Building a Data-Driven Community College Culture in Iowa: Empowering Campuses Through Insight, Strategy, and Collaboration
The goal of this series is to empower Iowa’s community colleges with the knowledge, tools, and collaborative strategies necessary to foster a culture of data-informed decision-making that improves student success and institutional effectiveness. As the first state in the nation to participate in the National Community College Benchmark Project and to partner with the Richmond Federal Reserve on its Survey of Community College Outcomes, Iowa’s community colleges have access to two complementary, high-impact data resources. The National Community College Benchmark Project provides national comparisons of student progress, completion, and equity across peer institutions, allowing colleges to understand their performance in context and identify opportunities for improvement. The Richmond Federal Reserve’s Survey of Community College Outcomes captures information that is not available through traditional administrative data, including graduates’ employment experiences, earnings, further education, and perceptions of how well their education prepared them for the workforce. This series will help campuses integrate insights from both initiatives, translate data into action, and collaborate across institutions to align strategy with evidence, strengthen accountability, and use data intentionally to expand opportunity and change lives across Iowa.
Webinar Series
Tuesday, February 17 – 10-11:30 am - Using Data to Improve Student Success
This session will explore how colleges can use disaggregated data to identify and close student success gaps in both credit and noncredit programs. Participants will examine practical tools that support this work, including student Data success dashboards, early alert systems, and audits that help uncover barriers to progress. The session will also highlight how Guided Pathways and developmental education reforms intersect with data use to improve student outcomes. Colleges will share examples of how they leverage their student information systems and early alert data to better understand student needs and implement targeted strategies that support student achievement.
- Session Recording
- Kelly Friesleben, Iowa Department of Education - Slides
- Iowa Valley Community College District - Slides
Monday, April 20 – 3-4:30 pm - Workforce Alignment & Employer Engagement
This session will highlight how colleges can leverage labor market data and employer feedback to strengthen programs and align them with workforce needs. Participants will explore tools such as Lightcast Analyst, wage record data, employer surveys, and employer demand data in order to evaluate program relevance and support continuous improvement. The session will also include an update on ongoing work to develop a systemwide approach for assessing college readiness, with additional details to be shared as that work progresses.
Tuesday, April 21 - 11:00 am - 12:00 pm - Iowa Insights from the 2025 Community College Survey
This session will highlight key findings from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond’s 2025 Community College Survey, with a focused look at results for Iowa community colleges. Participants will explore insights related to enrollment trends, student needs, workforce alignment, and institutional challenges, while also examining how Iowa’s experience compares to national patterns.
Thursday, May 14 – 9-10:30 am - Enrollment Management & Strategic Planning
This session will examine how colleges can use data to strengthen marketing, recruitment, and enrollment strategies. Participants will explore tools such as predictive enrollment modeling and geo-demographic segmentation to better understand prospective student behavior, target outreach, and refine messaging. The session will demonstrate how data-informed approaches can enhance recruitment efforts and support more effective enrollment planning.
Monday, June 8 – 12-1:30 pm - Program Review & Curriculum Improvement (Updated!)
This session will focus on how colleges can embed meaningful data into academic program evaluation to strengthen decision-making and improve student outcomes. Participants will review key metrics used in program review, including course success rates, transfer performance, and labor market results. The session will also address how developmental education departments can better use their own data during program review to inform improvements and align with broader institutional goals.