Student Achievement Results of Academic Goals
At Elizabethtown Community and Technical College (ECTC), student success is a top priority. To measure the effectiveness of our programs and the academic achievement of our students, we track several key performance indicators. The ECTC Key Student Completion Indicator is the IPEDS Graduation Rate, which tracks the percentage of first-time, full-time students earning a credential within 150% of normal time. For a typical associate degree, this represents a three-year completion period. In addition, we monitor the Retention Rate, which measures the number of students continuing their studies from one academic year to the next; Course Success Rates, which track student performance in individual courses; and Post-ECTC Outcomes, which highlight achievements after graduation, such as employment or further education. These metrics provide a comprehensive view of how well we are supporting student success and fostering long-term growth.
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College disaggregates student success metrics, to ensure all student populations are supported. The college examines its student success metrics by academic program type (General Education and Technical Education majors), gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Socioeconomic status is assessed through Pell Grant eligibility. Each section below includes a table of the disaggregated results for each student success metric.
Below are the items the College uses to measure the success and academic achievement of our students.
Graduation Rate
Target: Increase by 1 percentage point each year from the baseline.
Minimum Threshold of Acceptability: Meet or exceed the KCTCS average.
Definition: Cohort of first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking students who complete their program within 150% of normal time.
| Graduation Rate Metric | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Target Overall Rate | 41% | 42% | 43% | 44% |
| Overall Rate | 42.3% | 49.6% | 59.5% | 58.7% |
| General Education Majors | 32.3% | 39.3% | 49.8% | 50.6% |
| Technical Education Majors | 54.9% | 61.4% | 70.5% | 67.8% |
| Enrolled Full-Time | 42.3% | 49.6% | 59.5% | 58.7% |
| Enrolled Part-Time | 19.1% | 24.0% | 21.3% | 33.6% |
| Females | 33.3% | 42.3% | 48.2% | 52.1% |
| Males | 52.8% | 59.6% | 73.2% | 67.4% |
| Low Income | 36.2% | 46.7% | 56.5% | 56.4% |
| Not Low Income | 50.8% | 52.8% | 63.3% | 62.0% |
| KCTCS Average | 41.5% | 44.2% | 47.2% | 51.1% |
Retention Rate
Target: Increase retention by an average of one percentage point each year from the five-year average baseline.
Minimum Threshold of Acceptability: Meet or exceed the KCTCS average.
Definition: Fall-to-fall retention rates of first-time, credential-seeking students as reported to IPEDS who re-enroll in the following fall or earn a credential by the following summer.
| Retention Rate Metric | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Target Retention Rate | 52% | 53% | 54% | 55% |
| Overall ECTC Retention Rate | 56.7% | 62.6% | 65.2% | 64.0% |
| General Education Majors | 53.6% | 60.7% | 62.0% | 62.8% |
| Technical Education Majors | 60.3% | 64.5% | 68.4% | 65.2% |
| Enrolled Full-Time | 70.8% | 71.5% | 76.3% | 72.8% |
| Enrolled Part-Time | 35.4% | 46.5% | 45.9% | 49.8% |
| Female | 51.8% | 60.3% | 63.3% | 65.3% |
| Male | 62.8% | 65.8% | 68.3% | 61.8% |
| Low Income | 54.3% | 58.5% | 63.6% | 63.0% |
| Not Low Income | 59.9% | 68.0% | 67.8% | 66.0% |
| KCTCS Average | 57.3% | 60.8% | 61.9% | 62.2% |
College-Wide Course-Based Success Rates
Target: Maintain an 80% or above for average course-based success rates.
Minimum Threshold of Acceptability: Meet or exceed the KCTCS average.
Definition: Grades Awarded for Credential-Seeking and Dual-Credit HS students that are A, B, C, or P divided by all Grades Awarded (A, B, C, D, E, F, W, P), averaged over the fall and spring semesters of each academic year. Excludes Auditors and In Progress Grades.
| Course-Based Success Rate Metric | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Target Course Success Rate | 77% | 78% | 79% | 80% | 80% |
| Overall ECTC Course-Based Success Rate | 79.2% | 81.8% | 83.2% | 86.4% | 84.7% |
| General Education Majors | 70.9% | 75.0% | 75.2% | 77.2% | 78.2% |
| Technical Education Majors | 78.4% | 79.8% | 81.3% | 81.9% | 82.5% |
| Enrolled Full-Time | 90.3% | 90.9% | 91.4% | 92.0% | 90.1% |
| Enrolled Part-Time | 69.9% | 74.0% | 75.0% | 75.3% | 77.9% |
| Female | 77.8% | 80.9% | 82.9% | 85.7% | 84.4% |
| Male | 81.1% | 83.1% | 83.9% | 87.6% | 85.4% |
| Credential-Seeking Students | 75.0% | 77.8% | 77.5% | 83.6% | 81.6% |
| Dual-Credit HS Students | 92.1% | 92.8% | 92.2% | 93.3% | 94.0% |
| KCTCS Average | 71.3% | 76.6% | 83.3% | 85.8% | 83.3% |
Post-KCTCS Outcomes
Target: Increase by 1% each year from the baseline.
Minimum Threshold of Acceptability: Meet or exceed the KCTCS average.
Definition: Percentage of non-returning credential earners (degree, diploma, certificate) in one academic year that enroll at a four-year institution or are employed in Kentucky and earn a wage greater than or equal to the federal poverty level in the following academic year.
| Post-KCTCS Outcomes Rate Metric | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Target Post-KCTCS Rate | 77% | 78% | 79% | 80% |
| Overall Post-KCTCS Outcomes Rate for ECTC | 81.3% | 80.2% | 77.9% | 74.4% |
| Female | 81.6% | 79.6% | 78.1% | 78.7% |
| Male | 80.9% | 80.8% | 77.3% | 70.5% |
| Low Income | 78.8% | 78.9% | 72.9% | 78.4% |
| Not Low Income | 84.0% | 81.8% | 82.7% | 70.7% |
| KCTCS Average | 73.1% | 74.0% | 73.0% | 72.3% |
