The state postsecondary performance measures and standards were developed over a two-year period with stakeholder input through the State Committee of Practitioners, The Alabama College System Measures and Standards Committee, the Student Competency Assessment and Documentation Committee, the Alabama Council on Career/Technical Education, and college presidents, deans, and instructors. (Imperatives 4, 5)

Following is the sequence of activities that resulted in the postsecondary core standards and performance measures.  These activities occurred between April 1997 and March 2000.

1. The Alabama College System Career/Technical Education Performance Measures and Standards Committee identified draft measures and standards for presentation to various stakeholder groups.

2. Draft measures and standards were presented to the Alabama Council on Career/Technical Education.  Revisions were made as recommended by the Council.

3. Through a census survey, instructional officers in the system made comments and recommendations relative to the proposed measures and standards.  Appropriate revisions were made.

4. Draft measures and standards were presented to the Committee of Practitioners.  Revisions were made as recommended by the Committee.

5. Survey instruments were sent to various stakeholders requesting them to rate the feasibility and importance of each proposed measure.  Survey instruments were sent to the following: college presidents, instructional officers, members of the Alabama Council on Career/Technical Education, and members of the Alabama State Board of Education.  Instruments were also sent to a random sample of career/technical education instructors in the System.  Mean scores indicating the feasibility of collecting requisite data and the importance of each measure were determined.  Those measures rating low in feasibility and importance were deleted.

6. Participants in the Workforce 21 strategic plan development process identified performance indicators.  Participants provided input through eleven regional meetings, four focus groups, and in position papers.  Their recommendations were used to refine the proposed performance measures.

7. College presidents and instructional officers identified standards for each performance measure through a modified Delphi technique.

8. After consultation with U.S. Department of Education officials, certain measures were deleted; others were identified as addressing one or more of the following: Perkins Act core indicators, potential indicators under the Workforce Investment Act, and internal indicators that will only be used at the state level.  (Note: All measures are internal indicators, but certain ones are only internal indicators.)

9. The Student Competency Assessment and Documentation Committee recommended the use of ACT Work Keys® to measure applied academic and technological competency attainment.

10. The Student Competency Assessment and Documentation Committee recommended language clarifying performance measures.

Following are performance measures and targeted levels of performance for career/technical education in The Alabama College System.  The targeted levels of performance are the state standards.  Actions and initiatives identified in the postsecondary section of the State Plan and in college plans are designed to move The Alabama College System from the current to the targeted levels of performance.

The performance measures respond to the Workforce 21 strategic plan and the accountability requirements of the 1998 Perkins Act and the Workforce Investment Act.  Both acts identify core performance indicators and allow for states to identify additional measures.  The postsecondary measures and targets serve as planning objectives and evaluation criteria at the program, college, and state levels.

Perkins Core Indicators

Student attainment of challenging state-established academic, vocational, and technical skill proficiencies.

Student attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, a proficiency credential in conjunction with a secondary school diploma, or a postsecondary degree or credential.

Placement in, retention in, and completion of, postsecondary education or advanced training, placement in military service, or placement or retention in employment.

Student participation in and completion of vocational and technical education programs that lead to nontraditional training and employment.

• Perkins Act core indicator 1, "student attainment of challenging state-established academic, vocational, and technical skill proficiencies"; and
• WIA Title II core indicator I, "demonstrated improvements in literacy skills levels in reading, writing, and speaking the English language, numeracy, problem solving, English language acquisition, and other literacy skills.