Tuesday, May 01, 2012

New tool could help improve efficiency, impact of community colleges

The way states track community-college completion varies widely, according to a new tool released by the College Board. Every state tracks enrollment and rates of graduation within three years, but only 10 track completion within six years, which the tool shows is a more accurate measure because community-college students often go to school part time, which takes them longer to finish. Many people in rural areas attend community colleges.

Only 12 states track job-placement rates of students who graduate, and 22 do not track students who take remedial classes before enrolling, reports Ben Wieder of Stateline. Virginia, North Carolina and California track the most indicators of community college completion, and 15 track less than 25 percent of the indicators. Wieder reports the tool creators said they hope the data will "help improve the effectiveness and efficiency of community colleges." (Read more) What does your state do?

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