Improvement Plan Part 2: Data Analysis and Goals

Institutional Strengths 

A key strength of Coahoma Community College is its great accessibility. The learning institution can be accessed from four key highways such as US Highway 61, US Route 49, Mississippi Highway 6, and Mississippi Highway 1 (“About CCC,” n.d.). In this case, students and faculty members from nearby urban areas can benefit from time-saving and convenience while accessing the institution. Another strength is related to the institution's ability to accept a wide range of students, given its low ACT acceptance score. In 2019, the average ACT composite score for new students was 15.8, which was below the average ACT score of 18.4 for all Mississippi community colleges. In this sense, students with poor education outcomes are given a second chance to prove themselves and receive a meaningful education. The high student success rate is another key strength of the institution. In 2019, the student success rate was 73.5%, while the average of all Mississippi-based community colleges was 71.3%. This statistic points to the teaching excellence of the institution. Coahoma Community College's strength also lies in its ability to serve organizations in the Mississippi area through workforce training. In 2019, the learning institution was able to serve more than thirty entities. Another principal benefit is associated with its accreditation. The learning institution has been accredited by SACSCOC, a regional association that mandates degree-granting for higher education learning bodies in the Southern states (“About SACSCOC,” n.d.). The flexible tuition payment plan for dormitory students is another vital benefit. Such students can pay only 50 percent of the total tuition upon registration. 

Weaknesses 

A major weakness of the Mississippi-based institution is its low level of enrollment. In 2019, the learning institution enrolled only 2451 students, with the total number of enrolled students in all Mississippi-based community colleges was 97,783. The low proportion of three percent may point to the institution’s low level of attractiveness. Another key weakness is its low level of retention, especially for technical degrees. In 2019, the institution had a retention rate of 56.3%, while the average retention rate for all community colleges in the area for technical degrees was 59%. This statistic may point to the poor quality of the instructors teaching technical courses. Another weakness is the low percentages of students who successfully completed college algebra and English composition within two years. Only 44% of the Coahoma Community College students successfully completed English composition while an average of 48% of students from all Mississippi-based community colleges successfully completed the unit. 34.7% of the institution’s students completed algebra successfully compared to 36.4% for students in all Mississippi community colleges. The achievement gaps may point to the unskilled nature of the instructors. 

Goals 

Coahoma Community College should aim to realize the following goals for school improvement: 

Increase its total enrollment to 2700 students in the next academic year to ensure it serves more community members. 

Achieve a retention rate of 70% in the next academic year to boost its financial health. 

Increase the student completion rate of English composition to 65% in 2021 to improve its reputation among all community colleges in Mississippi. 

Relation to Vision 

The increase in the institution's total enrollment to 2700 students and an increase in retention rates to 70% will allow the institution to fulfill the vision of meeting the needs of Mississippi-based businesses and industries effectively. The increases in enrollment and retention will increase the highly skilled applicants and candidates for the area's businesses. The rise in completion rate to 65% will ensure more applicants with better communication skills. 

References 

About CCC . (n.d.). COAHOMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE. http://coahomacc.edu/about-ccc/index . 

About SACSCOC . (n.d.). SACSCOC. https://sacscoc.org/about-sacscoc/ .