The purpose of this assessment is to evaluate the impact of the PALS program on student persistence, retention, GPA, and credit completion rates. By comparing participants in the PALS program with non-participants, this assessment aims to determine the effectiveness of the program in supporting first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students, particularly those from opportunity zones. The results of this assessment will guide future implementations and institutional integration of best practices from the program.
This assessment is necessary to validate the effectiveness of the PALS program in enhancing student success metrics, including persistence, retention, GPA, and credit completion. Understanding the program's influence is crucial for integrating its best practices into the broader Student Affairs Case Management approach, ensuring continuous improvement in student support services and alignment with the college’s strategic goals.
The PALS program targeted new students, providing high-touch programming and support, especially for students from opportunity zones. Throughout the academic year, data was collected via surveys and tracked metrics to compare the performance of PALS participants with non-participants. Key metrics included persistence rates, retention rates, GPA, and credit completion. These were documented in the PALS Dashboard and shared with stakeholders for review and feedback.
Analysis of the data revealed that the PALS program participants consistently outperformed non-participants across several key metrics:
- Persistence Rates: PALS participants showed an 84% persistence rate from Fall 2023 to Spring 2024, compared to 63% for non-participants.
- Retention Rates: The retention rate from Fall 2023 to Fall 2024 was 64% for PALS participants, compared to 37% for non-participants.
- GPA and Credit Completion: PALS participants achieved an average GPA of 3.09 in Spring 2024, higher than the 3.01 GPA of non-participants. Additionally, they completed more credit hours on average (11.51 vs. 10.86).
These results suggest that the PALS program contributes positively to student success, particularly in persistence and retention.
The Personal Allies for Learning Success (PALS) program at Estrella Mountain Community College, which operated under a Title V grant, aimed to improve student success metrics, including persistence, retention, GPA, and credit completion. This assessment evaluates the program's effectiveness by comparing PALS participants with non-participants over the 2023–2024 academic year. The results showed that PALS participants consistently outperformed their peers in persistence, retention, GPA, and credit completion. These findings underscore the program's positive impact on student success and provide a foundation for integrating best practices into the Student Affairs Case Management model for future use.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| presidents-cabinet-copy-personal-allies-learning-success-pals-executive-summary.pdf | 201.45 KB |