Using Data to Act
Practitioner-Based Change
for Students in Developmental Programs
(Achieving the Dream)
Durham Technical Community College
AACC National Convention, April 24, 2006
Achieving the Dream (AtD)
AtD is a “national initiative to help more community college
students succeed. The initiative is particularly concerned about
student groups that traditionally have faced significant barriers to
success, including students of color and low-income students.
Too many students leave community colleges without earning a
certificate or degree, or without transferring to continue their
studies [. . .]. When students complete courses and earn
credentials, however, they can improve their own lives, which
ultimately benefits the nation.”
(http://www.achievingthedream.org/ABOUTATD/OVERVIEW/default.tp)
Durham Tech:
Who We Are
Durham Technical Community College is one of the 58
North Carolina Community Colleges.
We serve Durham and Orange Counties, which encompass
Durham, the Research Triangle Park, Chapel Hill, and
universities including Duke, NC Central University, and
UNC at Chapel Hill.
Durham Tech employs 139 full time faculty and 119 full
time staff.
The college serves approximately 5,500 curriculum
students and 8,400 continuing education students each
semester.
Durham Tech:
What Our Data Revealed
There were 564 students in the Fall 2002 cohort.
Only 391 (69%) of these students re-enrolled
in the second semester.
By the end of the second year, only 237 students
(42%) remained enrolled.
41 (7%) of the original 564 students had graduated
by the end of spring 2004.
Durham Tech:
What Our Data Revealed
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Semester 1
Semester 2
Semester 3
Semester 4
Semester 5
Semester 6
Durham Tech:
What Our Data Revealed
299 of 564 students (53%)
in the fall 2002 cohort
were African-American.
14 (13%) of the 41
students who graduated
within two years were
African American.
Thus, 14 out of 299 (4%)
African American students
had graduated within two
years.
226 of 564 students (46%)
in the fall 2002 cohort
were White non-Hispanic.
28 (69%) of the 41
students who graduated
within two years were
White non-Hispanic.
Thus, 28 out of 226 (12%)
White non-Hispanic
students had graduated
within two years.
Durham Tech:
What Our Data Revealed
Culture of Evidence:
In other words, White non-Hispanic students graduate
at a rate that is three times the rate of African-American
students enrolled at Durham Tech.
Durham Tech:
How Our Culture Needed to Change
Culture Shift:
The college must engage each student
as early as possible in order to improve placement,
persistence, and performance.
Durham Tech:
How We Responded
Focus on First Year Experience
Orientation: A pre-enrollment session for new students to the
college focused on making a successful transition into college life
Early Alert: A system for identifying and providing support to
students who demonstrate signs of academic or personal difficulty
Advising: Transforming the current culture of advising as course
approval into a system of support and engagement of students
Academic Skills Course: Providing a specific
orientation course for students during the first semester of enrollment
Durham Tech:
How We Responded
Focus on Data-Informed Decisions
ATD Data: Data prepared for the purpose of the grant,
focusing on student demographics, placement, persistence, and
performance in developmental and gateway courses
Our Data:
Additional data that is now being collected and
analyzed regarding program effectiveness
Thorough Review of Best Practices:
Written evidence from other colleges that have improved the
placement, persistence, and performance of students
Orientation:
Where We Were
Prior to 2005, orientation was held as a campus-wide
student event with booths, activities, and food.
Information was provided to interested students, not the
ones that were least engaged.
There was no specific target student audience.
There was no data collected on orientation effectiveness.
There was a general agreement that orientation was not
critical to the mission of the college.
Orientation:
What Our Data Revealed
147 (25%) of the AtD cohort chose not to re-enroll in
Spring (61% female; 39% male; 40% Caucasian; 51%
African American). Fifty-six of these students were
surveyed by phone. Here were their reasons for not
returning the second semester:
Self-frustration at registering for too many classes
Under-prepared for academic challenges
Difficulty adapting to college environment
Lack of adequate preparation
Sense of failure from first semester experience.
Implicit feeling that they had “messed up”
Orientation:
What Our Data Revealed
324 Students surveyed using Faces of the Future indicated
that personal financial problems, costs of textbooks, and
family responsibilities were the top three reasons for a lack
of success while enrolled:
63% indicated that family responsibilities were a problem.
68% indicated that financial concerns were a problem.
74% indicated that the cost of textbooks was a problem.
Orientation:
What Our Data Revealed
Orientation:
How We Responded
The college started with six orientation sessions before the
beginning of the semester, each 90 minutes.
Student self-assessment was part of the session.
Each session covered the critical topics of financial aid,
purchasing books, managing college demands on time,
along with general advising and registration information.
Sessions were offered at times convenient to students,
primarily evening and weekends.
Sessions were targeted to newly admitted students.
Orientation:
How Our Culture Needed to Change
Culture Shift:
Orientation is critical to the successful persistence and
performance of first-time enrolled students.
Orientation:
Where We Are Now
Prior to fall 2005, 212 persons chose to attend one the nonmandatory orientation sessions offered.
57% of the persons attending were women, 43% men.
50% of the students were White, 37% Black, 6% Latino,
and 4% Asian.
Out of those who attended, 84% persons enrolled.
Out of a list of several concerns, preparing for the
placement test was the top concern.
Of the students who were admitted to a program, enrolled
the subsequent semester, and who attended orientation,
72% re-enrolled during the second term.
Early Alert:
Where We Were
Students could seek assistance in the Campus Learning Center
for tutorial services or the Counseling Services and Student
Development Office for other student services.
However, many students did not follow through with referrals,
many faculty members referred students too late in the
semester, and communication among the instructor, tutor,
counselor, and student was not an expectation.
There was not a deliberate way to put our arms around the
most at-risk students – early.
Early Alert:
What Our Data Revealed
2002 Cohort: 564 Students
Developmental Math



Placement:
Enrollment:
Performance:
271 students (48%)
220 students in 1st term
145 students passed (66%)
Developmental Reading



Placement:
Enrollment:
Performance:
197 students (35%)
161 students in 1st term
85 students passed (53%)
Developmental English
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

Placement:
Enrollment:
Performance:
197 students (35%)
158 students in 1st term
129 students passed (82%)
Persistence: 69% re-enrolled in Spring 2003
Early Alert:
How Our Culture Needed to Change
Culture shift:
It is our business when academic and life issues
have a negative impact on our students’ abilities
to perform and persist at the college.
Early Alert:
How We Responded
DS faculty members step in to assist at-risk students – early. If
they need “back up,” they submit an Early Alert referral:

A student exhibiting life-skills problems is referred to
Counseling and Student Development counselor (mentoring,
financial assistance, bus pass, textbooks, child care assistance,
health issues, etc.)

A student exhibiting academic problems is referred to
Campus Learning Center Early Alert tutor (math, reading, or
English intensive tutoring)
Early Alert:
Where We Are Now
Fall 2005
Spring 2006
72
64
Tardiness/Absenteeism
30
35
Personal Problems
25
26
Financial Problems
16
9
Textbook and Materials
14
6
Health Issues
10
7
Participation Concerns
9
8
Child Care Problems
7
7
Transportation
5
9
Behavior Concerns
0
2
Students Referred to Early Alert Math Tutors
46
100
Students Referred to Early Alert English/Reading
Tutors
47
58
Students Referred to Early Alert Counselor
Developmental Math:
Where We Were
Students took a diagnostic exam during the first week of
classes, a departmental midterm, and a departmental
proficiency exam at the end of the term, but there was little
analysis of the results and weak correlation among the
exams.
Sixty percent of Developmental Math courses were taught
by adjunct faculty members.
There was no overall awareness of how different groups
were performing in math, nor was there a discussion of
how changes in the department would affect these groups.
Developmental Math:
What Our Data Revealed
Developmental Math:
What Our Data Revealed
Out of 564 students in the 2002 Cohort, 296 (52%) were
African American.
Out of the 296, 152 African American students attempted a
developmental math course in their first semester.

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26 attempted MAT 070 -------► 62% successful completion rate
52 attempted MAT 060 -------► 38% successful completion rate
74 attempted MAT 050 -------► 72% successful completion rate
Developmental Math:
How Our Culture Needed to Change
Culture Shift:
The developmental math department is responsible for
knowing how various groups enrolled in math courses are
performing and must make thoughtful changes to the
program in a effort to help each student have success in
mathematics.
Developmental Math:
How We Responded
Developmental math faculty members are revising the
diagnostic, midterm, and proficiency exams to assess
student learning outcomes more accurately, paying special
attention to problem areas in the MAT 060 course.
The department now offers a MAT 070-MED course
designed to prepare students for entry into health tech
programs.
The college has increased the number of full-time
developmental math positions.
Developmental math faculty members are creating a
developmental math website for students and faculty.
Durham Tech:
Other Initiatives
Change marketing tools to encourage career development
instead of coming to “take a course.”
Develop an advising system that encourages early and
meaningful engagement with an assigned advisor.
Develop textbook support options for low-income
students.
Implement a campus-wide orientation course for students.
Provide free city bus transportation to all eligible students.
Focus the mentoring programs on more at-risk students.
Develop an online orientation alternative.
“Given the multiple commitments [of
community college] students and the
challenges they bring with them to college,
engagement does not happen by accident.
It must happen by design.”
McClenney, K. & Greene, T. (2005). A tale of two students: Building a culture of
engagement in the community college. About Campus, 10(3), 2-7.
Questions?
Contact Information
Durham Technical Community College
www.durhamtech.edu
Bill Ingram, Senior Vice President and
Chair of Durham Tech’s ATD Core Team
Ingramb@durhamtech.edu
(919) 686-3656