Since the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) launched the Voluntary Framework of Accountability (VFA) in 2011, accountability measures have sprung up in just about every corner of higher education. There is the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), the National Governors Association's Complete to Compete program,…

As community colleges cement their role as catalysts for the nation's economic recovery, administrators struggle to set the record straight about one long-standing misconception: that a large number of community college students leave without achieving their professional or academic goals. Now, a new policy brief from the American Association of…

Community colleges are dealing with, and often leading, a historical shift from a 100-year focus on access to a new emphasis on access "and" student success. The impetus for this work comes from many directions--the president of the United States and the secretary of education, at least 30 governors, other state policymakers, the…

By 2020, 65 percent of all jobs in the economy will require postsecondary education and training beyond high school. That's a pretty strong statement in defense of the value of higher education in this country. But it will mean little unless the nation's colleges and universities--and, specifically, community colleges--can produce more workers…

"The Road to Recovery: Projecting U.S. Job Growth and Higher Education Demand through 2020" (this issue, p26-29) presented six key indicators that highlighted the latest in education and employment needs for the success of the future jobs market. While the U.S. economy is growing, questions still remain: What skills do employers value…

Everyone admires entrepreneurs, and every region aspires to become entrepreneurial. Whether community colleges should teach entrepreneurship today--or support entrepreneurs--is a non-issue. Colleges want students, graduates, faculty, and administrators to be entrepreneurial. Other countries marvel at, and work to emulate, America's entrepreneurial…

Considers the measurement of institutional effectiveness an opportunity for college renewal, clarification of college mission, improvement of work environments, and enhancement of an institution's reputation. Defines institutional effectiveness and discusses how it can be measured, listing a number of indicators of how well a college is performing…

Discusses the functions of the National Skill Standards Board, proposed under of the National Skill Standards Act and the Goals 2000: Educate America Act. Indicates that a study by the Institute of Educational Leadership found approximately 700 committees that used industry volunteers to help states develop skill standards and which could provide…

Proposes a standard research methodology to help community colleges better measure effectiveness. Recommends gathering demographic, academic, and personal goal data when students enter and exit the college and correlating the data to student performance. Proposes that accrediting agencies adopt the model, citing the advantages of a consistent body…

Asserts that graduation and placement rates based on surveys as forms of institutional assessment are no longer enough. Addresses five legitimate, critical concerns about outcomes reporting. Discusses the use of unemployment insurance data to document and report on institutional and program effectiveness by tracking students' placement and…

Discusses the Florida legislature's attempts to promote accountability for educational outcomes in its community colleges. Describes Florida's Performance-Based Training and Performance-Based Budgeting, designed to increase college performance while adapting to tightening budgeting requirements. Suggests that there is considerable risk that these…

Describes a study conducted to ascertain the perceptions of various stakeholder groups on selected measures of institutional quality. States that questionnaires were distributed to 1,962 students, faculty, and staff at a two-year college; response rate was 49% (n=955). Concludes that outcome indicators (such as pass rates on licensure…

Summarizes findings from the National Study of Student Learning of outcomes among first-year students at 18 4-year and 5 2-year colleges. Focuses on findings related to the relative cognitive effects of two- and four-year colleges on end-of-second-year writing skills and scientific reasoning, indicating that there was a virtual parity of impact.…

Argues for the importance of systematically studying the effects of community colleges on students. Research findings are reported on the following effects: attaining a bachelor's degree, labor market returns, economic returns, and developmental impact. Concludes that community colleges may be fostering student talent with the same degree of…