SANFORD - Central Carolina Community College has been recognized for "Exceptional Institution Performance" by the North Carolina Community College System.

The NCCCS just released its 2012 Critical Success Factors Report on the performance of the state's 58 community colleges. CCCC is one of just 16 in the system to earn the "Exceptional Institution Performance" recognition.

To achieve EIP, a college had to:

1. Meet or exceed all seven performance measures established by the NCCCS,
2. Have graduating students earn at least a 70 percent passing rate on all licensure exams for first-time test takers and,
3. Have students who transferred from the college into the University of North Carolina System perform at a level equal to or above native UNC System students.

CCCC excelled in all three categories: It exceed all the performance measures, achieved an 84 percent passing rate on licensure exams, and had 94 percent of its transfer students perform better than students who started at UNC.

"I have always liked the word 'exceptional'," said CCCC president, Dr. Bud Marchant. "It has a very nice ring to it. For the past three years, CCCC has met the eight performance standards established to measure the quality and performance of the community colleges. We have taken great pride in the college's ability to do so. This year, however, we have done something exceptional. We not only met all of the standards, we substantially exceeded them. To be designated as one of the very few colleges in the state as an exceptionally performing institution is a testament to our outstanding faculty and staff, who are totally dedicated to the success of our students."

The annual Critical Success Factors Report is the NCCCS's major accountability document for tracking the performance of the state's community colleges, as mandated by the General Assembly. The NCCCS sets standards for each of its eight core accountability performance measures that colleges are to reach or submit an action plan for doing so. The 2012 report is based on data from the 2010-11 academic year.

For 2012, the report includes just seven performance measures standards. The General Assembly authorized the removal of the measure on the progress of basic skills students for one year as data collection improvements are implemented.

CCCC's achievements on the seven performance measures compared with the NCCCS base standards are:

1. Passing Rates on Licensure and Certification Examinations: The percentage of first-time test takers passing an exam required for N.C. licensure or certification prior to practicing a profession.
   
   At CCCC, 84 percent passed their licensure/certification exams on the first attempt. The state performance standard was 80 percent. Among the groups taking the exams, the college's Veterinary Medical Technology, Cosmetology Apprentice, and Esthetician graduates achieved a 100 percent passing rate; graduates of the Associate Degree Nursing program had a 96 percent rate; and Basic Law Enforcement Training had a 95 percent rate.
2. Performance of College Transfer Students: The percentage of students that transferred to UNC with an associate degree or 24 articulated college transfer credits and achieved a 2.0 ("C") grade point average or higher after two semesters.
   
   Ninety-four percent of Central Carolina's 134 transfer students earned a 2.0 GPA or higher after two semesters at UNC. That exceeded the aggregate performance of native UNC sophomores and juniors, which was 88 percent. The NCCCS performance standard was 88 percent, which was also the average of all N.C. community colleges. CCCC ranked No. 8 in the state for the success of its transfer students.
3. Passing Rates of Students in Developmental Courses: The percentage of developmental course students who completed English, math, or reading courses with a grade of "C" or better.
   
   Eighty-one percent of Central Carolina's developmental students earned "Cs" or better. The state Performance Standard was 75 percent.
4. Success Rate of Developmental Students in Subsequent College-level Courses: The percentage of English and math developmental course completers who earned a "D" or better in subsequent college-level English or math courses.
   
   At Central Carolina, 93 percent of the developmental English and math students achieved that grade or higher. The state performance measure standard was 80 percent and the NCCCS average, 87 percent. CCCC students achieved the seventh highest percentage among state community colleges.
5. Satisfaction of Program Completers and Non-completers: The percentage of graduates and early-leavers "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with the overall quality of the college.
   
   At CCCC, 91 percent said they were satisfied" or "very satisfied." The state standard was 90 percent.
6. Curriculum Student Retention, Graduation, and Transfer: The percentage of fall credential-seeking students who have graduated, are still enrolled, or have transferred to a university or another community college one year later.
   
   At CCCC, 67 percent of the 4,278 curriculum students enrolled in 2010-11 academic year achieved one of these goals. The state Performance Standard was 65 percent. Percentages at the other community colleges ranged from a low of 61 to a high of 73 percent.
7. Client Satisfaction with Customized Training: The percentage of clients receiving specialized training programs and services through the college's Customized Training or Small Business Centers that expressed satisfied with the training.
   
   Ninety-two percent of CCCC's clients said the services were "excellent" or "very good." The state performance standard was 90 percent. CCCC's measure is a weighted aggregate of the 92 percent satisfaction rating of the 1,061 businesses that received services from CCCC's Small Business Center and the 100 percent satisfaction of the 14 industries that received Customized Training services through the Industry Services Office.

"The results of this year's Critical Success Factors report shows the increased emphasis our community colleges are placing on ensuring our students are well prepared for the workplace or for additional educational opportunities," said NCCCS President Scott Ralls. "I congratulate our colleges as they strive to meet the continually changing needs of their citizens and communities while keeping a strong focus on the success of their students."

To read the full 2012 Critical Success Factors report, go online to www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/Publications/docs/Publications/csf2012.pdf.