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American River College Integrated Planning System Reports

What are Department Set Standards and Stretch Goals?

Department Set Standards (DSS) and Stretch Goals are statistical criteria used to detect if a decline or an increase in course success rates has occurred for the department as a whole for the most recent academic year compared to the preceding 3 year average (See Figure 1. below). Falling below the Department Set Standard indicates a statistically significant decline in course success rates has occurred. By contrast, scoring above the stretch goal indicates a statistically significant increase in course success rates has occurred. Finally, scoring in between the Department Set Standard and the Stretch Goal indicates that no statistically significant changes have occurred.

Note: This process does NOT include "department to department" or "department to college" comparisons.

Figure 1. 95% Confidence Interval centered around the Average (M) of the preceding 3 years

Why are we being asked to review and report on Department Set Standards and Stretch Goals?

Reviewing current year results against Department Set Standards (minimum standards) and Stretch Goals (aspirational goals) may be useful in promoting and informing departmental dialogue, planning, decision making, and resource allocation.

In addition, ACCJC standards requires colleges to demonstrate that results are reviewed against these set standards and stretch goals. The process for setting standards and stretch goals was reviewed by the Academic Senate (in 2016 for Department Set Standards, in 2018 for Stretch Goals).

English

Discipline Year 1 - (2018 - 2019) Year 2 - (2019 - 2020) Year 3 - (2020 - 2021) 3 Year Average Department Set Standard and Stretch Goal Based on Prior 3 Years Target Year - 2021 - 2022 Meets Department Set Standard?
English 69.2% (N=13900) 65.3% (N=13093) 63.4% (N=10685) 66.00% 58.5% - 73.4% * 62.6% (N=9094) Yes
Reading 77.6% (N=4456) 74.9% (N=2486) 63.1% (N=1512) 71.90% 52.7% - 91.1% * 62.1% (N=1172) Yes

Success Rate Percentage

# of A, B, C, Cr, P grades expressed as a % of total grade notations (includes W's but only those occurring after the Drop-No-W Date).

Enrollment (N)

Count of total enrollments (e.g., a student taking five classes is counted five times).

*The Department Set Standard is computed using the department's own course success rates over the previous 3 years (excluding summers). Specifically, A 95% Confidence Interval is constructed around the department's average course success rates over the previous 3 years. The Lower Limit of this Confidence Interval is then used as the Department Set Standard (assumes a t distribution with 2 degrees of freedom (average - (Standard Error * 4.303))). This methodology ensures that falling below the standard is unlikely to occur due simply to random year to year variation but instead is likely to reflect an actual decrease in course success rates for the target year. Stretch goals are computed utilizing the same methodology, but utilizes the Upper Limit of the Confidence Interval (assumes a t distribution with 2 degrees of freedom (average + (Standard Error * 4.303))). Exceeding the stretch goal is likely to reflect an actual increase in course success rates for the target year. Note: Due to methodological limitations, it is possible for the calculated stretch goal to sometimes exceed 100% in cases where there is large variability in course success rates over the previous three years. In such cases, the planning unit is encouraged to set its own internal stretch (aspirational) goals.

Summer semester data are typically excluded due to a variety of factors (e.g., proportion of university students) which differentiate these students from the traditional fall and spring student populations.

[As per the faculty contract, course success rate data should in no way be used as a part of Faculty Peer Review.]

Course Year 1 - (2018 - 2019) Year 2 - (2019 - 2020) Year 3 - (2020 - 2021) 3 Year Average Department Set Standard and Stretch Goal Based on Prior 3 Years Target Year - 2021 - 2022 Meets Department Set Standard?
ENGCW 400 69.1% (N=55) 66.7% (N=54) 79.2% (N=53) 71.70% 55.1% - 88.2% * 45.7% (N=94) No
ENGCW 410 60.0% (N=25) 60.7% (N=28) 69.2% (N=26) 63.30% 50.6% - 76.1% * 61.5% (N=26) Yes
ENGCW 420 78.3% (N=23) 41.2% (N=17) 56.5% (N=23) 58.70% 12.4% - 104.9% * 87.5% (N=24) Yes
ENGCW 430 N/A 82.4% (N=17) N/A 82.40% N/A - N/A * 54.5% (N=22) N/A
ENGCW 441 77.8% (N=18) N/A 52.2% (N=23) 65.00% N/A - N/A * N/A N/A
ENGCW 450 95.9% (N=49) 93.1% (N=29) 93.3% (N=45) 94.10% 90.2% - 98.0% * 69.0% (N=29) No
ENGCW 495 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A - N/A * 100.0% (N=1) N/A
ENGED 305 92.6% (N=27) 87.5% (N=16) 81.5% (N=27) 87.20% 73.4% - 101.0% * 85.2% (N=54) Yes
ENGED 320 89.6% (N=48) 86.7% (N=45) 92.3% (N=39) 89.50% 82.5% - 96.5% * 77.8% (N=36) No
ENGED 324 92.6% (N=27) 89.7% (N=29) 75.0% (N=16) 85.70% 62.3% - 109.2% * 94.7% (N=19) Yes
ENGLT 300 74.3% (N=35) 58.2% (N=67) 82.8% (N=29) 71.80% 40.8% - 102.7% * 68.8% (N=64) Yes
ENGLT 304 40.0% (N=25) 76.5% (N=34) 48.5% (N=33) 55.00% 7.6% - 102.4% * 53.1% (N=32) Yes
ENGLT 308 N/A N/A 60.6% (N=33) 60.60% N/A - N/A * 85.0% (N=40) N/A
ENGLT 310 78.0% (N=50) 69.8% (N=53) 54.5% (N=99) 67.50% 37.9% - 97.0% * 69.1% (N=68) Yes
ENGLT 311 75.4% (N=57) 71.4% (N=42) 75.0% (N=60) 74.00% 68.5% - 79.4% * 69.0% (N=58) Yes
ENGLT 320 70.5% (N=61) 82.0% (N=50) 78.3% (N=69) 76.90% 62.3% - 91.5% * 61.6% (N=73) No
ENGLT 321 81.8% (N=44) 72.4% (N=58) 36.8% (N=38) 63.70% 4.8% - 122.6% * 70.6% (N=17) Yes
ENGLT 327 N/A N/A 81.5% (N=27) 81.50% N/A - N/A * N/A N/A
ENGLT 338 71.4% (N=14) N/A N/A 71.40% N/A - N/A * N/A N/A
ENGLT 340 N/A 73.1% (N=26) 50.0% (N=32) 61.50% N/A - N/A * 55.6% (N=27) N/A
ENGLT 341 63.2% (N=19) 48.0% (N=25) 66.7% (N=21) 59.30% 34.6% - 83.9% * 70.6% (N=17) Yes
ENGLT 345 69.0% (N=29) N/A 62.5% (N=32) 65.70% N/A - N/A * N/A N/A
ENGLT 360 81.8% (N=22) N/A 77.4% (N=31) 79.60% N/A - N/A * 77.8% (N=27) N/A
ENGLT 365 N/A 60.9% (N=23) N/A 60.90% N/A - N/A * 91.3% (N=23) N/A
ENGLT 370 73.9% (N=23) N/A N/A 73.90% N/A - N/A * N/A N/A
ENGLT 378 N/A 63.2% (N=19) N/A 63.20% N/A - N/A * 88.2% (N=34) N/A
ENGLT 380 N/A 58.8% (N=17) N/A 58.80% N/A - N/A * 29.4% (N=17) N/A
ENGLT 392 N/A 77.9% (N=68) N/A 77.90% N/A - N/A * 84.4% (N=32) N/A
ENGLT 403 N/A 76.3% (N=59) N/A 76.30% N/A - N/A * 87.9% (N=33) N/A
ENGRD 111 82.4% (N=1819) 75.5% (N=1692) 60.5% (N=1087) 72.80% 45.0% - 100.6% * 58.5% (N=757) Yes
ENGRD 116 66.2% (N=195) 61.5% (N=78) 86.7% (N=45) 71.50% 38.2% - 104.7% * 41.7% (N=12) Yes
ENGRD 15 72.9% (N=428) 79.5% (N=39) N/A 76.20% N/A - N/A * N/A N/A
ENGRD 310 72.3% (N=685) 63.4% (N=186) 62.3% (N=151) 66.00% 52.4% - 79.6% * 73.6% (N=182) Yes
ENGRD 312 63.6% (N=44) N/A N/A 63.60% N/A - N/A * N/A N/A
ENGRD 314 74.6% (N=645) 66.7% (N=27) 80.6% (N=36) 73.90% 56.6% - 91.2% * 61.3% (N=31) Yes
ENGRD 315 81.9% (N=426) 79.3% (N=464) 69.4% (N=193) 76.90% 60.5% - 93.3% * 66.8% (N=190) Yes
ENGRD 50 87.5% (N=32) N/A N/A 87.50% N/A - N/A * N/A N/A
ENGRD 54 76.4% (N=182) N/A N/A 76.40% N/A - N/A * N/A N/A
ENGWR 300 64.6% (N=4861) 60.5% (N=4749) 60.3% (N=4264) 61.80% 55.7% - 67.9% * 58.5% (N=3659) Yes
ENGWR 301 N/A 70.1% (N=1046) 75.7% (N=1149) 72.90% N/A - N/A * 75.9% (N=1226) N/A
ENGWR 302 74.1% (N=2140) 75.3% (N=1476) 66.4% (N=1293) 71.90% 59.8% - 84.0% * 69.9% (N=964) Yes
ENGWR 303 69.7% (N=330) 60.3% (N=277) 71.7% (N=184) 67.20% 52.1% - 82.4% * 72.5% (N=142) Yes
ENGWR 306 72.9% (N=484) 71.8% (N=390) 78.7% (N=47) 74.50% 65.3% - 83.7% * 61.8% (N=34) No
ENGWR 361 90.0% (N=30) 90.9% (N=22) 50.0% (N=6) 77.00% 18.9% - 135.0% * 28.6% (N=7) Yes
ENGWR 362 90.1% (N=111) 92.6% (N=148) 76.7% (N=103) 86.50% 65.2% - 107.7% * 81.0% (N=79) Yes
ENGWR 480 73.5% (N=113) 69.8% (N=96) 54.4% (N=114) 65.90% 40.7% - 91.0% * 62.9% (N=89) Yes
ENGWR 481 N/A 69.5% (N=59) 87.0% (N=23) 78.20% N/A - N/A * 68.0% (N=25) N/A
ENGWR 482 78.9% (N=71) 79.3% (N=29) 81.8% (N=33) 80.00% 76.1% - 83.9% * 71.4% (N=14) No
ENGWR 50 71.4% (N=360) N/A N/A 71.40% N/A - N/A * N/A N/A
ENGWR 94 66.3% (N=2106) 59.4% (N=2056) 55.2% (N=1474) 60.30% 46.3% - 74.2% * 47.9% (N=1075) Yes
ENGWR 95 70.3% (N=1310) 67.6% (N=635) 72.6% (N=263) 70.20% 63.9% - 76.5% * 60.1% (N=263) No
ENGWR 96 73.2% (N=1333) 66.3% (N=1334) 60.1% (N=976) 66.50% 50.3% - 82.8% * 62.0% (N=650) Yes
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