Measures of Student Achievement

COM has identified five measures of student achievement:

  Source Current Threshold Current Goal Current Outcome Population
Six-Year Completion Rate NSC 40% 50% 46% Fall 2014 Cohort
Gateway Course Completion - English Houston GPS 57% 70% 68% Fall 2020 Cohort
Gateway Course Completion - Math Houston GPS 28% 65% 55% Fall 2020 Cohort
One-Year Persistence Rate THECB 66% 85% 68% Fall 2020 Cohort
Licensure and Certification Examination Pass Rate THECB 89% 95% 87% AY 2019-2020
Six-Year Transfer Rate THECB 23% 25% 23% Fall 2015 Cohort

For each of the identified student achievement measures there are three data points:

  • Threshold of Acceptability: the minimum performance level above which a measure should be maintained
  • Achievement Goal: the target performance level to meet or surpass expectations
  • Outcome: the actual level of performance

In determining the thresholds of acceptability and achievement goals, data from peers - medium-sized Texas community colleges, all Texas community colleges, and national community colleges - and institutional trends were reviewed. The threshold of acceptability is typically established at the three-year average of peers.

  Fall 2012 Fall 2013 Fall 2014
Cohort Total Completion Rate Cohort Total Completion Rate Cohort Total Completion Rate
COM Overall 512 33% 502 34% 332 46%
National Overall 752,206 39% 757,646 41% 772,884 40%
COM Males 244 30% 204 28% 148 47%
National Males 336,945 37% 342,333 39% 351,141 38%
COM Females 265 35% 290 39% 182 46%
National Females 372,117 42% 374,524 44% 382,516 43%
COM Black 78 27% 97 23% 58 34%
National Black 88,407 28% 92,611 29% 93,895 28%
COM Hispanic 194 31% 154 30% 122 43%
National Hispanic 110,457 36% 135,715 37% 149,289 36%
COM White 213 36% 228 42% 134 54%
National White 317,704 48% 330,358 49% 328,500 49%
COM Other Race/Ethnicity 26 35% 23 30% 18 44%
National Other Race/Ethnicity 235,638 33% 198,961 35% 201,199 35%
COM Black Males 43 21% 36 20% 23 52%
National Black Males 37,428 26% 39,844 27% 40,583 26%
COM Black Females 35 34% 62 24% 35 23%
National Black Females 44,847 30% 46,477 32% 47,395 31%
COM Hispanic Males 86 33% 60 24% 54 39%
National Hispanic Males 48,109 32% 59,389 33% 65,851 32%
COM Hispanic Females 108 30% 94 34% 68 47%
National Hispanic Females 59,102 39% 72,052 41% 79,094 40%
COM White Males 103 33% 106 34% 65 51%
National White Males 148,924 46% 155,938 47% 156,078 47%
COM White Females 110 38% 121 49% 69 57%
National White Females 160,397 51% 165,573 52% 164,020 51%
COM 20 and Younger 308 33% 333 35% 241 48%
National 20 and Younger 526,279 42% 536,427 44% 559,194 43%
COM 21-24 75 29% 56 31% 39 36%

Completion Rate

Target Type Value Method of Determination
Threshold of Acceptability 40% 3-Year National Average
Achievement Goal 50% President's Cabinet

Source: National Student Clearinghouse

Definition: The percentage of first-time, degree-seeking students enrolled in the fall term of the cohort year and enrolled full-time for at least one semester within the first academic year OR enrolled at least half-time for any two terms before December 31st of the second academic year that completed a degree or certificate by June 30th of the sixth academic year. The data are disaggregated by gender, ethnicity, and age group.

Gateway Course Completion

Target Type English Value Math Value Method of Determination
Threshold of Acceptability 57% 28% Actual value for academic year 2016-2017
Achievement Goal 70% 65% 2018-2023 Strategic Plan

Source: Instituitional Data reported to Houston GPS

Definition: The percentage of first-time, degree-seeking students enrolled in the fall semester who complete the first-level college English (ENGL-1301) and math (MATH-1314, MATH-1324, MATH-1332, or MATH-1342) courses with a grade of A-D within one academic year.

  Fall 2018 Fall 2019 Fall 2020
Complete Gateway English within 1 year (grades A-D) 62% 64% 68%
Complete Gateway Math within 1 year (grades A-D) 35% 36% 55%

Persistence Rate

Target Type Value Method of Determination
Threshold of Acceptability 66% 3-Year Peer Average
Achievement Goal 85% 2018-2023 Strategic Plan

Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Definition: The percentage of first-time, degree-seeking students enrolled in at least 12 semester credit hours (SCH) in the fall semester who are still enrolled at the same or another Texas public or private (independent) the following fall semester.

  Fall 2018 Fall 2019 Fall 2020
  Cohort Persistence Rate % Cohort Persistence Rate % Cohort Persistence Rate %
COM 333 72% 256 65% 345 68%
Texas Medium Colleges 11,165 66% 10,462 65% 8,623 66%
State 53,565 68% 56,593 64% 43,812 66%

Licensure and Certification Examination Pass Rate

Target Type Value Method of Determination
Threshold of Acceptability 89% 3-Year Peer Average
Achievement Goal 95% 2018-2023 Strateguc Plan

Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and Instituitional Data

Definition: The percentage of students in a discipline requiring or offering external certification or licensure who pass a licensure or certification exam during the reporting period, calculated as the total unduplicated number of students who pass an exam divided by the total unduplicated number of students taking an exam.

  2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020
COM 88% 87% 87%
Texas Medium Colleges 89% 89% 89%
State 88% 90% 89%

COM Licensure Pass Rates by Program

CIP Program 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020
12.0401 Cosmetology - General 95% 100% 71%
12.0409 Cosmetology - Esthetician 100% 100% 100%
12.0413 Cosmetology - Instructor 100% * 100%
43.0107 Law Enforcement 93% 100% 81%
43.0203 Firefighting 89% 91% 92%
51.0601 Dental Assistant 100% 94% 100%
51.0707 Health Information Management   * *
51.0713 Medical Coding * * 67%
51.0801 Medical Assistant   29% 73%
51.0805 Pharmacy Technician 89% 83% 85%
51.0902 Electrocardiography 91% 91% *
51.0904 EMT Paramedic 71% 71% 70%
51.1009 Phlebotomy * 100% 100%
51.1012 Sterile Processing Tech     *
51.3801 Nursing – RN 88% 88% 95%
51.3901 Nursing – LVN 92% 91% 100%
51.3902 Nurse Aide 93% 78% 73%
  Total 88% 87% 87%

* Indicates fewer than 5 students attempted the licensure exam.

Transfer Rate

Target Type Value Method of Determination
Threshold of Acceptability 23% 3-Year Peer Average
Achievement Goal 25% President's Cabinet

Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Definition: The percentage of first-time in college students who enrolled at a 2-year institution, were not concurrently enrolled at a 4-year institution, and then transferred for the first time to a 4-year institution within 6 years.

  Fall 2013 Fall 2014 Fall 2015
Cohort Total Transfer Rate Cohort Total Transfer Rate Cohort Total Transfer Rate
COM 487 15% 273 21% 416 23%
Texas Medium Colleges 20,796 22% 19,478 23% 18,733 24%
State 115,582 25% 111,924 26% 106,764 27%