Data and Performance Measurement Systems

• Continue work of Data Group - The Achieving the Dream Data Mining Group has representatives from four participating community colleges and one non-ATD community college.  The group is consistently evaluating how best to incorporate the remaining seven non-ATD community colleges into the data aspects and the non-participant perspective is invaluable in developing potential strategies.  The broad goals include: developing methods of analyzing the rich and varied dataset, understanding the impact of institutional size/characteristics on results, and exploring how best to use the data and analyses to influence strategies and policies.  Ongoing efforts include expanding collection of data around developmental education which is a common strategic goal and a key driver behind the Achieving the Dream project.

• Continue to Strengthen Data Capacity – Continue to explore the possibilities of creating a research center which would establish a vehicle to support state-wide community college data management and cross sector analysis that can lead to meaningful reform.  Among the objectives for the Center will be to: develop support mechanisms that strengthen and equalize the data and institutional research capacities of the 14 community colleges; strengthen the community colleges’ sector wide capacity to assess student progress; develop a research agenda, in partnership with the K-12 sector and the university sector, to study student movement and progress from sector to sector; and advance policy and funding reforms that are based on the research findings and that will support practices that help the colleges meet completion goals.  Absent a full-scale Center, we will continue to strengthen data collection and analysis capabilities as well as focus on specific efforts in support of the student success agenda. 

• Continue to Participate in Statewide Longitudinal Data System (known as PIMS) – The PA Department of Education was recently awarded a second federal grant to expand PIMS.  Next phases will include connecting to workforce data as well as expanding the postsecondary database to replace Perkins and capture student transfer information.

Student Success

• Refocusing the Student Success Agenda in Today’s Economic climate -  Building on the focus on K-12, structure policy proposals around early assessments, dual enrollment, other pathways to postsecondary success.   Using best practices from ATD and non-ATD colleges, demonstrate how developmental education alternatives, accelerated learning, etc.  taken to scale can have an impact on student success. 

• Gubernatorial Election Year Outreach– Advance a strong student success agenda with gubernatorial candidates building on the messages from the Brookings report and others.  Brief candidates and policy leads about the ATD and work of the participating colleges. 

K-12 and Postsecondary Alignment

• Participate in the RTTT Assessment Consortia – The colleges have agreed to support the state’s participation in two consortia applying for the U.S. Department of Education ‘s Race to the Top Assessment Program which enables consortia of states to compete for $350 million to develop and implement common, high quality assessments aligned to the Common Core standards.
  

• Support the state’s efforts under RTTT-  The colleges have officially supported the state’s application to the U.S. Department of Education under Race to the Top.  If awarded, the colleges will participate as requested and further support strategies that will accelerate the state’s academic gains.
  
• Partner with PASSHE system universities to engage in outreach to local school districts to discuss college readiness and high school curriculum – The PASSHE Board of Governors adopted high school curriculum requirements which are intended to be required for students seeking admission to the universities beginning in fall 2013.  The community colleges have expressed support for the concept of the high school curriculum as a mechanism to assist parents and students in understanding what it means to be “college ready”.  At a recent joint meeting of presidents, an agreement to partner to help articulate and promote this curriculum was forged.   A plan will be developed to jointly share the curriculum with high schools, etc.

Needs-based Financial Aid

• Continue to advocate for policy changes in state-level financial aid programs – Advocate for aligning state level financial aid with federal policies as such pertain to developmental education as well as other financial aid adjustments.    Review most recent data for state grant awards and denials to community college students (by income level) particularly as the aid award relates to the application deadline.  Use most recent federal report, “The Rising Price of Inequality”, to highlight the growing disparity in aid and how this undermines completion rates.