BANGOR, Maine — Eastern Maine Community College was added to a list of community colleges that “have shown significant commitment to improving student success and closing achievement gaps,” the nonprofit group Achieving the Dream announced Wednesday.
EMCC joins a group of 79 colleges that Achieving the Dream, which supports community colleges nationwide, has selected to highlight their ability to use data and best practices to improve student outcomes.
A statement released by Achieving the Dream highlighted EMCC’s improved ability to advance students in math. In the 2008-09 school year, only 26.9 percent of students taking a remedial math course advanced into a full college level course. Two years later, that rate increased to 50.2 percent.
EMCC President Lawrence Barrett said the most recent data suggests that number has continued to improve. He attributed the school’s improved success rate in math to the fact that students are getting more individualized attention outside of the classroom.
“EMCC understands the importance of sustainable change and the relevance of collecting and analyzing data to ensure that our interventions have positive impact on our desired outcomes,” he said.
Achieving the Dream Senior Vice President Carol Lincoln praised EMCC in a statement.
“Eastern Maine Community College has demonstrated that better student outcomes are possible when an institution focuses on policies and practices that help students learn at high levels and overcome challenges life throws at them,” she said.
