Performance Measures and Standards

Performance Measures Overview

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 during 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, a review process was established to ensures the measures for evaluating colleges were current and remained focused on improving student success. Every three years, a committee that is inclusive of college leaders, subject matter experts, and research and assessment professionals are appointed to review the measures and recommend deletions, revisions, and additions. Recommendations from the most recent review were approved in 2021.

The current list of measures includes:

1. Basic Skills Student Progress: To ensure individuals with low literacy skills are progressing academically toward credential or employment.
2. Student Success Rate in College-Level English Courses: To ensure students are successfully completing a credit-bearing English courses within their first three academic years.
3. Student Success Rate in College-Level Math Courses: To ensure students are successfully completing a credit-bearing Math courses within their first three academic years.
4. First Year Progression: To ensure first-year students are making progress toward credential completion.
5. Curriculum Completion: To ensure student completion and/or persistence toward a post-secondary credential in a timely manner.
6. Licensure and Certification Passing Rate: To ensure programmatic coursework prepares students to competently practice in their chosen profession.
7. College Transfer Performance: To ensure the academic success of community college students at a four-year college or university.

For more information, please go to the North Carolina Community College System website at: https://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/analytics/state-and-federal-reports