2009 Performance Accountability Report Vol. 2 - Maryland Higher ...

consistent graduation-transfer rate in the mid-forty percent range, and the rate for the last cohort
(47%) actually exceeded the Cohort 2006 benchmark of 45%. Almost three-fifths (57%) of
Cohort 2004 “college-ready” students (those requiring no remedial courses) either graduated or
transferred by spring 2008, followed by 44% of developmental completers and 36% of
developmental non-completers (whose successes were entirely due to transfer).
PAR 10 measures student academic success or persistence. These indicators show the proportion
of cohort students who experienced graduation or transfer success or who made significant predegree
progress (reached sophomore status) or exhibited notable study persistence (continued in
their studies at PGCC after four years). Across the four cohorts, about four-fifths of PGCC’s
committed students made significant academic progress (81% – Cohort 2004). The general
percentage of successful-persistent students in the last cohort surpassed the benchmark of 75% as
did those of all three developmental subcohorts (college-ready 85%, developmental completers
87% and developmental non-completers 67%).
The trend lines for PAR 10 and 11 show rates quite comparable to that of the mean rates for all
Maryland community college committed students. For example, according to a Maryland
Association of Community Colleges report on all Maryland community college 2003 cohort
outcomes, 47.9% of all-college cohort students earned degrees or transfers and 71.0% fell into
the successful-persistent category. The figures for PGCC’s 2003 cohort are very similar – 42.8%
and 78.6%, respectively. PGCC’s core problem has always been and still is retaining students
until they can establish their study careers. For example, the proportion of PGCC Cohort 2003
committed students (18+ attempted credit hours in two years of study) of all first-time degreeseeking
students entering in fall 2003 was 37.5%. The MACC report shows an average 57.9%
rate for all Maryland community college 2003 cohorts, a proportion over half again larger
(154%). Furthermore, the college’s committed student rate has been flat over the last five Degree
Progress analyses – Cohort 2000 38.3%, Cohort 2004 38.5%.
Another Degree Progress-based performance statistic is the four-year developmental completion
rate (PAR 9). The PGCC trend line over four successive cohorts has been flat, not changing from
Cohort 2001’s 27% completion rate to Cohort 2004’s 27% rate. Past studies have found that
failure to complete required remediation is the single biggest obstacle to continued study and
thus progress toward degree. The college realizes this and in the last two years has initiated
several programs to improve developmental completion and retention rates. Prominent among
them is the Planning for Academic Success (PAS) program, featuring a new preparatory course
in critical thinking skills, interpersonal and self-management skills and attitudes, study skills, and
college support services and degree requirements. PAS 101 began to be required of all first-time
entering students this fiscal year. Another is the popular “Smart Skills” Enrichment Workshop
program, featuring free one-day seminars, carrying lab credit, and covering topics such as
“Effective Study Skills”, “Time Management for Better Grades”, “Note Taking for Better
Grades”. Also, the Faculty Mentoring program, begun last fiscal year on a start-up basis,
continued this year as a full-fledged effort. Since student progress measurement is based on
cohort four-year results, it will be a few more years before we can assess with data the
effectiveness of these initiatives.
The data on the academic performance of PGCC students transferring to Maryland public four
year universities (PAR 12) continues to show a lack of progress over successive assessment
198