The Action Project Commitment Declaration
Institution: North Central State College
Planned project kickoff date: May 12, 2006
Target project completion date: June 2007
Actual project completion date:
A. Give this Action Project a short title in 10 words or fewer.
Improving Student Success in Developmental Education
B. Describe this Action Project’s goal in 100 words or fewer.
The goal of this project is to improve student success in developmental education by: a)
Defining “success;” b) Identifying through data analysis the subgroups of students who
are least likely to succeed; c) Analyzing root causes of failures through qualitative and
quantitative research; d) Selecting strategies for improvement; e) Implementing the
strategies; f) Measuring the impact; and g) Planning improvements in the strategies.
Steps “a” through “d” were completed by end of March 2006. The strategies selected
were to strengthen the college advising system and to improve curriculum and instruction
as they relate to developmental education.
C. Identify the single AQIP Category that this Action Project will most affect or impact.
Helping Students Learn.
D. Describe briefly your institution’s reasons for taking on this Action Project now —
why the project and its goals are high among your current priorities.
NC State has embarked on the national Achieving the Dream initiative for improving
student success, particularly for students of low income and students of color. The
initiative is of the highest priority for the College. This action project will be part of that
initiative.
E. List the organizational areas — institutional departments, programs, divisions, or units
— most affected by or involved in this Action Project.
This action project involves the faculty who teach developmental education courses, the
Dean of Arts and Sciences whose division houses these courses, advisors and admissions
recruiters in the Student Success Center and Admissions, faculty advisors of students
who enroll in these courses, the Curriculum Committee, the Institutional Research and
Institutional Technology Departments, the Budget Committee, and the administrators of
the College.
F. Name and describe briefly the key organizational process(es) that you expect this
Action Project to change or improve.
Key processes that this action project will change/improve are processes for the
use/access of institutional (student success) data, project management processes, advising
processes, processes for professional development and evaluation, and instructional
processes.
G. Explain the rationale for the length of time planned for this Action Project (from
kickoff to target completion).
The timeline for this project is dictated by the timeline for the Achieving the Dream
initiative. The College is obligated to provide an annual report on this project to the
initiative sponsors (Lumina Foundation, Knowledge Works, American Association of
Community Colleges, other partners) in Spring, 2007. This timeline also allows one
academic year to implement and measure the effect of strategies for improving student
success in developmental education.
H. Describe how you plan to monitor how successfully your efforts on this Action Project
are progressing.
The team for this project, the Developmental Education Team, reports to both the AQIP
Steering Committee and to the Achieving the Dream Core Team.
Three year work plans have been established for both strategies of the project (although
this project will be completed as an AQIP Action Project in June 2007). The work plans
identify action steps and lead staff persons.
I. Describe the overall “outcome” measures or indicators that will tell you whether this
Action Project has been a success or failure in achieving its goals.
Measurable changes: Success rates in developmental math courses will increase by 4%
each year for FY07, FY08, FY09 and FY10. Success rates in RDG and WRT courses
will increase by 3% each year for FY07, FY08, FY09 and FY10. Developmental
students reporting positive advising experiences on CCSSE surveys and final focus
groups will increase by 10%, including a 15% subgroup increase. Early alert referrals for
students in developmental courses will increase by at least 8%. Success rates for
developmental students progressing into college-level gatekeeper English or math will
increase by 4%, including 8% for the subgroups.
J. Other information (e.g., publicity, sponsor or champion, external partners, etc.)
Achieving the Dream Core Team Leader – Peg Moir, Chief Student Services Officer,
North Central State College
Achieving the Dream Initiative Sponsors and Partners -http://www.achievingthedream.org/
Achieving the Dream at NC State -- http://ncstatecollege.edu/atd/
K. Project Leader and contact person (First Name, Middle Initial, Last name, Title,
Email, Telephone)
Terry Coleman, Dean of Arts and Sciences, tcoleman@ncstatecollege.edu, 419-755-4740