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!)