The Vance-Granville College & Career Readiness program is making a difference in students’ lives, and they have record-setting data to prove it.
College & Career Readiness (CCR) classes offer adults an opportunity to improve their basic skills, complete their Adult High School Diploma or High School Equivalency, or learn English as a second language. To ensure that community colleges are meeting these students’ needs effectively, CCR programs keep track of “measurable skill gains,” or MSGs. Vance-Granville College & Career Readiness recently reported that during the 2024-2025 academic year, its MSGs jumped from 33.7% the previous year to 48.4%—an increase of 43.6%.
CCR Director Adwanna Howard shared that this is the highest measurable skill gain attainment in Vance-Granville’s visible CCR history, going back at least six years.
The program’s historic success stemmed directly from the combined efforts of its staff. Director Howard and overseeing dean Angela Simmons stepped into their roles in 2024 and 2023 respectively, and the CCR staff soon felt the impact of their fresh leadership. According to team member Lora Durham, Howard set up professional development sessions to clearly break down team goals and routinely updated staff when they neared those goals, providing levels of encouragement and motivation that were not there previously. Even though it was the first full year for most of CCR’s administrative team, they quickly came together to serve their students well.
Now that the program has established rhythms within its team, Director Howard believes they can achieve gains more consistently. CCR’s interdepartmental goal for the 2025-2026 academic year is 50%+.
“I could not have asked for a better team of administrators, testers and instructors to work with,” she noted.
Who can take College & Career Readiness classes?
VGCC’s College & Career Readiness classes are designed to meet the needs of adult learners 18 years of age or older. Potential students who are 16 or 17 years old will need to first attend an Information Session for Minors as part of an application process prior to admission into any of the CCR classes.
For additional information, contact the College & Career Readiness Center at (252) 738-3275 or [email protected].
