CASE STUDY | CENTRAL PIEDMONT COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Building schedules to support re-enrolling stopouts in North Carolina
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The Challenge
Data analytics uncovered students were taking almost four years to complete a two-year degree
As a longtime Ad Astra partner, Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte, North Carolina, was familiar with the benefits of using data to create efficiencies throughout the institution. Finding success with Ad Astra’s room scheduling software, the institution decided to take a closer look at the analytics of how students are progressing, including time to completion and the number of credits completed in a year to establish a benchmark on which to improve.
When Central Piedmont dove into the data with Ad Astra, they found students were taking close to four years to complete a two-year degree. Such outcomes impact student completion and create a negative economic ripple throughout the institution. Central Piedmont would need to focus all of its efforts toward the support of a wider-reaching goal. Its intent would guide students toward higher wage, in-demand jobs buoyed by a solid community college education and other support resources.
“This was an issue that impacts the entire institution,” said Chris Patera, Executive Director of Academic Operations, Central Piedmont Community College. “We wanted to address this holistically in a way that would make everyone successful.”
Our goal is to look at all the Ad Astra data — on guided pathways, DFW rates, toxic course combinations — and to make sure these students are set up for success
CHRIS PATERA
Executive Director of Academic Operations, Central Piedmont Community College
The Solution:
Build schedules conductive to helping stopouts earn a credential or degree
Armed with the school motto of “possibility that doesn’t think outside the box but aims to build a better one,” Central Piedmont Community College decided to attack the issue head-on using data analytics to inform how the institution provides real-world, hands-on education to its students.
To better re-engage stopouts, the institution is working within the guidelines of the 2021 NC Reconnect initiative, which looks to engage adult learners and improve student retention around adult learners in the state. With assistance from Central Piedmont, students can better navigate the hurdles of re-enrollment and re-entry into higher education with a plan to complete a degree or credential.
In order to meet these challenges and better serve learners of all ages, the institution looked to present the data in a manner as straightforward as possible, operating with transparency to demonstrate the impact on students and to determine where and how improvements could be made.
This included the creation of KPIs for time to completion and credits completed with a goal to increase enrollment. From there, the institution is exploring advising, guided pathways, DFW rates, and toxic/unhealthy course combinations.
“In this effort, we’ve expanded classes online and offered evening and weekend classes to help bring students back,” Patera said. “This is a game-changing operation, and we want to offer classes in a way that will work for all of our students.”
Ad Astra data proved instrumental in looking at pathways and completion paths for the new evening, weekend, and online offerings to ensure there were enough seats to provide a range of options to help students complete.
With a centralized process and an annual schedule in place, the college is able to look at scheduling from a student-centric lens to gauge potential impacts and look for ways to engage returning students and re-engage stopouts and students who haven’t yet completed.
Fast Facts
Percent annual increase in registrations
Percent annual increase in courses offered
School Background
Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte, North Carolina, serves eight locations throughout Mecklenburg County. It is one of the 58 community colleges in North Carolina. The institution offers programs in 12 career fields with more than 55 professional pathways. Certificate, diploma, and non-degree continuing education classes are also available. Central Piedmont Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission.
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