Transcript The Role of Noncredit in the California Community Colleges

The Role of Noncredit in
California Community Colleges
Educational Policies Committee
ASCCC Plenary Session
Fall 2006
The Role of Noncredit in Calif.
Community Colleges
Spring 2005 Resolution 13.03
. . . Resolved the Academic Senate produce a paper on
the status of and current issues concerning noncredit
courses and programs within the CCC system.
Definitions
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What is Noncredit?
Alternative Instructional Delivery System
9 instructional areas
Noncredit is NOT
-Non-degree applicable credit
-Non-transferable credit
-Not-for-credit
History
• Public Education for Adults began 1856
• CC System, Noncredit, and K-12 Adult Ed
evolved from this
• 1960 Master Plan - CC’s and noncredit
• Growing interest in Noncredit statewide
Fast Facts
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10% of CCC
800,000+ students
Changing demographics
Students: HS drop outs, immigrants, parents,
older adults, persons with disabilities,
underemployed, undereducated
• Gateway to higher education, employment,
community, lifelong learning
Law and Regulations
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Noncredit part of CCC Mission
9 Areas of Instruction (incl. apprenticeship)
Noncredit Standards and Criteria
Minimum Quals
System Office providing clearer definitions
and guidelines (“Noncredit Alignment
Project”)
9 Noncredit Apportionment
Areas
6 Subject Areas:
• ESL
• Short term vocational
(incl. Apprenticeship)
• Basic Skills
• Parenting
• Health and Safety
• Home Economics
3 Target Population
Areas:
• Older Adults
• Persons with
Disabilities
• Immigrants (incl.
Citizenship)
Similarities
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Overseen by System Office/BOG
Mission of the CCC
Educational Continuum
Overlap in Basic Skills, ESL, Short Term Voc
Diverse student population and needs
Course approval process
Shared Governance
Differences
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Funded lower than credit
Different student needs and intent
Minimum Quals
FT/PT Faculty 1:20
No FT Faculty in some programs
Instructional delivery system
(Differences cont.)
Courses:
-No fees, no grades
-Open entry/open exit
-Repeatable
-”Certificates of Completion”
-Positive attendance
-Start at lowest level
-Accessible: in your neighborhood, by your
work, on college campus
Some Research Findings
22 colleges serve 68% of noncredit students
Noncredit serves more students of color
90 - 95% of faculty are part-time
Top 4 areas: Older Adults, Short-Term Voc.,
ESL, and Basic Skills
Why Consider Noncredit
• 29% high school dropout rate (urban as high
as 60%)
• California’s demographics: diverse and aging
• Fewer students “college ready”
• Bridge to credit programs
• Supports credit students
• Increases access to education and jobs
Credit Students use
Noncredit
• More than 1 in 4 California college students
who receives an AA degree needed one or
more noncredit classes
• More than 1 in 3 Latinos did
Noncredit Important to California Community
College Degree Earners Fall 2004
TOTAL
30%
HISPANIC
35%
ASIAN
31%
AFR AMER
31%
OTHER
30%
UNKNOWN
29%
FILIPINO
29%
NAT AMER
28%
PAC ISLDR
27%
WHITE NON-HISP
25%
0%
5%
Source:
10% California
15% Community
20% Colleges,
25% MIS Data.
30%
Prior Noncredit
35%
40%
Noncredit Increases Probability of
Earning a Degree for California
Community College Students
16%
A l l Gr oups
30%
20%
H i s p. / La t i no
35%
19%
A f r i c a n - A me r i c a n
31%
17%
Ot he r N onwhi t e
30%
15%
Asi an P I
31%
17%
Fi l i pi no
29%
17%
A me r . I n d . / A l a s . N a t .
28%
14%
W hi t e N on- H i s p.
AA/AS Degree
25%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
All Credit
30%
Source: California Community Colleges, MIS Data.
35%
40%
The Survey
• 26 colleges interviewed/surveyed
• Biggest needs identified:
– Funding
– More FT faculty
– Facilities/resources/expanding programs
Recommendations
State Academic Senate
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Noncredit inclusion
FT Faculty
Pathway to credit
Funding
Ad Hoc Committee
Local Senates
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Noncredit inclusion
FT Faculty
Coordinate linkages
Funding increase used
for noncredit
• Noncredit data
What we hope this paper
will do:
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Tool to Educate
Understand noncredit role in CCC
Use for local senate discussions
Invite local senates and colleges to consider
starting or expanding noncredit to support
their college mission
Discussion
• Questions about the paper?
• Next Steps for noncredit
Thank you!
(To Be Continued!)