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.
Wednesday, March 25 – 12-1:30 pm - Program Review & Curriculum Improvement
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.
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, state wage record data, and employer surveys to understand trends, 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.
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 - Operational Efficiency & Resource Allocation
This session will focus on how colleges can use data to support cost-benefit analysis, program viability decisions, space utilization planning, and human resources management. Participants will explore practical approaches for analyzing operational needs and making informed resource allocations. The session will also highlight tools such as Tableau, Power BI, and Excel-based models that can help institutions visualize trends, assess program sustainability, and guide strategic planning.