Student Achievement

In accordance with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Standard 8.1, “The institution identifies, evaluates, and publishes goals and outcomes for student achievement appropriate to the institution’s mission…,” Spelman College has identified student achievement metrics, provided appropriate data, established thresholds of acceptability, and explained how each criteria relates to its mission.  The student achievement measures identified by the College are:

1. Second-Year Retention
2. Six-Year Graduation
3. State Licensing Examinations
4. Post-Baccalaureate Placement

The Spelman College mission statement indicates that the College is “…dedicated to academic excellence in the liberal arts and sciences and the intellectual, creative, ethical and leadership development of its students.”  Each measure is in alignment with the College’s mission statement. The College strives to attain the highest student achievement outcomes possible, which often exceed those of the national average, Liberal Arts Colleges, and Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs).

The College’s target is to exceed the national average for Second-Year Retention by a minimum of five (5) percentage points. In support of the College’s responsibility to its students and their first-year experience at Spelman College, the threshold for Second-Year Retention has been established at 85%. This ensures that the College remains committed to enhancing the student experience and thereby, retaining a majority of its first-year students.

The fall 2017 cohort Second-Year Retention Rate was 91% for Spelman College. In comparison, this retention rate outpaced those in the comparison group, giving Spelman a 16% margin over the national average, 8% over Liberal Arts Colleges, and 25% over HBCU’s. The fall 2018 cohort Second-Year Retention Rate of 88% represents a slight decrease in retention from the previous year but still exceeds the established benchmark of 85%. The 2018 Cohort Second-Year Retention Rates for those in the comparison group are not yet available.

Table 8.1-1: Second-Year Retention Rates

Cohort Year	Spelman College	Liberal Arts Colleges*	National Average**	HBCU
2014	90%	84%	75%	67%
2015	91%	84%	75%	65%
2016	89%	80%	72%	62%
2017	91%	83%	75%	66%
2018	88%	***	***	***

*Liberal Arts Colleges: Carnegie Classification, Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus
**National Average includes all 4-year Institutions in the United States of America.
***Comparison group data are not yet available for the 2017 Cohort in the IPEDS Data Center

The most recent Second-Year Retention Rate for Spelman College’s 2018 cohort has been further disaggregated by race/ethnicity and by socioeconomic level. Pell eligibility, the most closely related variable, has been used represent socioeconomic level as shown in the chart below.

The College’s target is to exceed the national average Six-Year Graduation Rate by ten (10) percentage points. For the 2012 cohort, Spelman’s graduation rate of 75% is 16 points greater than the national average of 59%. The Six-Year Graduation Rate for Liberal Arts Colleges is 71% -- 4 points less than Spelman’s (Table 8.1-2:  Six-Year Graduation Rates). Although the College exceeded the Graduation Rates of those in the comparison group by several percentage points, it continues efforts to surpass a graduation rate threshold of 75%. Spelman’s Six-Year Graduation Rate for the 2013 Cohort is also 75%. The 2013 Cohort Graduation Rates for those in the comparison group are not yet available.

Table 8.1-2: Six-Year Graduation Rates

Cohort Year	Spelman College	Liberal Arts Colleges*	National Average**	HBCU
2009	76%	70%	54%	35%
2010	77%	70%	55%	34%
2011	75%	67%	49%	33%
2012	75%	71%	59%	36%
2013	75%	***	***	***

*Liberal Arts Colleges: Carnegie Classification, Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus
**National Average includes all 4-year Institutions in the United States of America.
***Comparison group data are not yet available for the 2012 Cohort in the IPEDS Data Center

The most recent Six-Year Graduation Rate for Spelman College’s 2013 cohort has been further disaggregated by race/ethnicity and by socioeconomic level. Pell eligibility, the most closely related variable, has been used represent socioeconomic level as shown in the chart below.

Spelman College students pursuing teacher certification routinely take state licensing examinations; namely, the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) and EducationTeacher Performance Assessment (edTPA). The College’s benchmark for these students is a pass rate of at least 85%, which is five (5) percentage points greater than the teacher accreditation standard. The College's Education Department maintains statistics on teacher certification pass rates, which have averaged nearly 97% since the 2012-13 academic year for students taking the GACE exam. The most recent GACE report from the 2019-20 academic year indicates a pass rate of 100% (Table 8.1-3:  GACE Passing Rates). These data indicate student performance on the GACE exam far surpasses the established benchmark.

Table 8.1-3: GACE Passing Rates

Academic Year	Passing Rate
2015-16	100%
2016-17	100%
2017-18	100%
2018-19	100%
2019-20	100%

During the 2015-16 academic year, edTPA also became a requirement for teacher certification in the state of Georgia. The passing score for Georgia is 38 (secondary) and 45 (elementary) based on the number of rubrics per content area. In 2019-20, the Spelman College pass rate was 90% for edTPA with a mean passing score of 43 (secondary) and 51 (elementary).

The College obtains information annually on job placement as well as graduate and professional school acceptance through the First Destination Survey administered prior to graduation by the Office of Career Planning and Development (CPD). In addition, CPD re-administers the survey six months following graduation to gather additional detailed information about employment; pursuit of graduate/professional education; and other academic or leadership opportunities post-graduation. Table 8.1-4 below gives a summary of Spelman College graduates’ placement rates subsequent to program completion. For comparison, Table 8.1-5 provides national placement rates as reported by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Table 8.1-4: Spelman College Placement Rates

		2016	2017	2018	2019
Spelman Graduates (IPEDS Reported)		463	460	446	465
First Destination Survey Respondents		448	398	404	436
	First Destination Survey Response Rate	97%	87%	91%	94%
Spelman Student First Destination Survey Results
Employed, Full-Time		106	145	109	125
	Employed, Full-Time Placement Rate	23%	32%	24%	27%
Military		5	4	8	3
	Military Placement Rate	1%	1%	2%	1%
Service (Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, etc.)		10	5	9	5
	Service Placement Rate	2%	1%	2%	1%
Graduate Fellow/Graduate Internship/Research/Fulbright		36	5	16	4
	Graduate Fellow/Graduate Internship/Research/Fulbright Placement Rate	8%	1%	4%	1%
Entrepreneur		8	3	3	3
	Entrepreneur Placement Rate	2%	1%	1%	1%
Freelance		3	3	0	0
	Freelance Placement Rate	1%	1%	0%	0%
Additional Reported Placements (PT Employment/FT & PT TEMP/FT & PT Contract)		13	11	15	43
	Additional Reported Placements Rate	3%	2%	3%	9%
National Student Clearinghouse & First Destination Results
Grad/Prof School		107	100	150	132
	†Grad/Prof School Placement Rate	23%	22%	34%	28%
Total Placement Headcount		288	276	310	315
	Total Placement Rate	62%	60%	70%	68%

†Grad/Prof School placement data is based upon National Student Clearinghouse Data and First Destination Survey results.

Survey results also captured participation in other post-baccalaureate opportunities (excluding full-time employment and grad/prof school), considered successful post-graduation outcomes. In 2019, 13% of Spelman graduates reported participation in other post-baccalaureate opportunities including military enlistment, Fulbright engagements, research, internships and fellowships. When combined with full-time employment and grad/prof school placements, the data show that 68% of our most recent alumnae are actively engaged in post-baccalaureate opportunities. The College has established a post-baccalaureate placement benchmark of at least 75% for our graduates. We continue to strive for the benchmark in various ways. Improvements to the data collection and verification process have been implemented including gathering grad/prof school data from the National Student Clearinghouse and the First Destination Survey, which should provide a more complete reporting of graduates’ post-baccalaureate endeavors. The CDP has also employed new methods in its efforts to increase the response rate and integrity of First Destination Survey. From 2017 to 2019, the total placement rate of Spelman graduates increased by 8%, due in part to these improvements in data collection methods.

Table 8.1-5: National Placement Rates

		2016	2017	2018	2019
**NACE, Total National Graduates		515,837	549,694	529,299	***
Employed, Full-Time		298,670	317,694	310,698	***
	Employed, Full-Time Placement Rate	58%	58%	59%	***
Grad/Prof School		90,271	96,191	101,625	***
	Grad/Prof School Placement Rate	18%	18%	19%	***
Military		4,127	4,397	4,234	***
	Military Placement Rate	0.8%	0.8%	0.8%	***
Service		4,642	4,947	4,763	***
	Service Rate	0.9%	0.9%	0.9%	***
Post-Grad Fellowship/Internship		10,833	12,093	10,056	***
	Post-Grad Fellowship/Internship Rate	2.1%	2.2%	1.9%	***
Entrepreneur		5,158	5,496	4,763	***
	Entrepreneur Rate	1.0%	1.0%	0.9%	***
Freelance		3,095	3,298	3.175	***
	Freelance Rate	0.6%	0.6%	0.6%	***
PT Employment/TEMP/Contract		39,719	43,973	30,699	***
	PT Employment/TEMP/Contract Rate	7.7%	8.0%	5.8%	***
Total Placement Headcount		459,611	488,089	470,013	***
	Total Placement Rate	89%	89%	89%	***