Contra Costa College’s Comet Data Academy has been named a finalist for the 2027 Bellwether Award in the Planning, Governance and Finance category. The national recognition highlights the academy’s innovative approach to data use in community college planning and student success, announced on October 29, 2026, by the Bellwether College Consortium.
Launched in 2025, the Comet Data Academy is a professional development program that trains faculty and staff to analyze institutional data to improve student outcomes. The program fosters collaboration across college roles, allowing participants to develop data-driven projects that have led to tangible improvements, such as reducing missed Student Services appointments by 38.9% and optimizing Chromebook replacement planning.
Chao Liu, Dean of STEM at Contra Costa College and project lead for the academy, emphasized that the program builds capacity for collaborative data use and better decision-making supporting students. The first cohort included 22 participants from varied college roles who completed semester-long coursework culminating in impactful capstone projects.
College President Dr. Kimberly R. Rogers noted the model’s scalability and replicability, with interest from other colleges in the district to adopt the approach. The initiative originated from a partnership with Achieving the Dream and addresses institutional challenges in leveraging data effectively amid limited research resources.
Contra Costa College representatives will present the Comet Data Academy at the 2027 Community College Futures Assembly, held February 21-23 in San Antonio, Texas, showcasing its innovative work at the final round of the Bellwether Award competition.
CSB Take
Contra Costa College’s Comet Data Academy demonstrates the critical role of empowering faculty and staff with data skills to drive meaningful improvements in student success and operational efficiency. Its recognition as a Bellwether Award finalist affirms the program’s potential as a replicable model for other community colleges aiming to enhance institutional effectiveness. As data-driven decision-making becomes increasingly vital, the academy’s collaborative approach offers a valuable blueprint for strengthening student outcomes nationwide.
Source: Original report
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