Leader Colleges of Distinction

About

Leader Colleges of Distinction have their own identity as part of the ATD Network. Colleges earning this designation will receive priority participation in ATD’s innovation initiatives and for competitive grant opportunities when ATD is able to determine which institutions may apply. They will be asked to present and facilitate more sessions at ATD events and institutes, be asked to serve as mentor colleges, and receive priority to be featured in ATD’s communications that reach thousands of individuals, funders, and national media outlets.

Eligibility

ATD Network institutions that have completed at least one year at Leader College status and are in good standing with ATD and their accreditors may apply to seek a higher designation: Leader College of Distinction. Subject to more rigorous requirements than those applied to Leader Colleges, ATD Network Leader Colleges of Distinction demonstrate sustained and proactive reform efforts that result in substantive improvements in student success and equity.  

Metrics 

Colleges must report four years of data and show substantive three-year upward trends in the following categories: 

• Overall Metrics 
  • Three distinct metrics must be presented in the online application. Please note that the gateway metric includes three sub-metrics. Colleges may use only one gateway sub-metric in the Overall category. 
  • The metrics presented must include two leading indicators (early momentum metrics) and one lagging indicator (milestone metrics like completion or transfer and earned baccalaureate) 
  • These metrics should demonstrate a substantial improvement of three percentage points or more over three years.  

• Equity Metrics 
  • Two distinct metrics should be presented in the online application. Unlike the Overall metrics, colleges can present more than one gateway sub-metric in the Equity section. The strongest applications, however, will highlight equity improvements beyond the gateway sub-metrics.  
  • The metrics presented must demonstrate equity improvements for two separate student groups. For example, equity gap metric one highlights the equity gap improvement between part-time student and full-time student outcomes (student groups A and B) while the equity gap two highlights the equity gap improvement between Pell-eligible students and non-Pell-eligible students (student groups C and D). 
  • These metrics should demonstrate a substantial improvement of two percentage points or more in closing or narrowing equity gaps over three years.  Specifically, closing gaps is best demonstrated by a decline in the size of the gap between two groups of students.  While increases across student groups is also laudatory, the emphasis here is on closing gaps.  Please also note that a narrowed gap as a result of lesser gains of one subgroup is not considered a true measure of equity gains.

When applying for the Leader College of Distinction designation, colleges will complete their data template and then move to the online application where they will discuss the interventions implemented that are deemed responsible for the metrics gains that demonstrate both the improvements and the distributions outlined above. Colleges will also be required to submit a President’s Letter of Support.