Recommended Data Sources for Indicators of Institutional Effectiveness

Edinfo 00-08
August, 2000
ERIC Clearinghouse for Community Colleges

Collecting data on institutional effectiveness and quality is an important responsibility of the community college. Following are five categories of indicators commonly assessed by community colleges and recommended data sources for each type of indicator:

• An updated student database that tracks students in each entering cohort. Course and program enrollment, grades, and degrees and certificates awarded should be tracked.
• Longitudinal surveys of student population to determine student goals and achievements.

• Faculty-designed instruments modeled after national assessments (e.g. the National Assessment of Education Progress adult literacy scales).
• Capstone experiences that require students to assimilate, prioritize, and interpret the significance of a variety of materials related to their programs of study.

• State employment, licensure and certification information.
• Follow-up questionnaires mailed to former students asking about employment.
• Cross-sectional surveys of a sample of local employers.

• Student record data obtained from four-year institutions. State-level data, transfer of transcript information, and periodic reporting by four-year institutions are also useful.

• Community impact surveys of samples of local residents asking about contact with the college and overall impressions and satisfaction.
• Needs assessments focusing on distinct constituencies in the service area. Assessments may be done via mail surveys, telephone interviews, or focus group meetings.

This information was reported in ED 426 749, "Core Indicators of Effectiveness for Community Colleges," by R. Alfred, P. Ewell, J. Hudgins, and K. McClenney. A full-text copy of this document may be obtained by contacting ERIC Document Reproduction Services (EDRS), 7420 Fullerton Road, Suite 110, Springfield, VA 22153-2852; or by calling (800) 443-ERIC.

Citations preceded by an asterisk (*) refer to journal articles or other material unavailable from EDRS. Journal articles may be acquired through regular library channels, or purchased from article clearinghouses such as CARL Uncover at (800) 787-7979. Other material may be available either directly through the publishing agency, or from out-of-print vendors. ERIC documents (references with "ED" numbers) may be read on microfiche at approximately 900 libraries worldwide. To identify your local ERIC Resource Collection, connect to: http://www.ed.gov/BASISDB/EROD/eric/SF. Most documents may be ordered on microfiche or in paper copy from the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS) at (800) 443-ERIC. For more information about our products and services, please contact the ERIC Clearinghouse for Community Colleges by telephone at (800) 832-8256, or via the Internet at ericcc@ucla.edu.

Please help us keep the ERIC database current and comprehensive by submitting your written works to the Clearinghouse for review for inclusion in the ERIC system. Send two copies of each manuscript to the attention of our Acquisitions Coordinator.

ERIC Clearinghouse for Community Colleges
University of California, Los Angeles
3051 Moore Hall
P.O. Box 951521
Los Angeles, CA 90095

Updated 10/10/01
Maintained by ericccus@gseis.ucla.edu