The Next Challenge: Collecting Completion

Data

2July 2011

This presentation addresses several questions.

What data do grantees provide for the Completion Strategy evaluation?

Why do we love data so much? What does the data collection

process look like? What are the challenges of data

collection and how do we overcome them?

3July 2011

Data collected for the Completion Strategy

evaluation

4July 2011

Colleges are collecting several types of data for the Completion Strategy evaluation

Process data Outcome data Impact data

5July 2011

Process Data: How many people are you serving?

Counts of people served with a variety of offerings:• Outreach• Basic Ed /refresher courses in math, English,

and computers• Workforce Development courses• Support services

– Completion/Plus50 Coaches and Advisors– Financial aid supports– Career development workshops– Employer linkages

6July 2011

Process Data: How are you tailoring your approach to plus 50 learners?

Methods for tailoring to your population:• Customizing support services• Supporting pedagogy for plus 50 learning

styles• Flexible schedules• Accelerated courses

7July 2011

Outcome Data: How many plus 50 learners are achieving completion, as well as other outcomes?

Completion• Degrees • Credit Certificates • Non-credit Certificates

Transfer credits and credits for prior learning

Employment

8July 2011

Impact Data: Increase in total number of plus 50 completers.

The trend for total number of plus 50 completers changing over time• Looking at the wider population of plus 50

learners at your school.

This trend approximates the impact of your completers from your program on the number of completers as a whole.

9July 2011

The wonderfulness of data!

10July 2011

These data have a variety of uses, and are useful for diverse audiences.

For current funders For potential funders For internal college constituencies For external partners For other community colleges For YOU!

11

The type of results you’ll be able to show.

July 2011

36

811

24

1214

22

2831

2023 24

2627

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

09-10 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14

Num

ber o

f Plu

s 50

Lear

ners

Academic Year

Number of Plus 50 Learners Achieving Completion at Joliet Junior College

Degrees Credit Certificates Non-credit Certificates

244 Plus 50 Learners completed over the years of the grant (10-11 through 13-14)

12

The type of results that AACC might be able to show for the Completion Strategy as a whole.

July 2011

103142 153

245301

156

233284

327

421

245274

356401

467

050

100150200250300350400450500

09-10 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14

Num

ber o

f Plu

s 50

Lear

ners

Academic Year

Number of Plus 50 Learners Achieving Completion for All Colleges(n=19 colleges)

Degrees Credit Certificates Non-credit Certificates

3604 Plus 50 Learners completed over the years of the grant (10-11 through 13-14)

13July 2011

Data collection:Setting up a system and

process

14July 2011

We’ll get you set up!

Your Evaluation Liaison• Someone who knows your program and can help

you figure out the best way to collect data.

Program components• Which support services are you including as part of

your program?• Which workforce development courses do you want

to include?

Data collection worksheet• We will fill this out together.• It becomes the basis of your data collection system.

15July 2011

We’ll include an Institutional Research department contact in the conversation.

The importance of having an IR contact involved.• We will need an IR researcher to extract some

data to include in the data collection workbook.• It is helpful to include them early!

The IR contact can help you.• The IR contact often serves as a “bridge”

between the evaluation team and the program.

16July 2011

Your Evaluation Liaison will develop for you a data collection workbook and detailed instructions.

The data collection workbook• An Excel workbook that asks you to fill in

different types of data on each tab.

Detailed instructions• There are tab-by-tab instructions • They contain information provided on exactly

how it makes sense at your college to collect data.

• There is a section for the Tabs that program staff complete, and a section for Tabs that IR staff complete.

17July 2011

You will have ongoing support throughout the process!

Suggested data collection schedule• The instruction workbook will contain a suggested

data collection schedule to help keep you on track

Your Evaluation Liaison will check up on you• She will check in at critical junctures in the data

collection schedule to see if you have any questions or need help.

You can call or email any time!• She can also take a look at your workbook in

progress to provide pointers.

18July 2011

Challenges, and overcoming them

19July 2011

Your Evaluation Liaison can help you think through challenges!

Data collection can indeed be challenging….• Figuring out the right sources for process data.• Assigning people to report different data elements to you.• Making data collection part of your routine.

Tips from colleges in the first cohort:• Be sure you have a clear understanding of the data

collection and reporting requirements. • Begin on day one with the end in mind.• Bring IR/IE people to the table early.• Develop a calendar for data collection that keeps you on

track.• Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Your Evaluation Liaison is a

resource for you.

20July 2011

Questions?