As with all public institutions, the performance of public colleges must be assessed and evaluated.  Building a “culture of evidence” is central to improving the community college system.  Careful assessment can document successes and pinpoints failures; it also supports accountability and evidence-based decision-making.   It is widely recognized that the commonly-used three-year graduation rate is not a sufficient measure of success for community colleges.  While this rate is often correlated with other positive outcomes such as student retention and credit accumulation, it cannot document the success of students who enroll for specific classes, complete their degree after three years, or transfer to another institution.  

All public campuses in Massachusetts are required by law to report annually on a wide variety of measures related to their success in achieving their missions, including student achievement, research and scholarship, affordability and access, and fiscal strength.  However, these performance data are so varied and extensive that it can be difficult to sift through them for meaning and true understanding.  

More effective assessment measures are necessary to support improvement and compare performance across institutions.  An effective set performance measures will include a variety of outcome measures, including employment outcomes and overall economic impact; and it should recognize the many ways in which students use the community college system.  That said, the focus of such a program should be on establishing benchmarks for comparison and assessment, so that administrators and state officials can make evidence-based decisions about programming and funding. 

12.a    Community colleges should identify and document mission-related outcome measures

12.b    The Department of Higher Education should lead an effort to develop new performance assessment systems for community colleges

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