Denominator

Data Sources:

• Comprehensive Curriculum Student Report
• National Student Clearinghouse

Student Success Rate in College-Level Math Courses

Purpose: To ensure students are successfully completing credit-bearing Math courses within their first three academic years.

Description: Index score based on the percentage of first-time fall associate degree seeking and transfer pathway students passing a credit-bearing Math course with a “C” or better within three years.

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) Math course within three years (by the end of the third summer term).

Index Score

Pell Index Score: College success rate among cohort students receiving Pell divided by the statewide success rate among cohort students receiving Pell
Non‐Pell Index Score: College success rate among cohort students not receiving Pell divided by the statewide success rate among cohort students not receiving Pell
Pell Denominator: Number of cohort students receiving Pell
Non‐Pell Denominator: Number of cohort students not receiving Pell
Total Numerator: (Pell Index Score X Pell Denominator) + (Non‐Pell Index Score X Non‐Pell Denominator)
Total Denominator: Pell Denominator + Non‐Pell Denominator
Total Index Score: Total Numerator divided by Total Denominator

Data Sources:

• Comprehensive Curriculum Student Report
• National Student Clearinghouse

First Year Progression

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

Description: Index score based on the percentage of first-time fall credential-seeking students graduated prior to or enroll in postsecondary education the subsequent fall semester.

Calculation:

Success Rate

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.

Index Score

Pell Index Score: College success rate among cohort students receiving Pell divided by the statewide success rate among cohort students receiving Pell
Non‐Pell Index Score: College success rate among cohort students not receiving Pell divided by the statewide success rate among cohort students not receiving Pell
Pell Denominator: Number of cohort students receiving Pell
Non‐Pell Denominator: Number of cohort students not receiving Pell
Total Numerator: (Pell Index Score X Pell Denominator) + (Non‐Pell Index Score X Non‐Pell Denominator)
Total Denominator: Pell Denominator + Non‐Pell Denominator
Total Index Score: Total Numerator divided by Total Denominator

Data Sources

• Comprehensive Curriculum Student Report
• Graduation Extract data file
• National Student Clearinghouse

Curriculum Student Completion

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

Description: Index score based on the percentage of first-time fall credential-seeking curriculum students who graduate, transfer, or are enrolled during the fourth academic year with 42 successfully completed non-developmental hours.

Calculation

Success Rate

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.

Index Score

Pell Index Score: College success rate among cohort students receiving Pell divided by the statewide success rate among cohort students receiving Pell
Non‐Pell Index Score: College success rate among cohort students not receiving Pell divided by the statewide success rate among cohort students not receiving Pell
Pell Denominator: Number of cohort students receiving Pell
Non‐Pell Denominator: Number of cohort students not receiving Pell
Total Numerator: (Pell Index Score X Pell Denominator) + (Non‐Pell Index Score X Non‐Pell Denominator)
Total Denominator: Pell Denominator + Non‐Pell Denominator
Total Index Score: Total Numerator divided by Total Denominator

Data Sources
• Comprehensive Curriculum Student Report
• Graduation Extract data file
• National Student Clearinghouse

Licensure and Certification Passing Rate

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

Description: Index score based on the percentage of first-time test-takers passing licensure and certification exams within each exam. Exams included in this measure are state mandated exams which candidates must pass before becoming active practitioners.

Calculation:

Success Rate

Denominator: All licensure and certification exams taken for the first‐time during the licensure agency’s most recent reporting year.

Only includes state mandated exams which candidates must pass before becoming active practitioners.
Numerator: Of those in the denominator, the number passing the exam on their first attempt during the licensure agency’s most recent reporting year.

Index Score

License Index Score (LIS): College license success rate divided by the statewide license success rate on same exam
License Denominator (LD): Number of first‐time test‐takers within each exam
Total Numerator: Sum of the product of each License Index Score and their License
Denominator [(LIS1 × LD1) + (LIS2 × LD2) + …)]
Total Denominator: Sum of License Denominators across all exams (LD1 + LD2 + LD3 +…)

Total Index Score: Total Numerator divided by Total Denominator

Data Sources:

• Council of Interstate Testing: Dental Hygiene Exam

• NC Board of Occupational Therapy: Occupational Therapist Assistant
• NC Board of Nursing: Practical Nursing, Registered Nursing
• NC Board of Physical Therapy Examiners: Physical Therapist Assistant
• American Registry of Radiologic Technologists: Radiography
• NC Department of Insurance, Office of State Fire Marshal – Code Officials Qualification Board: Building Inspector, Electrical Inspector, Fire Inspector, Mechanical Inspector, Plumbing Inspector
• Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards: Massage & Body Work Therapist
• NC Veterinary Medical Board: Veterinary Medicine Technology
• NC Office of Emergency Medical Services: EMR, EMT, EMT-P, AEMT
• NC Department of Health and Human Services: Nurse Aide I
• NC Department of Justice, Criminal Justice Standards Division: Basic Law Enforcement Training
• NC Department of Justice, Sheriff’s Training & Standards Division: Detention Officer
• NC Board of Barber Examiners: Barber
• DL Roope Administrations Inc.: Apprentice, Cosmetology, Esthetician, Manicurist
• NC Real Estate Commission: Provisional Real Estate Broker

Additional Details

The number of first‐time test‐takers and the number passing were provided to the System Office by agencies issuing the license or certification. Depending on the exam, data may be provided on a fiscal or calendar year. Exams are listed above in italics. Selection of exams based on:
• Requirement to pass in order to practice in NC
• Strong association with an occupation (not part of a job)
• At least 50 test‐takers statewide in 2017‐18
• At least 5 colleges with test‐takers in 2017‐18

University Transfer Performance

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

Description: Index score based on the percentage of community college students (Associate degree completers and those who have completed 30 or more articulated transfer credits) transferring at a four-year university or college during the fall semester who remain enrolled at any four-year university or college the subsequent fall semester or graduate prior to

Calculation:

Success Rate

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.

Index Score

College success rate divided by the systemwide success rate

Data Sources:

• Comprehensive Curriculum Student Report
• Graduation Extract data file
• National Student Clearinghouse

Graduation Rates

Nash Community College evaluates the graduation rate of students using data from the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC). To monitor completion rates, the NSC uses a 6-year cohort to track the progress of first-time-in-college degree-seeking students. As a result, the data is slightly outdated from current results while awaiting the end of the 6-year cycle for each cohort of students. NCC utilizes NSC data due to its comprehensive completion data for institutions nationwide.

The data for this report were drawn from the Enrollment Reporting and DegreeVerifySM services of the National Student Clearinghouse®, which tracks 96 percent of college enrollments nationwide. Completions were identified using degree and certificate records submitted by institutions as part of their participation in DegreeVerify. For institutions that do not participate in DegreeVerify, completions were identified using enrollment records indicating the enrollment status of graduated.

The cohort examined in this study is made up of first-time degree-seeking students, of any age, who began their postsecondary studies in the Fall term of the cohort year. Showing intent to seek a degree or certificate is defined in the national report as follows:

1. For students who started at four-year institution, enrolled at least one term with an intensity of halftime or higher, and

2. For students who started at two-year institutions, either:

1. a. Enrolled full time for at least one term within the first academic year or
2. b. Enrolled at least half time for any two terms before December 31st of the second academic year.

The study followed the cohort through June 30th of the sixth academic year and highlights six-year student outcomes, including degree and certificate completion as well as continuing enrollment (persistence).

21-26 NCC Strategic Plan