Dr. Karen A. Stout, president and CEO of Achieving the Dream
Anne Arundel Community College, Central Alabama Community College, Grayson College, Roane State Community College, Western Technical College and West Hills College Lemoore are the latest institutions that have “shown measurable progress” in areas that support and improve community college students’ success. As Leader Colleges, the institutions are encouraged to support other ATD Network college, state and national efforts to holistically improve student success outcomes.
“I’m very proud to recognize a new group of Achieving the Dream Network colleges that are advancing equity, offering a more impactful student experience and achieving stronger, measurable results,” said ATD president and CEO Dr. Karen A. Stout. “ATD Leader Colleges’ gains in student success and progress toward improving outcomes for all students make them examples for their peers.”
ATD – a nonprofit organization that champions evidence-based institutional improvement – notes that the newly-minted Leader Colleges excelled in improving student outcomes and metrics in areas such as completion of Gateway math and/or English courses during a student’s first year, fall-to-fall retention from Year 1 to Year 2, courses attempted or completed with a C- or higher grade within a year of initial enrollment and completion of a certificate or degree within four years of initial enrollment.
Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) has been an ATD Network school since 2010. After adapting ATD’s equity definition, AACC implemented its current strategic plan, “Engagement Matters: Pathways to Completion.” The college successfully increased completion outcomes and moved towards closing equity gaps, which was demonstrated by a four percent increase in the percentage of students who earned a credential within four years. AACC’s fall-to-fall persistence outcomes similarly increased from 54 percent to 58 percent.
At Central Alabama Community College, leaders’ student success efforts have increased persistence rates from Year 1 to Year 2 as well as the rate of completion of a certificate or degree within four years. Cross-campus collaborations led to the development of several student success initiatives over the years: the implementation of mandatory advising for all incoming freshmen and a transition to faculty advising; the establishment of career paths to encompass all educational tracks for adult education, Career Technical Education and academic transfers; implementation of mandatory registration in the Orientation and Student Success course for all degree and long-term certificate programs; a summer boot camp; and utilization of Full Measure Education, Inc. technology.
