The Selection Process
How were the schools selected?
“I would argue that fearlessly assessing student learning with the purpose of improving conditions for its success is essential in achieving equity for students.”
Janet Martinez-Bernal, Ph.D., evaluator for the Higher Learning Commission, and visiting team member of Hewlett Leaders in Student Success.
The Hewlett Leaders in Student Success program reviewed data from 109 community colleges that tracked the success of three recent cohorts of students in basic skills math and English. The standard of success was the percentage of students who progressed through pre-collegiate classes to transfer-level coursework. Changes in success between the three cohorts measured the extent of improvement in college practices over time. The analyses took into account the racial, ethnic and socio-economic differences of student populations as well as the distinct profiles of the colleges, for example, urban or rural, large or small.
Data alone cannot give a complete profile of a school’s work, so in 2008 -- the Hewlett Leader program's first year -- we asked the 27 colleges with the strongest data to give three examples of strategies they use to increase student success in basic skills. In the second year, we reviewed the Basic Skills Plans of those with the strongest data. Two-person teams then visited 11 schools, observing classrooms and labs, and interviewing faculty and administrators.
The selection criteria developed by a panel of experts provided the organizing framework for evaluating the finalists.
