Rhode Island § 16-106-3 - The Performance Incentive Funding Act of 2016

§ 16-106-3. Performance incentive funding — Community College of Rhode Island.

(a) Beginning in FY 2018, funding for the Community College of Rhode Island (“CCRI”) shall include a performance-based component utilizing all additional allocations of otherwise unrestricted, higher-education general revenue greater than the base amount received pursuant to the FY 2016 budget as enacted of total unrestricted state higher-education funding.

(b) Data on which to base performance measures as described in subsection (c) shall be defined by the commissioner of postsecondary education, in consultation with the council on postsecondary education. Measures shall begin to be collected in FY 2017.

These measures may include and incorporate outcomes or goals from multiple, previous years. The lack of information from previous years, however, will not affect the use of performance-based measures.

(c) The performance-based measures shall be consistent with the purpose, role, scope, and mission of CCRI, and shall include the following metrics:

(1) For first-time, full-time students, the number and percentage, including growth thereof in relation to enrollment and in prior years, of associate’s degrees awarded to students within two (2) years and three (3) years, including summer graduates; for part-time students, performance-based measures shall be based on incremental milestones made toward achieving degree or certificate completion;

(2) The number of one year or longer industry-recognized certificates earned by students within an expected amount of time, and weighted to increase high demand, high-wage field certificates consistent with CCRI’s purpose;

(3) One measure, as agreed to by the commissioner of postsecondary education and the president of CCRI, who shall consider faculty, staff, and student input; and

(4) Any other measures that are deemed appropriate by the council of postsecondary education.

(d) Weight may be assigned to any of the aforementioned metrics to reinforce the purpose, role, scope, and mission of CCRI, the economic needs of the state, and the socio-economic status of the students. The commissioner may consider the college’s improvements in said metrics when determining whether the college has satisfied the annual measure despite not reaching the overall goal.

(e) The commissioner shall provide faculty and students an opportunity to provide input on the development of performance measures.