Over the past few decades, deterioration in student achievement has provoked a pervasive public sentiment that American institutions are failing to meet the needs and expectations of society. The growing public demand for transparency and accountability has fueled the integration of state-mandated learning outcomes assessment into the standards…

The major purpose of cooperative education is to prepare students for the workplace by combining academic education with practical experience to develop employment competencies. This research compared employment outcomes and employment earnings for graduates from cooperative education programs with graduates from non-cooperative programs at a…

Discusses the need to adopt a strategically guided model for community college research that changes the basis for assessment from institutional performance in a commoditized market to institutional advantage in a turbulent market. Focuses on how research data can be generated and used to achieve an advantage by differentiating one institution…

Analyzes the similarities and differences between two outcomes-based assessment schemes: the institutional effectiveness model, which measures an institution's effectiveness at improving teaching and learning; and the performance funding model, which focuses on product, efficiency, and cost effectiveness of programs. Contains 15 references. (JDI)

Describes an institutional research office's establishment of an outcomes-oriented self-assessment model rooted in the college's mission and goals. Reports that the framework enables institutional research departments to evaluate their effectiveness, and more importantly, to use the results of self-assessment to plan future activities, thereby…

Reviews the use of licensure examination results as performance indicators of graduate and undergraduate programs. Contains appendix showing information on how examination results are reported in selected disciplines. (17 citations) (JDI)

Community colleges traditionally have been a nexus for transitions to and from the workforce. This article examines horizontal and vertical workforce transitions and how a global economy and the need to train new subpopulations of future workers will cause community colleges to approach their roles in workforce training differently. There are too…

Community colleges are often criticized for the low numbers of students who ostensibly appear successful. This article takes a unique look at the pathways many community college students take and redefines success as transition. Using the full population of the Los Angeles Community College District, this article examines the intra-institutional…

Presents findings of a study comparing respondents, involuntary nonrespondents (due to inaccurate addresses) and voluntary nonrespondents to a mailed survey for former students of a large northeastern community college. Results suggest that respondents were more dissimilar to the nonrespondent groups than the two nonrespondent groups were to each…

Describes the efforts of Mayland Community College (North Carolina) to make budget decisions based on desired student outcomes and the corresponding changes in testing and placement procedures. Reports gains for students entering after the changes. Suggests budget decisions are more effective once community colleges define student learning…

Describes a study of community perceptions conducted at Johnson County Community College (Kansas) utilizing telephone interviews of service area adults. Reports that the overall evaluation of the college was positive, although the majority of respondents were not aware of several of the major functions of the college. (MAB)

Suggests that data from the assessment of students' goals can be used to improve retention by fostering student integration with the college environment. Describes the use of the Student Goals Inventory (SGI) with first-year students at two community colleges, indicating that the assessment program is practical to administer, monitor, and…

Analyzes the outcomes of a learning assessment approach used at a Midwest community college. Reports that data were obtained from students' scores on prompts and the college's student information management system. Finds that: (1) 76% of prompts were scored at a level that indicated students met general education achievement levels; and (2) 55% of…

Focuses on the Kentucky higher education accountability model, designed to provide a systematic evaluation of the quality and effectiveness of Kentucky's 14 community colleges. Offers coordinator perceptions of model's effectiveness. (YKH)

Provides evidence that students who participated in the ASSET One-Stop Shopping program demonstrated enhanced academic progress and achievement. Includes suggestions for fostering student success in college. (17 citations) (YKH)