CRCM Grant Announcement

North Central Texas College is proud to announce the successful completion of the 2021 College Readiness and Completion Model grant program at NCTC (North Central Texas College). This grant, funded by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), has allowed English and Math faculty to address the challenges faced by Texas community colleges and universities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many students, especially those from historically underserved and economically disadvantaged backgrounds, have experienced learning setbacks during these unprecedented times. To overcome these challenges and promote student success, NCTC received a grant of $100,000 from THECB. This funding has enabled English and Math faculty to collaborate and develop course-specific resources for students taking ENGL 1301 and MATH 1332 courses. The goal is to provide students with the necessary support to complete their required courses successfully.

As part of the grant, English and Math faculty members have worked hard over the past two years during the fall and spring semesters, creating new curriculum materials, developing student resources, and improving assignments and grading criteria. As part of the grant, faculty also identified opportunities for alignment between students’ coursework and their marketable skills, for promoting students’ core competencies, and for ensuring the ethical use of AI-generated text.

Additionally, faculty members have participated in micro-credentialing workshops, which have provided them with valuable insights and tools to enhance student engagement, implement high-impact teaching practices, and improve student retention. The English faculty has also developed an alternative assessment tool to identify students ready for college-level work.

The grant program was led by division chairs Kristen Weinzapfel and Ben Owens, who oversaw the implementation and coordination of these initiatives. As Dr. Rochelle Gregory, Instructional Dean, noted, “The successful completion of this grant is a testament to our English and Math faculty’s dedication to students and their success. By providing targeted support and innovative approaches to teaching, our English and Math faculty are helping NCTC students overcome challenges to achieve their academic goals.”