February 26, 2007
AtD Update #10: February 26, 2007 Retention Rates at Lone Star College System
A goal of Achieving the Dream is to improve student retention with the idea that if students are retained in each class as well as from semester to semester, they will be more likely to attain their long-term educational goals.
Based on Student Success Initiative data, fall to spring retention has been steadily improving over the 2000-2003 period. By contrast, fall to fall retention for each cohort has remained relatively flat with less than half of each cohort retained for one full year[1].
Follow-up questions to these retention data might be:
At what point in the Spring semester do students make the decision not to return?
What reasons do students give for not returning?
The Lone Star College System 2003 and 2005 Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) reports offer clues. From previous discussions about CCSSE you might recall that beginning in 2003, the CCSSE has been administered to a stratified, random, statistically valid sample of Lone Star College System students between late March and early April. Students were surveyed in 2003 and 2005 and will be surveyed again in a few weeks.
Two questions on the CCSSE are relevant to the discussion of retention. When students were asked when they planned to re-enroll at the college, by early April 5% had already made up their minds not to return for another semester. In 2003 8% were uncertain about returning and by 2005, the percentage that were uncertain about returning had increased to 18%. In summary, by early April of 2005 almost a quarter of the 2005 cohort had either made up their minds to leave Lone Star College System or were considering that as an option.
CCSSE Question 20: When do you plan to take classes at this college again?
| | Indicated they had accomplished their goal and would not be returning. | Had already decided not to return | Were uncertain if they would be returning | Would re-enroll at the college within the next 12 months | Percentage of students age 25 and below |
| 2003 Results | 7% | 5% | 8% | 80% | 61% |
| 2005 Results | 12% | 5% | 18% | 66% | 71% |
When asked what factors would influence their decision either to drop the class or not return to the college, work, and by extension, finances as well as transfer to a four-year institution were factors cited by a significant number of students.
CCSSE Question 14: What factors would cause you to withdraw from this class or withdraw from college?
| | 2003 Results | 2005 Results |
| Working full-time | 47% | 37% |
| Financial difficulties | 48% | 45% |
| Dependent care | 38% | 29% |
| Transfer to a four-year institution | 65% | 46% |
| Academic difficulties | 30% | 17% |
| % of students 25 year of age and below | 61% | 71% |
Note that between 2003 and 2005, the percentage of students 25 and under increased by 10%. The younger group of students in 2005 appeared to be more uncertain about their commitment to education (i.e. the younger 2005 cohort was more uncertain about returning and fewer had made a definite commitment to return in the next year as compared to the older group in 2003). Financial problems, work, dependent care and plans to transfer to a four-year institution also seemed to be lesser factors influencing the younger 2005 group to drop or withdraw than the 2003 CCSSE cohort.
As we craft strategies to improve retention, CCSSE data offers some valuable insight into students' intentions and barriers to retention. For example, if the 2005 cohort is typical, by early April of this year 5% of our students will have already decided not to return to Lone Star College System. Another 13% will be undecided about returning. Are there interventions that can be put in place, actions that we can take to reach out to these students and help them recommit to continuing their education at Lone Star College System? Is it possible to identify those 5% who are not returning? If so, what barriers have they encountered that are so insurmountable that they have decided to leave Lone Star College System. And what about the 18% who are still on the fence? Are there resources, support or encouragements that we might suggest to sway their decision to leave?
The AtD Updates are produced by the Lone Star College System Core Team and distributed to the Lone Star College System community in an effort to inform as well as promote discussions on issues critical to improving student success. Should you have any questions about the information contained in the AtD Updates, need clarification about the data or simple wish to comment please contact Lea Campbell, Director of Student Success Initiatives (832-813-6584, carol.l.campbell@lonestar.edu).
[1] Based on Student Success data found at the bottom of page: http://research.lonestar.edu/reports/replistb.asp?tc=i. Interactive reports for each cohort are located under the titles: SSI Ind #6-Fall to Fall Retention and SSI Ind #6-Fall to Spring Retention. Cohorts consist of all students who were first time in district during that particular year.