Introduction
Student Learning
Learning in K - 12
Access and Affordability
Economic Development
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Real Cost Per Student

Retention Rates

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Graduation Rates

Student Goals

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Graduation Rates
Common Core Performance Indicator
The percentage of first-time, full-time, degree-seeking or certificate-seeking students in a cohort who graduate within three years.
Performance Improvement Goal
For the System, the performance goal is to meet or exceed the national average for community colleges. annually.
Data Analysis

Included in this measure are the three-year graduation rates for cohorts of first-time, full-time degree or certificate seeking credit students who entered a community college in the fall terms of 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003.

The Fall 2003 cohort represents 4,401 students or 9.8% of the total students enrolled for credit at Connecticut’s community colleges. The overall 10.9% graduation rate is less than the 16.92% rate for all peers combined, and less than the 24% national average reported by the American Association of Community Colleges. However, once transfers and those still enrolled are factored into the equation, the overall success rate for students enrolled in Connecticut community colleges is 50.0%


Total Headcount Enrollment
First time, Full-time, Degree- or Certificate-seeking Students
Fall 2003		 Completions within three years Transfers within three years Still enrolled after three years Combined successes after three years
n n % n % n % n % n %
Asnuntuck 1,476 120 8.1% 31 25.8% 28 23.3% 15 12.5% 74 61.7%
Capital 3,381 294 8.7% 29 9.9% 61 20.8% 37 12.6% 127 43.2%
Gateway 5,587 504 9.0% 41 8.13% 93 18.5% 101 20.0% 235 46.6%
Housatonic 4,678 482 10.3% 50 10.4% 90 18.7% 83 17.2% 223 46.3%
Manchester 5,717 456 8.0% 57 12.5% 120 26.3% 83 18.2% 260 57.0%
Middlesex 2,400 233 9.71% 27 11.6% 66 28.3% 32 13.7% 125 53.6%
Naugatuck Valley 5,155 682 13.2% 54 7.9% 186 27.3% 109 16.0% 349 51.1%
Northwestern CT 1,543 174 11.2% 18 10.3% 45 25.9% 35 20.1% 98 56.3%
Norwalk 6,047 494 8.2% 53 10.7% 86 17.4% 71 14.4% 210 42.5%
Quinebaug Valley 1,571 188 12.0% 32 17.0% 33 17.6% 32 17.0% 97 51.6%
Three Rivers 3,622 337 9.3% 48 14.2% 78 23.2% 54 16.0% 180 53.4%
Tunxis 3,983 437 11.0% 38 8.7% 106 24.3% 80 18.3% 224 51.3%
All CCCs 45,160 4,401 9.8% 478 10.9% 992 22.5% 732 16.6% 2,202 50.0%

Please note: for cohort years 1999 – 2003, the data currently displayed on the federal government IPEDS Peer Analysis System web site for the twelve Connecticut Community Colleges does not match what was originally submitted. Because of this, the reliability of available peer data, also obtained from this site, is questionable.



While there is fluctuation among minority groups, the following tables show that the system graduation rate for all minority students in the Fall 2003 Cohort (6.8%) is slightly less than that of our peers (9.7%).

While colleges work to ensure that students who intend to graduate from a community college are able to do so, colleges also recognize that it often takes many students longer than two or three years to complete a program of study. Some are under prepared when they arrive. Many are working adults with low income, supporting families, who stop in and out of college numerous times along the way. Policies and practices are designed, implemented and continuously reviewed to ensure access, responsive programming, affordable tuition, and the maximum level of support to facilitate completion in as timely a manner as possible.

In addition, the system is currently participating in “Achieving the Dream”, a project involving several states, designed to assist community colleges and state policy makers in their efforts to close a national trend of success gaps for low socio-economic students and students of color.

“Achieving the Dream” is funded by Lumina Foundation for Education and managed by MDC, Inc. Other national partners and funders include the following: American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), Community College Leadership Program, the University of Texas-Austin, Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University, Jobs for the Future, MDRC, Public Agenda, Knowledge Works Foundation, and Nellie Mae Education Foundation, Inc.


Cohort Year 2003/Graduation Year 2006
  Total White Black Hispanic Asian American Native American Total Minority
Asnuntuck  25.8% 27.4% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%   0.0%
Northwestern CT  10.3% 11.2% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Quinebaug Valley  17.0% 17.7% 0.0% 18.2% 0.0%   10.0%
Peers 20.6% 23.3% 8.3% 9.8% 0.0% 16.7% 8.9%
               
Capital  9.9% 7.0% 11.4% 7.6% 14.3% 0.0% 10.2%
Gateway  8.1% 9.6% 5.2% 3.1% 16.7% 100.0% 5.7%
Housatonic  10.4% 11.3% 8.7% 6.6% 16.7% 0.0% 8.1%
Peers 9.5% 15.1% 6.5% 6.1% 10.9% 9.1% 6.9%
               
Manchester  12.5% 17.4% 0.0% 2.0% 12.5% 0.0% 2.1%
Naugatuck Valley  7.9% 9.2% 1.9% 6.1% 11.1% 0.0% 5.1%
Norwalk  10.7% 16.3% 4.4% 10.3% 4.8% 0.0% 6.7%
Peers 20.3% 22.7% 11.7% 11.6% 17.6% 23.8% 12.6%
               
Middlesex  11.6% 13.2% 5.6% 0.0% 25.0% 0.0% 6.7%
Three Rivers  14.2% 15.3% 25.0% 7.1% 16.7% 0.0% 15.0%
Tunxis  8.7% 9.1% 3.1% 9.3% 0.0% 0.0% 6.1%
Peers 23.6% 24.3% 26.1% 17.7% 25.0% 30.4% 25.1%
               
All CCCs 10.9% 13.0% 6.3% 6.7% 10.9% 6.7% 6.8%
All Peers 16.9% 21.6% 10.1% 7.7% 12.7% 23.0% 9.7%
             
Cohort Year 2002/Graduation Year 2005
  Total White Black Hispanic Asian American Native American Total Minority
Asnuntuck  25.2% 22.0% 37.5% 50.0% 33.3%   38.5%
Northwestern CT  12.8% 14.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%   0.0%
Quinebaug Valley  17.6% 17.9%   12.5% 0.0% 33.3% 14.3%
Peers 19.3% 19.8% 11.0% 18.2%   12.5% 17.1%
               
Capital  20.0% 31.3% 17.4% 17.4% 27.8% 0.0% 17.9%
Gateway  11.6% 16.5% 6.5% 8.1% 0.0% 16.7% 6.8%
Housatonic  10.2% 13.2% 6.6% 4.9% 0.0%   5.5%
Peers 9.0% 14.6% 5.3% 4.7% 12.5% 17.7% 5.6%
               
Manchester  13.9% 16.5% 5.9% 9.6% 11.1% 0.0% 8.1%
Naugatuck Valley  12.5% 14.8% 2.3% 4.2% 11.8% 0.0% 4.4%
Norwalk  9.7% 10.0% 4.4% 11.1% 6.7%   7.1%
Peers 18.9% 22.0% 9.3% 11.4% 12.0% 6.7% 10.2%
               
Middlesex  11.4% 10.4% 7.1% 17.7% 25.0%   14.3%
Three Rivers  13.9% 14.8% 5.6% 5.6% 14.3% 0.0% 6.4%
Tunxis  8.7% 9.2% 8.3% 4.8% 0.0% 50.0% 6.1%
Peers 26.5% 27.6% 15.4% 22.7% 40.0% 21.1% 18.7%
               
All CCCs 13.1% 14.9% 9.2% 9.2% 10.1% 13.6% 9.4%
All Peers 16.5% 21.5% 7.2% 6.4% 15.8% 14.9% 7.7%
             
Cohort Year 2001/Graduation Year 2004
  Total White Black Hispanic Asian American Native American Total Minority
Asnuntuck  31.7% 28.6% 0.0% 100.0% 66.7%   60.0%
Northwestern CT  9.7% 9.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%   0.0%
Quinebaug Valley  13.6% 13.8% 0.0% 20.0%     15.4%
Peers 22.3% 23.4% 12.2% 17.4% 0.0% 0.0% 12.1%
               
Capital  13.2% 17.9% 11.3% 17.7% 33.3% 0.0% 14.1%
Gateway  14.0% 13.7% 9.6% 11.9% 26.3% 0.0% 11.9%
Housatonic  9.6% 6.4% 11.2% 8.7% 0.0% 0.0% 9.7%
Peers 6.5% 10.8% 4.9% 3.4% 4.0% 1.5% 4.0%
               
Manchester  13.7% 16.7% 8.2% 0.0% 50.0% 50.0% 7.0%
Naugatuck Valley  10.0% 10.9% 2.4% 9.7% 0.0% 0.0% 5.8%
Norwalk  6.6% 7.1% 1.3% 7.7% 30.0%   5.8%
Peers 18.3% 21.7% 8.8% 12.6% 21.8% 15.4% 11.4%
               
Middlesex  14.1% 16.7% 0.0% 8.3% 0.0% 0.0% 3.5%
Three Rivers  12.4% 12.4% 18.2% 0.0% 22.2% 0.0% 14.8%
Tunxis  10.2% 10.0% 0.0% 11.4% 27.3% 0.0% 11.1%
Peers 33.4% 35.5% 16.4% 23.8% 23.1% 25.8% 22.6%
               
All CCCs 12.1% 12.9% 7.7% 9.7% 23.9% 5.9% 9.8%
All Peers 17.0% 22.9% 7.2% 6.0% 7.2% 9.6% 6.9%
             
Cohort Year 2000/Graduation Year 2003
  Total White Black Hispanic Asian American Native American Total Minority
Asnuntuck  31.8% 32.1% 33.3%       33.3%
Northwestern CT  12.5% 11.8% 0.0% 33.3% 0.0%   10.0%
Quinebaug Valley  17.4% 18.9% 0.0% 14.3% 0.0% 0.0% 10.5%
Peers 11.2% 12.2% 0.0% 6.7% 0.0% 0.0% 1.5%
               
Capital  29.3% 42.2% 22.8% 18.5% 58.8% 100.0% 25.0%
Gateway  12.6% 13.0% 10.1% 15.0% 0.0%   11.4%
Housatonic  13.7% 16.0% 19.6% 5.7% 30.0%   13.0%
Peers 8.1% 15.1% 5.5% 3.2% 6.9% 3.4% 4.6%
               
Manchester  12.2% 14.0% 10.3% 3.3% 13.3% 0.0% 7.5%
Naugatuck Valley  8.8% 9.7% 0.0% 4.5% 9.5% 0.0% 3.9%
Norwalk  8.9% 11.0% 1.7% 13.3% 0.0% 0.0% 6.5%
Peers 20.9% 24.8% 14.4% 9.2% 17.1% 14.3% 12.7%
               
Middlesex  14.1% 14.3% 0.0% 17.7% 25.0%   11.1%
Three Rivers  8.1% 8.5% 0.0% 8.3% 0.0% 0.0% 3.1%
Tunxis  13.0% 14.8% 4.8% 3.6% 0.0% 100.0% 5.4%
Peers 33.2% 35.0% 13.3% 38.5% 26.3% 8.0% 17.7%
               
All CCCs 13.8% 14.1% 12.0% 9.5% 21.2% 18.2% 11.8%
All Peers 18.1% 24.8% 8.4% 5.3% 9.1% 5.5% 7.2%
             
Cohort Year 1999/Graduation Year 2002
  Total White Black Hispanic Asian American Native American Total Minority
Asnuntuck  26.6% 27.4% 0.0% 0.0% 40.0%   25.0%
Northwestern CT  13.9% 14.2% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%   0.0%
Quinebaug Valley  13.4% 15.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Peers 17.3% 18.0% 17.9% 0.0% 14.3% 14.3% 14.3%
               
Capital  27.4% 36.2% 21.2% 15.6% 71.4%   21.9%
Gateway  16.4% 21.1% 8.7% 15.6% 0.0% 0.0% 10.5%
Housatonic  13.8% 15.3% 17.9% 3.5% 0.0% 0.0% 9.5%
Peers 10.9% 16.2% 7.2% 6.5% 14.4% 28.6% 7.9%
               
Manchester  13.7% 14.4% 9.0% 12.2% 25.0% 0.0% 12.2%
Naugatuck Valley  10.1% 10.7% 5.7% 10.8% 9.1% 33.3% 9.8%
Norwalk  7.7% 6.4% 0.0% 9.5% 14.3% 0.0% 4.3%
Peers 19.5% 23.0% 9.9% 4.7% 18.9% 14.3% 8.6%
               
Middlesex  15.9% 12.3% 0.0% 26.7% 60.0%   25.9%
Three Rivers  14.0% 15.4% 13.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 5.9%
Tunxis  10.0% 11.8% 16.7% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 5.6%
Peers 32.7% 33.7% 25.3% 10.0% 6.3% 26.7% 22.1%
               
All CCCs 13.9% 14.5% 11.0% 10.2% 20.0% 5.3% 11.4%
All Peers 18.5% 23.8% 9.8% 6.1% 14.6% 23.4% 8.9%
             
Cohort Year 1998/Graduation Year 2001
  Total White Black Hispanic Asian American Native American Total Minority
Asnuntuck  23.8% 24.1%          
Northwestern CT  14.5% 12.4%   60.0%     60.0%
Quinebaug Valley  19.1% 22.6% 0.0% 0.0% 50.0% 0.0% 4.8%
Peers 18.7% 19.3% 12.1% 8.3% 12.5% 0.0% 9.7%