Using Data to Improve and Evaluate Direct Assessment Competency-Based Education Programs

California community colleges are developing direct assessment competency-based education (CBE) programs, which aim to offer more-flexible (and potentially more-efficient) pathways to college credentials. These programs remove the emphasis on "seat time" as the primary measure of student learning and allow students to learn and demonstrate competencies in varying ways.

This guide provides California community college staff with an overview of several ways data can be used to improve and evaluate direct assessment CBE programs. The guide provides basic direction on tracking success measures, describes approaches to continuous improvement, and illustrates how college staff might evaluate the impacts and costs of college programs. These different approaches to data use vary in complexity, and some may require time, additional evaluation funding, and analytic support. Examples in the guide are contextualized to direct assessment CBE. The guide concludes with an actionable workbook that is designed to support community colleges in planning for how they will use data to support their direct assessment CBE programs.