A Mission-Driven Data Model for Community Colleges

Community colleges play a vital role in serving the needs of their communities. For these institutions to effectively fulfill their mission, it’s imperative to utilize data in a meaningful way. Based on our experience, it appears that not all (any?) community colleges have established the necessary structures, commitment, and conceptual models to collect, process, and analyze data to inform their vision, strategy, and their community stakeholders. To address this gap, we’re developing a 7-point data logic model that highlights and conceptually connects key areas of institutional investigation and emphasizes the need for innovation in methods to measure and assess both internal and external data. Below is an outline of seven data areas.

1. Community Needs

Understanding the needs of the community is essential for community colleges. There are numerous indicators and sources of data that can provide valuable insights. These may include K12 informatics, reports from institutional partners, workforce metrics, and local & state government data. Community colleges funded by Perkins grants can leverage CLNA assessments conducted by their CTE program which can help a deepen institutional understanding of what the community requires.

2. Outreach & Engagement

The collection and analysis of internal data are crucial in assessing the effectiveness of outreach and engagement efforts. Community colleges should examine data related to their communication with potential students, regional employers, referral partners, and stakeholder groups. Additionally, important external sources such as K12 institutions, workforce development organizations, and transition-focused community-based organizations could also be tapped. These external sources regularly promote the educational pathways offered by the community college and can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of outreach and engagement strategies.

3. Recruitment & Enrollment

Internal data is key in evaluating recruitment and enrollment efforts. It is essential to analyze who is being recruited and who is not, the quality and success of recruitment efforts, and the student demographic data for the enrolled student body. By regularly examining the connection between recruitment and enrollment, community colleges can identify areas for improvement and evolve their ability to attract and retain students. 

4. Learning Success

Community colleges often excel in tracking and analyzing pass rates, completion rates, and student utilization of learning support services. However, it is essential to go beyond these aggregated measures and explore more granular data from Learning Management Systems (LMS) to understand student success at the course and credential levels. This data can provide valuable insights for updating the curricula, improving the instructional design, and fine-tuning learning support services.

5. Workplace Learning

Recognizing that many students pursue a college education to enhance their employability, it is crucial for community colleges to provide learning activities that prepare students for the workplace. Data on workplace learning could include an inventory of employers that sponsor such activities, training provided to employers to host and supervise students, the quality of student learning in the workplace learning environment, and the development of students' professional networks. By collecting and analyzing this data, community colleges can ensure alignment with workforce needs and make informed decisions to increase the impact of workplace learning on students' future careers.

6. Graduation & Completion

While graduation and completion rates are standard measures of a college's success, they do not provide a comprehensive picture. Community colleges should also consider the frequency of students changing tracks before completion and understand the reasons behind student "stop-outs." It is important to recognize that some students may find employment before completing their prescribed pathway and still achieve success. By broadening the measurement of success and considering various aspects of graduation and completion, community colleges can better assess their effectiveness in helping students achieve their goals.

7. Employment & Participation:

Many students ultimately seek stable and secure employment that allows them to “make a living” in the community. Tracking the employment outcomes of previous students, including graduates and those who stopped out, is crucial to measuring the community college's response to community needs. This data could include information on job placement, job titles, and compensation (wages & benefits). Additionally, tracking the duration of employment, career advancement, and further educational pursuits can extend insights into the impact of the community college on the “arc” of a student's career. This data can help ensure that the community college is aligned with workforce needs, provide evidence of learning success, and serve as compelling evidence to market the value of the institution.

This 7-point data model is an attempt build a comprehensive approach for community colleges to utilize data in a meaningful way. By focusing on community needs, outreach and engagement, recruitment and enrollment, learning success, workplace learning, graduation and completion, and employment and participation, community colleges can attain a stronger position to improve their programs and better serve their students and communities. It is important to note that this model is a work-in-progress and Futures Research welcomes constructive feedback and ideas for improvement.