In 2003, CPCC began implementation of an integrated retention system to address the needs of under-prepared students entering the College. The components of this project fall under the Gates Foundation’s focus on post-secondary improvement and improving access and support for low-income students (although our program addressed – and continued to address – the needs of students who are academically under-prepared when they enter, the majority of these students are also from low-income, first-generation college student backgrounds). Additionally, providing student information to students, faculty, and staff via our in-house Online Student Profile system has been the lynchpin of improvements made thus far.

CPCC has achieved excellent, measurable results in both student success and retention of entering at-risk students, although budgetary considerations did cut short one very important and impactful element – a mandatory orientation course to be taken by at-risk students during their first term of enrollment. The orientation course is being offered and taken by the majority of our incoming at-risk students, but budgetary constraints have, thus far, kept it from being required of all incoming developmental students. Successful outcomes thus far include:

1. In-term retention rates for all (100% of) entering developmental students included in a random sampling of the overall population during Spring 2009 have improved from the 67.7% 2001 baseline to 87.8%. This represents a 21.1% improvement within the random sample (N= 2167).
2. In-term retention for a randomly selected sample of entering developmental students receiving all treatments including successful completion of the ACA111 orientation course is even better, with a total of 93.5% retention within the term – this represents an 25.8% improvement in retention over the 67.7% baseline (N= 893).
3. The 2001/2002 baseline for success in the first developmental course(s) taken is 60.1% success rate at a level of “C” or better. Based on a random sampling of all (100%) incoming developmental students enrolled in developmental reading and/or English during Spring 2009, the success rate at “C” or better was 67.6%. This represents a 7.5% improvement within random sample (N= 2167).
4. For the “pure” students who received all treatments including intake via the Student Success Center model, successful completion of ACA111 and attendance in developmental RED or ENG courses, the success rate at “C” or better during Spring Term was 72.3%. This represents a 12.2% improvement in success rate over the 60.1% baseline (N= 893).
5. Because of improvements in at-risk student retention during the first term of enrollment, overall retention of new, first-time students at CPCC from Fall to Spring term (and from Spring to Fall Term, for those students starting in Spring) has increased dramatically. Academic research indicates that students completing the first term and continuing on to the second term are more likely than not to be successful in completing their academic goals.

Ideas for Leveraging Success
Representatives from other colleges as far away as Kansas, have visited CPCC to learn about our project and how it worked (and continues to work), but there is no funding available to formally disseminate our best practices information. Funding for dissemination might include:

• CPCC staff to organize and host working meetings at the Harris Conference Center to teach teams from other colleges how to implement the successful strategies used at CPCC.
• Travel for the teams from other colleges to visit CPCC – especially important as travel funds are generally restricted due to the current state of the economy.
• Technology support to allow for implementation of the web-based Online Student Profile system at other colleges.

There are also significant funding needs at CPCC to continue building upon our successes; needs which are unlikely to be met with state or local funding in the foreseeable future include:

• Funding to allow for extending the scope of our project into the local K-12 school system, allowing for work with at-risk students regarding self-knowledge and self-efficacy to begin well before enrollment at CPCC.
• Funding to allow for development of modularized developmental course units focused on specific skills testing of students to identify which skill students need to improve – in order to avoid taking an entire 80-hour developmental course if they need to work only on a percentage of the skills covered in the class (note: this will require policy changes regarding delivery of developmental courses at the State level in North Carolina – an additional assistance sought from the Gates Foundation).
• Funding to allow for development of self-paced, computer-based developmental education modules to offer as an option to students.

Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC) has recognized Central Piedmont Community College’s (CPCC) Online Student Portal Learning System (OSPLS) as a proven, technology-based solution that addresses the retention of at-risk collegiate students. As a result, the organization has awarded CPCC a $250,000 grant to share and implement its OSPLS with seven other peer institutions located across the state and the United States in mid-May to boost student success at their campuses.
Sixty eight faculty and staff representatives from Asheville-Buncombe Tech (Asheville, N.C.), Durham Tech (Durham, N.C.), Fayetteville Tech (Fayetteville, N.C.), Forsyth Tech (Winston-Salem, N.C.), Lane Community College (Eugene, Ore.), Monroe Community College (Rochester, N.Y.) and Moraine Valley Community College (Palos Hills, Ill.) visited CPCC May 10-11 to receive training on the College’s OSPLS. During the two-day training sessions, participants worked extensively within the tool to learn its many applications, worked individually and in teams to develop lesson plans and engaged in strategy sessions regarding how to fully implement the OSPLS on their campuses.
The following staff members were presenters and/or assisted in organizing the two days of training, delivered just five weeks after the College received the grant:

• Laura Bazan - Director of Collaborative Learning
• Howard Byrd - Academic Advising
• Nicki Dardinger - Government Relations and Grants
• Rita Dawkins - Dean, Student Success Services
• Jennifer De La Jara - PT NGLC Grant Coordinator
• Linda Dunham - Discipline Chair, ACA Courses
• Lisa Foley - Discipline Chair, Reading
• Patty Hill-Miller - Discipline Chair, Developmental English
• Percell Hobbs - Director, Advising and Student Success Ctrs
• Ken Ingle - Executive Director of Emerging Technology
• Elvira Johnson - Learning Communities Coordinator
• Tony Jones - Director of Counseling
• Clint McElroy - Dean, Retention Services & NGLC Grant Administrator
• Edith Valladares McElroy - Dean, Levine Campus
• Karen Merriman - Associate Dean, Professional Development
• Valerie Wright - Discipline Chair, Developmental Math

CPCC will continue to do training with our partner colleges via Webinars and a Moodle website, and select members of their teams will return in October (35 participants) for a “train the trainer” session. These will be the counselors, advisors, and faculty members who will have been using the OSP during the start of fall term at their schools – they will be training other staff at their colleges for expanded implementation of the OSPLS during spring term 2012. The grant team is facilitating collection of action plans and other materials from the partners, sharing of information among the partners via our Moodle site, and assisting ITS with communications with partners during the OSPLS rollout.

College Connection is a program offered by Central Piedmont Community College to Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools that gives priority registration and personalized guidance through the enrollment process. This allows for a wider selection of classes and a more tailored first year schedule.

CPCC recruiters schedule presentations at each high school in English classes to discuss the program. They assist students with completing the admissions application, setting up a time for taking the College’s Accuplacer placement test and advising students on what classes to take in the fall semester. Students can also complete financial aid and scholarship applications during this time. What makes this process unique is that the students can complete all of these steps at their high school during the school day or after school.

Unique features of the College Connection Program:

• Students complete the entire registration process EARLY!
• The process takes place in high school senior English classes, computer labs, and libraries during school day or afternoon
• Personalized one-to-one advising and counseling
• Flexible schedules allow for better transition to college
• Partnerships with Career Development Coordinators, Guidance Counselors and Principals
• Students are educated about career options

Successful outcomes include:

• More students registering for full-time class schedules
• Financial Aid and Scholarship applications completed earlier
• Students in programs are retained at a higher level from first semester to second semester than students who are not in a program
• Students declare majors earlier
• Higher attendance for New Student Orientation
• Students have a college schedule in their hand prior to graduating from high school

Innovative ideas for leveraging the success of the program:

• Provide more open house programs for students to visit the College throughout the year
• Develop more strategies for preparing students for the placement test
• Expanding new student orientation programs

Historical Data:

The program began at Olympic High School as a pilot and has grown every year. School officials embraced the idea and it is now at 21 schools.

A college wide Retention Committee made up of mid- and upper-level managers, professional staff, and faculty members – was established in 2005 to take an organized approach to issues relating to student retention. Using a “research first” approach, best practices are studied, benchmarks are set, and then pilot projects are used (when possible) to test ideas for improving retention. Successful projects thus far:

• Established retention benchmarks for all courses
• Responsible for implementation of new Withdrawal Policy (moved withdrawal date to the 35% date of courses from the 75% date, based on research showing that students who commit earlier to finish a course tend to be more successful in both finishing the course and in passing it). This resulted in an 8.1% decrease in withdrawals and a 3.2% increase in passing grades.
• Completed assessment of possible reasons for substandard performance of CPCC college transfer students, based on review of practices at NCCCS colleges whose transfer students are more successful at the receiving institutions.
• Recommended establishment of a staff position in the marketing area to focus exclusively on communications with current students; a position is now in place.
• Evaluated existing faculty training elements and recommended additional content and training methodology.
• Due to the success of the pilot, new prerequisites were added to eight additional courses (BUS110, BUS115, ECO251, ECO252, FRE111, GER111, INT110, and MKT120) which require high-level reading and/or writing, improvements in student performance (A-C grades) averaged 5% among the courses with new prerequisites during fall term 2009.
• Established the Student Intake Steering Committee in 2007
  
  

Student Intake Steering Committee

The Student Intake Steering Committee, founded in 2007, has 16 members who come from all VP units. This group, which meets every other week throughout the year, consists of mid-to-upper-level administrators and serves to anticipate problems relating to all aspects of student intake and head them off before they happen. It also serves as a forum for solving existing problems and for improving intake operations overall.

Among the accomplishments of this group:

• Developed, administered, and analyzed an annual Student Intake Survey. This survey was completed by over 4,000 students over the past two years. In addition to showing that CPCC students are generally happy with all aspects of student intake (registration, cashiering, financial aid, counseling/advising, etc), specific areas of weakness have been identified and addressed, thereby “closing the loop.” Results for the frontline intake services were in the 92% to 95% range for satisfaction, indicating that the College is meeting student needs.

• Eliminated institutional “silos” and created a culture of shared responsibility for student intake. We succeed or fail as a team, and no one VP Unit “owns” intake.

• Allowed for a more strategic approach to intake-related communication with both new and existing students. Examples of this include using computer lab screen savers to carry important messages to students, finding creative ways to leverage social media in student communications, and implementing new ways for students to take care of registration-related business (Advising on the Go, Financial Aid Express, etc.).

• Reviewed all intake-related materials on an ongoing basis, from the appearance of registration screens in the online system to marketing publications.
  
  
• Implemented a priority registration system for current and new students. Students with the most credits and who are currently enrolled in a program are able to register for courses needed to graduate in a timely fashion. This process has resulted in decreased registration issues and increased enrollment and participation.

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Pathways to Employment programs are designed to meet the needs of low-income adults who lack the credentials and basic skills necessary for employment and career advancement. Pathways to Employment is a partnership of CPCC, the Charlotte Department of Social Services, 12 community businesses, six social service agencies and several faith-based organizations. Pathways to Employment programs must lead to a career, with jobs that pay an entry-level wage and prepare students for college curriculum or occupational/technical certification, diploma or degree programs. The Pathways to Employment programs have been and continue to be creative in providing educational training options. Currently CPCC is offering seven Pathways to Employment programs:

1. Medical Reimbursement Specialist
2. Medical Office Administrative Procedures
3. Office Information Systems Specialist/Receptionist
4. Flexographic Assistant Press Operator
5. Heating and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
6. Welding Technology
7. Developmental Disabilities Specialist
8. Pharmacy Technology

Unique features of the Pathways to Employment programs are:

• The programs utilize the Learning Community Model and apply an integrated curriculum.
• The stringent requirements of 80% attendance and grades of 80% and higher to graduate help establish very high expectations of our students. In the end, our graduates are well trained in their courses of study.
• The programs, with their career path design, encourage lifelong learning.
• The programs allows students with limited basic skills (those lacking a high school diploma or GED) to access CPCC’s skills training courses.

Successful outcomes include:

• 1,956 students have completed the Pathways to Employment programs since 1997
• 85 % retention rate is indicative of the program’s success
• 50% of those students needing a GED earned their GED during the course of their program
• 68% of the Pathways to Employment graduates have enrolled in additional classes at CPCC

Innovative ideas for leveraging the success of the Pathways to Employment programs:

• Scholarships for books and tuition to provide 100 needed individuals access to the Pathways to Employment program ($120,000)
• One academic facilitator or counselor, who will help students overcome their multiple barriers to employment. They will also assist the students with the development of educational plans and career goals. ($35,000)
• Provide public bus passes for low-income students, so they can get to school. ($45,000)

The Basic Skills Programs are designed to maximize the educational potential of participant’s so they can meet their educational and career goals. The programs provide foundational study, English as a Second Language (ESL), pre-college and career and transition to college programs.  Unique features of the program are:

• All classes are tuition free
• Small classes target instruction in reading, writing, math, and career explorations.  Programs are offered in several campus and community locations.  There is a comprehensive distance learning program that allows students to study at a distance if they are unable to attend regularly.
• Serve students from 163 different countries
• Serve students from age 16-70+ years

Successful outcomes for 2009-2010 include:

• Graduated over 1, 017 students a year with either a diploma or GED
• Served over 12,960 (unduplicated headcount)
• Retained 94% of students

Innovative ideas for leveraging the success of the Basic Skills programs:

• Provide a $500 scholarship for each graduate to transition into College classes ($450,000)
• Provide a dedicated counselor for basic skills to transition students into College classes ($39,067)
• Make funds available for the Adult High School Program students who cannot afford to purchase text books ($15,000)
• Provide contextualized math  and reading instruction that targets academic skill needed to bypass all developmental courses for students whose goal is to transition into post-secondary programs ($100,000) 

Cooperative Education is an academic class commonly called Co-op, which blends classroom learning with practical work experience. Instead of attending class in a traditional classroom, students work with an employer in a position directly related to their field of study. Co-op is similar to an internship, but students receive academic credit either as an elective or as a required class. Through partnerships with the business community, students gain job experience which increases their chances of finding career-related employment upon graduation. 
Unique features of the Co-op program are:

• Partnerships with the business community
• College credit for the work experience
• Guidance from faculty in the field of study to support students to completion
• Career exploration to bridge the preparation gap
• Combining classroom and workplace learning.

Successful outcomes include:

• Providing over 400 work experiences annually
• Offering Co-op in 45 programs of study
• Partnering with approximately 300 employers annually
• Increasing the rate of program completion for participating students
• Increasing the employability of participating students

For more information, visit www.cpcc.edu/cooperative_education, email co-op@cpcc.edu or call 704.330.6217.

Learning Communities are courses that are linked through a common theme with a cohort of students. They are designed to build a community of learners who support one another; and students make a connection to their instructors, who collaborate on their course content and track student progress. Benefits include: increased student retention and advancement; peer and instructor support in a learning centered environment; instant application of coursework; and diversity and cultural exploration.
Unique features of Learning Communities courses are:

• Faculty training in how to create collaborative assignments and “connect” with students
• Supportive environment for academic success and social connections
• Academic-specific learning groups that provide immediate insight into career fields

Successful outcomes include:

• 62% retention rate for 2009 - 2010 Learning Communities
• 21% increase in student engagement (based on pre- and post-course survey)
• 78% annual increase in number of learning communities from 2010-2011

Innovative ideas for leveraging the success of the Learning Communities:

• Establish learning communities in existing college programs: TRiO, First Year Experience, Minority Male Mentoring, etc.
• Include learning communities in college initiatives: Achieving the Dream,  Completion by Design, Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)
• Schedule ‘learning community-wide’ projects and presentations to encourage connections between learning community groups: Service-learning events, workshops, poverty simulations, etc.

College Experience provides qualified CMS high school students a head start on a college education. Students are required to be enrolled at Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) for the fall and the spring semesters. Students take NCCCS and CMS approved CPCC courses as a part of the regular school day. Enrolled CE students are expected to perform on a college level, are regarded by CPCC as any other college student and receive identical treatment.

The Concurrent Enrollment Program at CPCC offers students, 16 years old or older, who live in North Carolina, who are currently enrolled in a North Carolina high school and who are in good standing and making satisfactory progress toward graduation, an opportunity to earn approved college credit at CPCC. The Concurrent Enrollment Program provides eligible students a head start on a college education, advanced vocational preparation and personal enrichment opportunities. (Note: NC high schools include public, private, or home schools authorized by NC to operate as home schools.)

The Learn and Earn Online program is for qualified North Carolina public high school students. Students can take approved online college-credit courses at no cost to them or to their families. Students earn both high school and college credit for completed courses. These courses are offered during fall and spring semesters through community colleges.
Unique features of the above program(s) are:
College Experience/Concurrent Enrollment:

• Tuition and fees are waived for courses in Math, Science, and Technology.
• CE students will receive a grade and one unit of credit for each CPCC course that grants a minimum of three (3) semester hours. Some courses are combined, taken concurrently, for a minimum of three semester hours. CPCC will also award a grade and college semester hours that will appear on the official college transcript established at CPCC.
• Students may earn certifications at CPCC by completing coursework appropriate to certain program areas while still in high school.

Visit www.cpcc.edu/hsprograms

Through implementation of the Online Student Profile system (OSP), all student services staff and faculty now have access to all entering high-risk students’ learning style assessment results, personality type assessment results, individual student goals, and early warning intervention notices to assist them in planning and decision making. More importantly, students have access to their own learning and personality results, which they use in examining their personal decision-making processes.

Central Piedmont Community College requires that students make satisfactory academic progress in order to remain in good standing and continue their enrollment. CPCC has established and will apply the following standards of academic progress to all students with a declared program of study pursuing a degree, diploma, or certificate. The Student Success Center can assist students with finding resources to help both academically and personally. Academic progress is evaluated each term. Satisfactory Academic Progress requires that students maintain a term GPA at or above 2.0. If a 2.0 term GPA is not met, the following actions will be taken:

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CPCC has Student Success Centers at all six campuses, and a full complement of student services are provided at each location. Our centers serve as the centralized location where staff can connect potential and current students with the appropriate services.  This comprehensive, one-stop approach provides a positive educational experience for high-risk students who are most in need of special support services and who are least likely to participate where services are limited or dispersed.

These centers physically and organizationally integrate all college services and response mechanisms needed by current or potential students. The College's first SSC was established at the Central Campus (CPCC's largest). During that first year, SSC staff served 36,000 current or prospective students. Since expanding to all campuses, these contacts have increased to almosts 200,000 annually.

Prior to developing the Centers, our staff conducted extensive research and studied best practices to address the needs of the high-risk students.  In addition, we reviewed recent studies conducted at CPCC that supported the need for an integrated, coordinated and centralized student success system.   In developing the Centers, our professional staff took the following steps:

1. Assessed the needs of the high-risk population
2. Identified specific goals related to success of the high-risk population
3. Determined desired outcomes
4. Created a “first referral” intake process ensuring that students were connected to appropriate resources
5. Implemented enhanced student tracking and a new student assessment process
6. Determined the specific services which were most appropriate and needed for the high-risk population
7. Developed a comprehensive orientation process
8. Designed a developmental, goal-oriented student advising system with intervention strategies
9. Enhanced interaction with faculty teaching developmental classes
10. Established advisory committees to ensure coordinated efforts

The existence of Student Success Centers on the six campuses represents a massive commitment to all CPCC students, particularly those who fall in the high-risk population. These centers consolidate all intake, assessment and matriculation processes and services into a single location in order to enhance student success. Because of our significant improvement in retention and resulting enrollment growth, we believe that the existence of Student Success Centers on all CPCC campuses has made a significant positive impact upon increasing student success in achieving their desired goals.

Since October of 2008, CPCC has developed and implemented the first stages of a Minority Male Mentoring Program with grant funding from the North Carolina Community College System. Data gathered for a national study funded by the US Department of Education and also data gathered internally at CPCC, indicates that male students are much more likely to drop out of CPCC than female students. Our internal data also shows that while the female to male ratio of new, incoming students in Fall Term is 55% to 45%, of that same group of students one year later, the ratio of female to male is 60% to 40%.

CPCC’s Minority Male Mentoring Program includes the following elements: engagement activities to bond students to the institution, study skills support, peer-oriented activities, and mentors and coaches. A cross-disciplinary team combined and structured these elements to create the program, which is aimed at increasing the success of minority male students.

Pre-enrollment visits and other orientation activities were designed and held for selected high school seniors by the Outreach and Recruitment and Student Orientation areas. Special versions of the ACA111 orientation and ACA120 Career Exploration courses targeting the needs of minority male students were designed and taught by the Director of Advising, Percell Hobbs, an ESS employee familiar both with teaching ACA and with mentoring minority male students in the college environment. Students were also paired with faculty and staff mentors and also met monthly as a group to offer peer support beyond the ACA111 course they took during their first term.

During the 2009-2010 academic year, students participating in the program were 100% retained from fall to spring term, as compared to a norm of 62% for minority male students.

Gates Foundation Funding: Ideas for Continuing and Expanding the CPCC Minority Male Mentoring Project

• Funding for continued operation at the current level during the pilot period, until student success data for the cohort is available.
• Funding for expansion of the program and dissemination activities to other colleges, should student success data show the program to be effective.

The Summer Bridge program is designed to provide a structured, supervised environment to assist first-generation, low-income recent high school graduates make the transition from high-school to college.

It has been in place for 10 years and generally occurs mid-June through mid-July each year. To participate in the Summer Bridge program, a student must be a graduate of CMS with an overall grade point average of 2.0, be recommended by either the Communities-In-Schools or CPCC’s Outreach and Recruitment Department, take CPCC’s placement examination, and plan to enter a college or university in the fall semester following the Summer Bridge program. Summer Bridge Program courses offered include:

1. Study Skills
2. Expository Writing
3. English Refresher
4. College Algebra
5. Selected Topics in Math

Unique features of the Summer Bridge Program are:

• It offers a jumpstart to students’ college careers and offers long-term benefits toward college completion.
• The students that successfully complete the program can earn up to six hours of college credit.
• Students can transfer Expository Writing and College Algebra classes to the University System.

Successful outcomes include:

• 83% students participated in the June 2010 Summer Bridge program, of which 87% enrolled in classes at CPCC in the fall 2010 semester.
• 71% of the students that retook the Accuplacer Placement Exam upon completing the developmental courses (English Refresher and Selected Topics in Math) improved enough to change their schedules.

This partnership between CPCC and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) was the first to respond to the governor’s initiative to have a middle college program in every school system in North Carolina. Middle College is designed for high school juniors and seniors interested in completing high school graduation requirements while earning college credit through CPCC courses. Cato Middle College opened in the fall of 2007 with 57 students and has grown to almost 200 students for the 2011-2012 academic year. Students have scored at a level III or IV on end-of-course tests in Algebra II Honors, US History Honors, Physics Honors and Chemistry Honors earning the school a distinction as a North Carolina “School of Excellence”.  The partnership achieved the distinction of having one student graduate with both a high school diploma and CPCC degree in 2011.
Unique features of the program are:

• Students participate in an honors-level program while completing their high school diploma and earning college credit.
• All high school and college level courses are taught on the CPCC Cato Campus through a combination of CMS teachers and CPCC faculty.
• Program is open to rising juniors in Charlotte-Mecklenburg County.

Successful outcomes include:

• Recognized as a North Carolina “School of Excellence” during first year (2007-08).
• 98% of our students received a passing score on End-of-Course Exams over the past two consecutive academic years.
• In the most recent 2009-2010 school year, 100% of students passed their EOC tests and achieved the highest Level 4 on 75% of the tests.  This is the highest ever achieved by any High School in the State of North Carolina.
• 95% of students who participated in CPCC college level courses passed with a “C” average or higher.
• There were no reports of negative behavior or violent incidences in its first year.
• 100% of the Cato Middle College students who applied to colleges or universities of their choice were accepted.
• CMCHS Senior was selected from more than 20,000 applicants as a Gates Millennium Scholar.  As a Gates Millennium Scholar, this student received a full scholarship to attend any U.S. accredited college or university and funding is also available to continue education through the master’s or doctoral levels.

Program updates:

• Facilities Expansion: The program has reached its maximum agreed capacity of 200 students for the 2011-2012 academic year. Cato Campus completed the expansion of a new Learning Lounge area during the summer of 2011 to provide study space, new Student Life offices, a larger bookstore and a coffee and sandwich shop.  This area will benefit both Middle College and CPCC students.  Beyond this, the existing physical space available at Cato campus is filled to its capacity for 2011-2012.
• Personnel: The program currently employs a principal, counselor and six CMS teachers onsite at the Cato campus. 

Visit http://www.cpcc.edu/campuses/cato/programs/other-programs

Juniors and seniors in North Carolina public or private high schools may enroll in any one of the Academies at CPCC – Criminal Justice, Construction Management, and Automotive Systems. High school students enrolled in CPCC academies earn free college credit which may be applied to a 2-year degree.
Unique features of the CPCC Academies are:

• High school students explore career opportunities in professions while earning college credits.
• Classes are based on the Career Cluster model developed by the National Career Technical Education Foundation.

Successful outcomes include:

• Graduating seniors are better prepared for post-secondary education.
• Graduates are better prepared for a wide range of career opportunities from entry level through management and professional levels.
• Graduates may finish high school with a college degree or certification.

The IT Academy Program is a partnership with major IT Vendors, CPCC, and local high schools to provide support for implementation of IT certification curricula. High Schools partners include Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Central Academy of Technology & Arts (Union County), Highland School of Technology (Gaston County), and Lake Norman High School (Iredell County).
Unique features of the IT Academies include:

• Curricula developed by the vendor
• Training model developed, facilitated, & supported by vendor
• Learning Management System that provides online evaluation and outcome analysis of student success within the global community
• Instructor training model designed to develop a well-qualified instructor pool utilizing known best-practices to facilitate student learning

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This course introduces the College’s physical, academic, and social environment and promotes the personal development essential for success. Topics include: campus facilities and resources; policies, procedures, and programs; study skills; and life management issues such as health, self-esteem, motivation, goal-setting, diversity, and communication. Upon completion, students should be able to function effectively within the college environment to meet their educational objectives.
Unique features of the program are:

• Students acquire orientation resources and skills specific to new college students.
• Students receive group counseling session for academic planning/choosing programs.
• Students learn navigation of Blackboard for future online course options.            

Successful outcomes include:

• More than 10,000 students have taken ACA 111 since fall 2003.
• In-term retention rates for students who successfully complete ACA 111 (Grade of "C" or better) were 94.3%
• ACA 111 is a pivotal course in Learning Communities, Minority Male Mentoring Program, and Summer Bridge, and is highly recommended for students entering college for the first time.

Innovative ideas for leveraging the success of ACA:

• Integrate ACA 111 with college initiatives such as Next Generation Grant, QEP, Achieving the Dream, and Completion by Design to leverage success for new and returning students and all students who place in one or more developmental courses.

Visit www.cpcc.edu/aca

There is a critical shortage of engineers and engineering technologists entering the field at a time when technology is reinventing itself every few years. Project Lead The Way (PLTW) attempts to help meet the demand by offering a dynamic high school program that provides students with real-world learning and hands-on experience. Students interested in engineering, biomechanics, aeronautics, and other applied math and science arenas will discover PLTW is an exciting portal into these industries.
PLTW’s premier high school program, Pathway to Engineering, is a four-year course of study integrated into the students’ core curriculum. The combination of traditional math and science courses with innovative Pathway to Engineering courses prepares students for college majors in engineering and technology fields and offers them the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school.
Pathway to Engineering courses engage high school students through a combination of activities-based, project-based, and problem-based (APPB) learning. APPB learning not only creates an environment for applying engineering concepts to real problems, but also prepares students to be an effective team member in college and on the job.
Unique features of the program are:

• Integrated into the students’ core curriculum Participate as part of a team
• real-world learning
• hands-on experience

Successful outcomes include:

• Preparation to:
• Lead teams
• Speak to a public audience
• Conduct research
• Understand real-world impacts
• Analyze data
• Learn outside the classroom
• College credit
• Ability for students to find out in high school that engineering is not for them and have time to prepare for another career path prior to entering college

Innovative ideas for leveraging the success of the Project Lead the Way programs:

• Provide scholarships for PLTW Students ($2,000 per student per year)
• Provide marketing material directed at PLTW students specific to CPCC ($3,000 per year)
• Provide dedicated recruiter for PLTW program ($35,000 per year)

The goal of the Apprenticeship 2000 program is to offer high school students opportunities in technical career fields, and employment after graduation. The Apprenticeship 2000 program, in return, offers sponsor employers a trained workforce of which that employer contributes to a significant portion of the students training. Recognizing the need for trained craftsmen, six European companies established the Apprenticeship 2000 program in an effort to train their own workforce. After graduation from the program, students can earn in upwards of $34,000 per year in their selected career fields.
The Apprenticeship 2000 program is an 8000-hour program that spans four years of training. Upon graduation, students earn an AAS degree in Manufacturing Technology, and a Journeyman’s Certificate awarded by the State of North Carolina. At graduation, each apprentice will have invested approximately 6400 hours inside one of the five sponsorship companies. The supplemental company instruction reinforces the student’s classroom training by taking the classroom examples into real life situations.
Unique features of the Apprenticeship 2000 program are:

• Paid tuition, books, and fees
• Paid 40-hour salary but only required to work 32 hours - allowed to spend one full day at school at the company’s expense
• Hands-on training in first semester of program

Successful outcomes include:

• North Carolina Journeyman’s Certificate
• AAS Degree in Mechatronics Engineering Technology
• Guaranteed job after graduation
• Salary up to $34,000
• Opportunities for travel and living abroad

Innovative ideas for leveraging the success of the Apprenticeship 2000 initiative:

• Provide scholarships and stipends to potential students that the companies could evaluate risk free to determine proper fit into the company.

CCTI centers on best practices for easing student transitions from high school to college to employment.
Unique features of the program are:

• Building a relationship between high school, community college, and university giving students a career pathway between the three organizations
• Engaging students in career exploration and college exploration early in middle and high school

Successful outcomes include:

• Student exploration of careers at an early stage of Middle and high school attendance which lead students to determine career choices in time to allow them to choose high school courses to support those career choices
• High school coursework choices leading to college credit as well as high school credit
• Seamless transition from high school to community college and university studies

Innovative ideas for leveraging the success of the CCTI Model programs:

• College counselors, high school career development specialists, and college faculty participating with Middle School and High School students in counseling sessions set up career pathways for students with suggested courses of study at all levels -these would include college experience courses so that students could accumulate as much college credit while in high school as possible.
• High school student exploration of college curricula at the post-secondary educational institution sites (College Days).
• After/in-school school clubs at the middle and high school levels lead by college faculty and by business leaders to engage the students in career participation as fun and exciting activity.
• Internships for high school juniors and seniors in their selected field of study.
• Early placement testing to allow high school students to view their tentative college placement in English, Reading, and Math in time to make the appropriate course selection at the high school level to improve their placement scores to avoid remedial work at the post-secondary level.

CCTI centers on best practices for easing student transitions from high school to college to employment in Nursing and Allied Health Careers.

Unique features of the CCTI Model programs are:

• Allows high school students to complete selected college-level general education courses, required by many health career degree programs, as part of their high school class schedule.
• Through “College Experience”, students are advised about appropriate college courses available, and assisted to register for sections offered during their school hours.

Successful outcomes include:

• High School students interested in pursuing an associate degree in a health career will complete as many as four required general education courses in advance of applying for admission.
• High School students would be well-positioned to compete in the application process.
• Increased number of young applicants for health careers; potentially increasing the number of younger graduates at a time of critical workforce shortages, due in part to an aging health career workforce.

Innovative ideas for leveraging the success of the CCTI Model programs:

• A part-time student advisor dedicated to this initiative, which would develop a relationship with various high schools, and with the Health Occupations Coordinators at each school, for the purpose of disseminating information about the CCTI program to high school students and to their parents. ($19,000)
• Creative Marketing (brochures, media) for distribution. ($11,000)

The Fast Track Math program includes an intensive review of high school math courses offered before each semester and provides the opportunity for students to improve math course placement results, thus allowing them to skip one or two developmental math courses.

Unique features are:

• Students can cover 80-160 hours of mathematics in 15 hours
• Students take courses the week before their curriculum class starts, so their skills do not deteriorate while waiting for the next math class.
• Classes are not self paced, and students make a personal connection with an instructor and other students, thus increasing the chance for success

Successful outcomes include:

• 70% of Fast Track Math students advanced at least one level
• 85% of those students completed their next developmental math course with a grade of "C" or better
• Improvements shown in retention and grade performance

Innovative ideas for leveraging the success of the Fast Track programs:

• Currently offered through CCE, so all students must pay out of pocket. This often excludes students based on their financial need. Scholarships for this course are needed or placement in CCL as an alternative developmental set of courses.
• Although the course has been successful, it is still “one size fits all”. There is a need to modularize the developmental math courses offered through the CCL and then to provide testing to identify an individual’s mastery and weaknesses. This could be accomplished by convening developmental instructors across the State to come together for a “Curriculum Improvement Project” for developmental mathematics, and possibly for English and reading as well.

ENG 081: Fast Track Writing Foundations

This course provides an intensive review of selected ENG 080-level writing skills.  Topics include the following writing skills: forming correct sentences and composing coherent paragraphs.  Upon completion, students should be able to write correct sentences and coherent paragraphs.


ENG 091: Fast Track Composition Strategies

This course provides an intensive review of selected ENG 090-level writing skills.  Topics include the following writing skills: composing coherent paragraphs and writing effective essays.  Upon completion, students should be able to write coherent paragraphs and effective essays.


RED 081: Fast Track Introduction to College Reading

This course provides an intensive review of selected RED 080-level reading strategies.  Topics include the following reading strategies at the RED 080 level: reading study system, major question types, main idea, patterns of organization, vocabulary, and inference.  Upon completion, students should be able to apply selected RED 080 reading strategies to various texts.


RED 091: Fast Track Improved College Reading

This course provides an intensive review of selected RED 090-level reading strategies.  Topics include the following reading strategies at the RED 090 level: critical thinking, major question types, main idea, patterns of organization, vocabulary, and inference.  Upon completion, students should be able to apply selected RED 090 reading strategies to various texts.

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The ESL Instructor Fast Track Training (ESLIFTT) is an online teacher training program that prepares individuals to work with adult English language learners. The training is designed to be facilitated by qualified ESL instructors and is offered in a non-credit format resulting in a certificate and 3 Continuing Education Units (CEUs). The course is highly interactive with narrative, video, flash presentations, photos and links. Below is a description of how the course is structured.

• Introduction—Orientation to Online Learning
• Module 1: Adult ESL Learners: Core Issues
• Module 2: Second Language Acquisition: The Adult Learner Perspective
• Module 3: Proven Teaching Practices: Reaching the Adult ESL Learner
• Module 4: Effective Lesson Design and Classroom Teaching Methods
• Module 5: Leading Classroom Observation and Reflection

Unique features are:

• Five-module (8-week) series developed by a team of Adult ESL providers and trainers
• Peer-reviewed content by experts in Adult English language teaching and learning
• Flexible, instructor-facilitated delivery model
• Multimedia-enhanced, SCORM compliant, fully online training program
• Adaptation options for various training or professional development needs

Successful outcomes will include:

• ESL Instructor Fast Track Training (ESLIFTT) was developed to meet the instructional needs of Adult ESL students by increasing the availability of trained ESL instructors.
• New and prospective teachers across the United States enroll and complete the program.
• Evaluation and feedback from participants are consistently positive.

Innovative ideas for leveraging the success of the ESL Instructor Fast Track Training program:

• The vision of this project is for the community college system to serve as the nexus for English language instruction and teacher training in adult literacy. In order to make the program widely accessible, we propose a national dissemination model that will allow for community colleges to implement the training in their local community. Community colleges will be able to access ESLIFTT for local implementation through a membership agreement in spring 2010. The membership concept will allow for the creation of a professional development cadre of Adult ESL trainers who will be able to leverage their individual resources to be more responsive to the needs of their own communities.

The State of North Carolina offers numerous resources to help individuals who have been laid off transition into new jobs. In fulfilling its roles of assisting in both workforce and economic development, CPCC works closely with the Workforce Development Board, Employment Security Commission, the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County to connect displaced workers with academic and vocational resources to help them advance professionally. The College also offers a variety of resources for individuals transitioning into new careers, including the Career Professional Center. With funding from a two-year WalMart Brighter Futures grant and another grant from the Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation, the Center helps dislocated workers find jobs in the Charlotte Region.  http://cce.cpcc.edu/cpc

For more information, please visit www.cpcc.edu/changingcareers

The demands for energy are growing around the world. This growth combined with environmental and sustainability concerns, national security issues and interruptions in supply due to natural disaster is focusing new attention and new investment in the energy sector. In a very real way a whole new energy economy is rapidly emerging.
This CPCC Energy Portal has been designed for the following groups of learners:

• High school students looking for a career path
• CPCC students evaluating possible career choices
• Employed workers exploring alternative careers
• Career professionals seeking to enhance their careers
• Unemployed or underemployed workers looking for jobs that match their interests and skills
• Energy sector employers who want to enhance the skills of their workforce and connect with CPCC students to meet growing demand.
• Lifelong learners who just want to learn more about what is happening in the rapidly advancing energy sector.

Regardless of what group you fall into we hope you will be engaged by the information and links provided on our Energy Portal and by the programs CPCC offers that can get you connected to the new energy economy.
Since 2010, CPCC has organized the Energy Careers for a Bright Future all-day informational event.  Under the auspices of the Charlotte Regional Partnership’s "Charlotte USA -The New Energy Capital" initiative with the support of the region’s energy businesses and other organizations.

Visit www.cpcc.edu/energy