North Carolina
State Lead Organization & Contact l State Profile l Achieving the Dream Priorities l State Documents
STATE LEAD ORGANIZATION & CONTACT
North Carolina Community College System
200 West Jones Street
Raleigh , NC 27603
Tel: 919-807-7100
Fax: 919-807-7164
www.ncccs.cc.nc.us
With 59 institutions and almost 800,000 students, the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) is one of the largest in the nation. It is the state’s primary agency for delivery of job training, literacy and adult education. The NCCCS was created in 1962 when five public junior colleges and seven industrial education centers focusing on technical and vocational education, were brought into a unified community college system that would provide comprehensive post-high school education. The system has a longstanding mission of providing workforce development services to the state and supporting economic development, but also increasingly, a growing role in transferring students to four year institutions.
State Contacts:
Dr. Delores Parker
Vice President for Academic and Student Services,
North Carolina Community College System
Email: parkerd@ncccs.cc.nc.us
Vonna Viglione
Training Initiatives Director,
North Carolina Community College System
Email: viglionev@nccommunitycolleges.edu
STATE PROFILE
A quick overview of state demographics and the state higher education system.
( View Full State Profile 
)
ACHIEVING THE DREAM WORKPLAN PRIORITIES
1. Data and Performance Measurement - Using the now statewide NCCCS data warehouse, the system office will undertake research and surveys to identify the current status of enrollment and student success with under-represented students at an institutional level. In Phase I the project will undertake research that will identify tools and research and practices and will also analyze existing statewide data to obtain more detailed institutional data. In Phase II there will professional development and dissemination around identified policies and practices and research options.
2. Student Success - During 2007-2008, NCCCS will sponsor a research effort aimed at the internal articulation of Adult Basic Skills, Adult Secondary Education courses, and Developmental Education to the uniform placement scores that provide entry to college credit bearing courses in general education.
3. K-12 and Postsecondary Alignment - Finalize the administrative rules and regulations on the admission of NC High School students as Learn and Earn students in college-based programs and in the on-line statewide virtual Learn and Earn program. Learn and Earn, early college/middle college, Technology HS students in NC have the potential to schedule their HS and college courses in such a sequence that will allow them to earn a HS diploma and an Associate’s degree at the same time.
4. Transfer and Articulation - Adoption and implementation of ACA 122 -Study Skills and Advising for College Transfer Students; An internal study will identify the course levels; and A new Basic Skills reporting measure will be piloted over the next two years.
5. Financial Aid - North Carolina has determined that the single greatest need based financial aid program for low income, under represented students would be the expansion of the Learn and Earn model that would allow students to obtain an Associate's Degree from a community college at the same time they are earning their high school diploma but without the costs of college enrollment.
STATE DOCUMENTS
> STATE WORKPLAN
( View Full State Workplan ) **UPDATED**
> LISTENING TOUR
In 2004, the Futures Project of Brown University led a Policy Listening Tour for Achieving the Dream in Florida, Texas, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Virginia. In each state, Achieving the Dream representatives met with stakeholders to discuss existing state policies and programs that promote student success and opportunities to advance new policies. The meetings included leaders from community colleges, other educational institutions and systems, state legislative and executive branches, and business and advocacy groups. Besides a summary report 
, the Listening Tour produced state-level findings for North Carolina . In advance of Listening Tour meetings, each state prepared background materials for attendees. These materials include information on the state’s community college system, descriptions of current (as of 2004) policies and programs related to student success, and information on state data collection and use. Download background materials from North Carolina .
> PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH REPORT FOR NORTH CAROLINA
In 2004, a national study examined public perceptions of community colleges and ways to raise the profile of these institutions. It found that Americans have highly favorable attitudes toward community colleges. People value community colleges because they provide opportunity for individuals to better themselves. Yet the public has limited awareness of the struggles community colleges face as they try to meet increasing demands with fewer resources. Besides the national report , the study produced state-level findings for North Carolina .
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