Abstract:
The study was designed to gain an understanding of the implementation of Performance Measures Funding at one Washington State community college. The research participants included the nine
individuals who were charged with the design and implementation of the college's Improvement Plan, which addressed the four legislatively, prescribed goals outlined in the 1997-1999 Washington Appropriations Act.
The researcher was interested in understanding how this new funding mandate was viewed and dealt with from the community college campus perspective. Each participant responded to open-ended interview questions
administered by the researcher. This qualitative, phenomenological study resulted in gaining insights into the shared experience of the nine participants, so that the implementation of this state mandate could be better understood as told by the participants whose role was that of the
"implementers." Data analysis was completed using a five-step process common to phenomenological research. As a result, three themes emerged: power, design flaw, lessons learned. The findings indicate that the legislature should have involved the
community college system in the design of the Performance Measures Funding program and that greater consideration should have been given to the time necessary to design and implement improvement efforts that had lasting impact. Assessment of the program at the campus and state level was lacking.
