Tarrant County College
Tarrant County College seeks to become more effective in using data in its planning and decision-making processes. With Achieving the Dream, the college will:
- Develop accurate and consistent data definition, collection, and analysis processes;
- Bolster student success through a comprehensive First-Year Experience program including New Student Orientation, more concentrated advising, faculty engagement, and learning support for students via interventions such as a student success course and curriculum changes;
- Strengthen performance in developmental education and three gateway courses using the Early Academic Alert System (EAAS) as well as restructuring developmental and gateway math curricula and instructional methods and
- Engage faculty, staff, students, and the community in a culture of evidence.
To lead the development of an institutional culture that supports the success of all students, the college recently created a district-wide executive position devoted entirely to student success and an Office of Institutional Diversity. It also expanded its institutional research capacity. Student success strategies already in place at the college include accelerated, modular developmental math options, learning labs, summer bridge programs, learning communities, and group advising for new students. The college's K-16 partnerships promote collaborative instructional planning and compatible student development services.
Tarrant County College is a five-campus college district that serves Fort Worth, Arlington, and Hurst, Texas. It was created in 1965 as Tarrant Junior College. Its programs have since grown to cover 80 technical and transfer areas. In Fall 2009, it had 44,355 students; 44% were students of color. Forty-two percent of Fall 2009 students received financial aid, with 33% considered low-income.
To address the needs of underprepared students, the college recently began requiring that entering students who need remediation enroll in developmental education courses, engage in mandatory advising, and take a college success course. TCC also offers student-supportive resources such as counseling, distance learning, labs, tutoring, and child care. TCC is always in a stage of continuous improvement of educational services provided to its primary stakeholders, the students. PARR, which stands for Plan/Assess/Re-assess/Re-plan, is the acronym given to the district's initiatives to assess course, program, and institutional learning outcomes.
The Achieving the Dream Model
Achieving the Dream community colleges commit to our Student-Centered Model of Institutional Improvement. Based on four principles, the model frames the overall work of helping more students, particularly low- income students and students of color, stay in school and earn a college certificate or degree.
Each college approaches the work differently, but Achieving the Dream’s five-step process provides practical guidelines for keeping the focus where it belongs and building momentum over time. Throughout the process, Achieving the Dream coaches offer customized support and help each college’s core team implement data-informed programs and policies that build long-term, institution-wide commitment to student success.
