2009-2014

California community colleges have faced a recent cash crunch that has resulted in thousands of students ending up on waitlists rather than in classes. A new study reveals that many of those students could find classroom space if the two-year colleges in the state were willing to coordinate at least a portion of their administrative staff. The savings would not be insignificant, according to the recent analysis – in fact, tens of millions could be allocated for classroom resources by making consolidation decisions in college districts across California.

Analysis Offers Insight into Spending PatternsCalifornia Watch website

The analysis was conducted by California Watch, a nonpartisan, investigative reporting center that performs a wide range of investigative reporting for the state. The group specializes in fields like public health, environment, and education. According to the California Watch website, the award-winning team is supported by grants from a number of organizations, including the James Irvine Foundation and The California Endowment.

To complete this analysis, members of California Watch dug deep into the bureaucracy of the California Community College System, the largest of its kind in the United States. An additional article on the group’s website explains that a frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/t_noxACqRRA?rel=0">

Millions Spent on Duplicate Jobs

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that those 16 districts had duplication in 21 of their executive or management positions. That number did not include chancellors or presidents, which were appointed in each individual district as well. The total number

Community college have received plenty of attention in recent years, due to a combination of an economic slowdown and renewed interest by the current administration in these institutions. Changes to community colleges in recent years have also contributed to the increased demand for two-year degrees. Check out these 10 reasons why your local community college might be a good choice in higher education today.

Easier Admission

With many four-year colleges becoming increasingly competitive in their admission requirements, community colleges still offer opportunities for postsecondary education even if a student’s high school grades weren’t exactly stellar. Education.com explains these schools typically offer placement examinations prior to enrollment to help students ascertain which introductory courses will be better suited to their needs. Students that require additional instruction prior to the rigors of a college curriculum will find most schools offer remedial education to help them bone up on challenging subjects.

Flexibility

Community colleges usually offer more flexible scheduling options than traditional four-year schools, with both night and weekend classes available. In addition, the website for Brookhaven College explains that students have the option of taking classes full or part-time, depending on what their current schedule allows. This makes it much easier for adult students with family or professional responsibilities to work their education pursuit around the rest of their obligations.

Degree Options

Community colleges offer more degree options than ever before, with a wealth of choices available for in-demand industries like

California community colleges have been struggling recently, facing dwindling budgets and increasing scrutiny from college regulatory agencies. Governor Jerry Brown has now taken the community college problem into his own hands, signing legislation that will significantly change these higher education institutions. Concerned about the low completion rates the California community college system now faces, Governor Brown focused specifically on laws that would increase the odds of student success at community colleges throughout the state.

The Student Success Act of 2012

One of the key pieces of legislation Governor Brown recently signed into law was the Student Success Act of 2012 or SB1456. The Press-Telegram reports that this bill focused on the state’s community college system to improve completion rates and student success at these institutions. The Student Success Act of 2012 includes several specific measures community colleges must now utilize to help their students succeed in college. Some of the measures include:

• Development of a student education plan to help students plan course schedules accordingly
• The requirement that all incoming students attend an orientation session before taking courses
• Minimum standards for academic success to receive fee waivers
• Creation of a student success report card that will be used to determine future funding
• The addition of an all-new assessment test will help place students in the proper classes

The bill also contains a provision that ensures new community college students can get the courses they need to launch their degree programs. Currently, students in the system

Amid serious issues facing California community colleges today, possible reform is on the horizon. A new bill has passed California state legislators and is currently waiting on the desk of Governor Jerry Brown. The proposed legislation would bring some consistency to the California community college system and require schools in the state to focus on success and completion rates as much as they focus on enrollment and budgets. While the governor hasn’t dropped any clues on how he will go on this new law, those who drafted the legislation are hopeful that it could bring much-needed improvements to the California system if passed.

Student Success Task Force

Sen. Alan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, drafted Bill 1456, or the Student Success Act of 2012. The senator used information compiled by the California Community College Student Success Task Force to create his new bill. According to iJournal, the 20-member task force included faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders in the community college system.

The task force spent seven months examining how to improve success in community colleges while boosting achievement for underserved students. At the end of the year, the task force presented its findings to stakeholders to get additional input on the best ways to utilize this information effectively to improve the community college system in California. After the hearings, the Board of Governors adopted select recommendations to draft the final bill. These recommendations included:

Teach Basic Skills—Many community college students in California are first-generation students who

The Aspen Institute recently released its top 10 finalists for the 2013 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The award, which enjoyed its inaugural year last year, has quickly become the gold standard for community colleges across the country. The 10 schools on this list have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the areas of completion rates, learning outcomes, workforce preparedness, and success of at-risk students. These 10 colleges were selected from more than 1,000 institutions that have received consistently high marks in these four areas throughout the past academic year.

The Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence

The Aspen Institute initiated its award program last year, in response to calls by the White House to raise the bar on higher education. Community colleges serve as a practical place for many students, from those graduating from high school unable to afford a four-year university to professionals looking for additional career training. With so much focus placed on the role of community colleges over the past four years, the Aspen Institute established a plan to recognize and reward those schools that set the example and the standard for the rest of the community colleges nationwide.

The Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence recognizes one winner each year, as well as four finalists. Those chosen by the Aspen Institute will split a prize package of $1 million. Last year’s winner, and the first recipient of the Aspen Prize, was Valencia Community College in Orlando,