CCRI doubles historical three-year graduation rates in 2020
CCRI doubles historical three-year graduation rates in 2020
November 9, 2020
The Community College of Rhode Island today shared that the college sustained gains
in its two-year graduation rates and doubled its historical three-year graduation
rate to 30 percent, making CCRI among the best performing community colleges in New
England.
According to data released by the college’s Institutional Research and Assessments
team, CCRI saw an 18 percent two-year graduation rate for first-time, full-time students
who started in Fall 2018, representing a two-year graduation rate four times the historical
average of four percent.
For its three-year graduation rate, the rate by which community colleges are traditionally
measured, CCRI saw a 30 percent three-year graduation rate, doubling its historical
three-year graduation rate.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, only 13 percent of community
college students graduate within two years and 22 percent graduate within three years,
which makes CCRI’s two- and three-year graduation rates well above national averages.
In addition, the college had the largest graduating class and awarded more degrees
and certificates in the 2019-2020 academic year than in the last two decades, helping
to fuel the state’s economy and workforce.
“The dramatic improvement in our graduation rates is a direct result of the college’s
focus on student success and completion,” said CCRI President Meghan Hughes. “It also
proves what we know about community college students, which is they are absolutely
capable of succeeding if they are given the opportunity and the tools to do so. I
am incredibly proud of our students for sticking with their education no matter the
challenges they face, and I am deeply grateful to our faculty and staff for leading
the work that has led to the college’s tremendous improvements in the past several
years.”
Since 2016, CCRI has implemented several measures to improve student outcomes, including
developing a Master Schedule, which allows students to more efficiently take the classes
needed to graduate on time with fewer superfluous credits; reforming developmental
math and English to bring students into credit-bearing courses more quickly; and expanding
to year-round learning with condensed winter and summer semesters.
In addition, CCRI adopted the Guided Pathways model to provide students with a clear
path to graduation and a seamless transfer to a four-year institution. Community colleges
that have implemented this model at scale are seeing three-year completion rates rise
from averages of 22 percent to upwards of 40 percent.
Named America’s 2-Year College of the Year by Education Dive, CCRI is at the forefront of creating educational and career opportunity for thousands
of community college students.
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Introduction to Utilities – free to anyone who meets eligibility requirements through funding from Rhode Island Energy – is a seven-hour introductory course that provides participants with foundational skills and knowledge to explore career pathways within the utilities sector, specifically with Rhode Island Energy.
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