In response to legislative mandates calling on educational institutions to become more accountable for monies spent, a number of community colleges in California have implemented research and data collection models to help them answer state and local questions about institutional effectiveness. However, there is a significant difference between providing the numerical measures to comply with accountability mandates and real institutional effectiveness. In 1983, the Los Rios Community College District initiated the Student Flow Research Model (SFRM), which collected data on four critical areas: (1) characteristics of enrolled students; (2) community characteristics; (3) student performance, program effectiveness, and student services; and (4) activities and perceptions of transfers, graduates, and non-returning students. Beginning in the 1990s, each of these four data collection areas was significantly enhanced, and the rest of this paper focuses on the 1990s version of the SFRM and its development into the new Collegiate Yearly Accountability Model. In the area of community characteristics, a computerized Enrollment Projection Potential Model (EPPM) was added. To enhance data collection efforts on enrolled students, demographic and application data were combined with course and section data, allowing for a computerized program review. In the area of student performance, an entirely new database was developed, linking demographic data with transcripts. Finally, with respect to the former student follow-up efforts, new database changes allowed for results to be compiled at the program level for use by faculty. A discussion of five original versions or models of the EPPM is provided, and flow charts, data tables, and references are included. (PAA)