Institutional Research and the Culture of Evidence at Community Colleges. Report No. 1 in the Culture of Evidence Series.

Abstract

who were instrumental in carrying out the data collection and analysis for the report. a multiyear 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. Achieving the Dream works on multiple fronts, including efforts at community colleges and in research, public engagement and public policy. It emphasizes the use of data to drive change. is the leading independent authority on the nation's more than 1,200 two-year colleges. CCRC's mission is to conduct research on the major issues affecting community colleges in the United States and to contribute to the development of practice and policy that expands access to higher education and promotes success for all students. interests include organizational change in community colleges and the evolving missions and roles of these institutions. Morest recently co-edited the volume, Defending the Community College Equity Agenda, published by the Johns Hopkins University Press. She holds a doctorate in sociology and education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Jenkins conducts research on how to increase access to economic opportunity for disadvantaged youths and adults. He is currently directing a series of CCRC studies that use longitudinal student unit record data collected by state agencies to chart the paths of students within and across educational systems to identify determinants of educational and labor market success. He holds a doctorate in public policy analysis from Carnegie Mellon University. Executive Summary In recent years, community college leaders have begun to consider expanding the traditional role of institutional research (IR) at their colleges. This is due in part to several outside influences. Federal and state governments are pressing colleges to provide more data demonstrating evidence of student outcomes and institutional performance. Accreditation agencies are also asking colleges to provide evidence of student learning and achievement, and they want colleges to establish systems of institutional self-assessment to produce such evidence. The desire for more data and better analysis is also influenced by a growing enthusiasm among educators and advocates to use data to guide decisions about college management and about the design of college programs and services. This notion holds that data should be used not only for the purpose of accountability, but also for the explicit purpose of improving student outcomes and institutional performance. The Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count initiative, now in its third …