California Community Colleges: Second Progress Report on the Student Success Act of 2012

California Community Colleges: Second Progress Report on the Student Success Act of 2012 MAC TAYLOR • L E G I S L A T I V E A N A L Y S T • SEPTEMBER 2016 AN LAO REPORT 2 Legislative Analyst’s Office www.lao.ca.gov AN LAO REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Legislature Increases Focus on Student Outcomes at California Community Colleges (CCC). The Legislature has taken several actions to address low student completion rates at the community colleges. In 2010, it enacted legislation directing the CCC Board of Governors (BOG) to adopt a comprehensive plan for improving student outcomes. Toward this end, the board created a task force and, in 2012, endorsed the task force report, which contained 22 recommendations designed to improve student achievement. Chapter 624 of 2012 (SB 1456, Lowenthal) codified four of these recommendations, including one to establish the Student Success and Support Program (SSSP). This program provides various intake and guidance services to students and requires colleges to coordinate these services with a separately required “Student Equity Plan” (SEP), whose purpose is to identify and close access and achievement gaps among demographic groups. Legislature Calls for Progress Reports. Chapter 624 called for our office to complete biennial progress reports, beginning in 2014. This is the second biennial report. In this report, we focus primarily on how colleges have used significant state funding increases for SSSP and student equity. Key Findings and Assessment Systemwide and College Efforts to Implement SSSP and Student Equity Generally Are Consistent With Intent of Legislation. In our review, we found that both the CCC Chancellor’s Office and colleges have made significant progress in implementing Chapter 624. Most notably, colleges have: implemented new academic standards for BOG fee waivers; established policies that require students to complete certain core student support services (such as assessment, orientation, and education planning) to receive and maintain priority registration; and hired more than 3,000 full-time equivalent student support staff, including additional counselors and instructors. Majority of Newly Enrolled Students Are Receiving Some SSSP Services. A slight majority of students newly enrolled in fall 2015 received assessment and placement services, a near majority received orientation and education planning, and more than 40 percent received other counseling services by the end of the fall term. Though completion rates appear to have risen somewhat between fall 2014 and fall 2015, the latest rates remain low. SSSP and Student Equity Activities Vary Across Colleges. Many colleges used SSSP funds to expand existing outreach programs and add online orientation services. Other common SSSP activities included expanding the use of multiple measures for assessment, hiring student “ambassadors” to help new students navigate the required matriculation services, and increasing the availability of counseling services. Common student equity activities included expanding existing student support services such as tutoring and supplemental instruction, implementing peer mentoring programs and learning communities for underrepresented minorities, and offering equity-focused professional development for faculty and staff. Progress Has Been Uneven, Could Be Improved. We found that some colleges are not spending their SSSP and student equity funds strategically, and many CCC students still do not complete all mandatory SSSP services in the specified time frames. Specific shortcomings we identified include: www.lao.ca.gov Legislative Analyst’s Office 3 AN LAO REPORT • Granting Priority Registration Has Had Limited Effect. The recovering economy and several years of notable enrollment growth funding have meant students generally can enroll in desired courses without priority registration. As a result, priority registration provides little extra encouragement for students to complete required core activities. • Equity Gap Analysis Has Two Main Problems. Under current guidelines, a college can get conflicting answers as to whether an equity gap exists for a particular group depending on which methodology the college chooses. In addition, a college may misidentify inequities, such as finding that affluent students are disadvantaged because they are underrepresented at a college. • Reporting Lag Hampers Legislature’s Ability to Monitor Results. CCC’s online Student Success Scorecard displays systemwide and college outcomes for a cohort of entering students six years after initial enrollment. Accordingly, the scorecard would not document any results for students who entered in fall 2014 until 2020-21. • Course Alignment With Student Education Plans Still Needs Work. In our 2014 progress report, we identified the alignment of course offerings with student education plans as one of three key areas needing focused attention. CCC has made little progress in this area. Recommendations We make five recommendations designed to improve the implementation and evaluation of SSSP and student equity moving forward. Specifically, we recommend the Legislature: Strengthen Requirement for Students to Complete Assessment, Orientation, and Education Planning. We recommend the Legislature direct the BOG to revisit how to make these services mandatory for students, while mitigating any disproportionate impact on groups of students. Standardize Equity Gap Analyses. We recommend the Legislature direct the Chancellor’s Office to identify a consistent way of measuring disparities for each of the specified student outcomes and provide additional training for campus personnel on analyzing disparities. Require a Special Three-Year Student Success Scorecard. This scorecard would permit the Legislature to evaluate outcomes prior to 2021, when the regular six-year scorecard would become available. We recommend the Chancellor’s Office release the three-year scorecard by October 2017 and include data for the cohorts entering in 2014-15, as well as in 2013-14 and 2012-13 for comparison. We further recommend that the three-year scorecard provide outcome data disaggregated by whether students received each of the core SSSP services. Promote Evidence-Based Practices in SSSP and Student Equity. We recommend the Legislature direct the Chancellor’s Office to identify, by October 1, 2018, a list of practices shown to be effective in improving student success and reducing equity gaps in community college settings. Over time, the state could direct the use of SSSP and student equity funds toward effective practices. Require Data on How Course Offerings Match Students’ Education Goals. We recommend the Legislature direct the Chancellor’s Office to identify, by January 1, 2018, strategies to monitor and improve the alignment of course offerings with students’ goals, as documented in their education plans. 4 Legislative Analyst’s Office www.lao.ca.gov AN LAO REPORT INTRODUCTION Legislature Required California Community and achievement gaps among historically Colleges (CCC) to Develop Systemwide underrepresented and other demographic groups. Improvement Plan. Ongoing concerns about Chapter 624 Requires LAO to Submit Biennial low student completion rates prompted the Reports. Specifically, the LAO is to report on: Legislature to pass Chapter 409 of 2010 (SB 1143, • CCC’s implementation of Chapter 624 Liu). Chapter 409 directed the CCC Board of to date at the systemwide and college Governors (BOG), the CCC’s state-level governing levels, with recommendations on how body, to adopt and implement a comprehensive implementation could be improved. plan for improving student outcomes. To help develop the improvement plan, the legislation • The impact of Chapter 624 on student required the BOG to create a task force. In 2011, academic progress and program the Student Success Task Force released a report completion, disaggregated by various containing 22 recommendations designed to demographic groups. improve student outcomes. In early 2012, the BOG • Whether the provisions of Chapter 624 endorsed the report. The task force noted that some have been implemented consistent with recommendations required state policy and budget legislative intent, and the extent to which actions, some required new BOG regulations, and students have access to counseling services. others involved individual colleges taking certain actions, such as disseminating best practices. • Overall progress on implementation of the Legislature Passed Student Success Act in task force’s other recommendations. 2012. Chapter 624 of 2012 (SB 1456, Lowenthal) Second LAO Report Focuses on Key codifies four key recommendations from the task Developments Since 2014. At the time of our first force report. Specifically, Chapter 624: (1) requires progress report (July 2014), the BOG had adopted the BOG to establish policies around mandatory several regulatory changes that were about to go assessment, orientation, and education planning into effect and the Legislature had just provided the for incoming students; (2) permits the BOG to set CCC system with the first of several large funding a time or unit limit for students to declare a major increases for SSSP and other CCC student success- or other specific educational goal; (3) authorizes the related programs. This second report focuses BOG to establish minimum academic standards for primarily on how colleges have used significant state financially needy students who receive enrollment funding increases for student success initiatives. fee waivers; and (4) establishes the Student Success This report also assesses the progress made by CCC and Support Program (SSSP), which provides in addressing task force recommendations that various intake and guidance services to new and our 2014 report had identified as needing more continuing students. As part of this new program, sustained focus. As many student success efforts colleges are required to develop a SSSP plan that remain in their early years of implementation, coordinates with a separately required “Student determining their impact on student outcomes Equity Plan” (SEP), whose purpose is to analyze remains premature. We plan to analyze these and identify strategies for closing enrollment outcomes in future progress reports. www.lao.ca.gov Legislative Analyst’s Office 5 AN LAO REPORT Organization of Report. Below, we provide new policies for registration. We next discuss background on SSSP, student equity, and other implementation of student success and equity CCC student success programs. In the background programs. We conclude with an assessment of section, we consider the effects of recent actions implementation to date and offer recommendations taken by the BOG, including setting minimum for legislative consideration. academic standards for fee waivers and establishing BACKGROUND This section describes SSSP and student equity, Colleges Receive SSSP Funding Based Mainly and summarizes state funding for these and other on Services Provided. Chapter 624 requires the CCC student success programs. BOG to develop an allocation formula for SSSP Former Matriculation Program Recast as funds that reflects, at minimum, the number of SSSP. The Legislature created the Matriculation students eligible to receive core services at each Program in 1986 to ensure CCC students received college and the number who receive them. The certain support services to help them set and BOG developed separate, but very similar, formulas achieve an educational goal. “Core” services for SSSP credit and noncredit programs. Because included assessment and placement, new student the credit component accounts for 94 percent of orientation, counseling, education planning, and total funding, we describe the credit SSSP formula at-risk follow-up services. Figure 1 defines each of here. The adopted allocation formula, effective these core services. Colleges received Matriculation beginning in the 2015-16 academic year, distributes Program funding based on their enrollment. 60 percent of funds based on the number and Chapter 624 renamed the Matriculation Program Figure 1 the SSSP and maintained Core Student Success and Support Program Services its focus on the same set Assessment and Placement. Activities to place students in appropriate English, of core support services. math, and/or English as a Second Language classes based on test results and Unlike the Matriculation other measures, such as educational background and performance as well as Program, however, SSSP need for special services. New Student Orientation. Activities to inform new students of college programs, directed the BOG to adopt student support services, and academic expectations, and provide other useful new policies requiring information. students to complete Counseling. Activities to provide information, guidance, and social support to help students identify and achieve their academic, career, and other goals. assessment and placement, Education Planning. Activities to help students identify their academic and orientation, and education career goals and select a course of study. There are two types of education planning. (Certain plans: (1) abbreviated education plans, which identify a preliminary academic goal and courses for one or two terms; and (2) comprehensive education plans, “exempt” students, such which cover all remaining terms. (Education planning is a subset of counseling.) as those students with At-Risk Follow-Up Services. Activities to support students who are facing an associate degree or academic probation or dismissal, are enrolled in remedial courses, or have not developed an education plan. Includes academic and career counseling, higher, are not required to probation workshops, and referral to other student support services. complete these services.) 6 Legislative Analyst’s Office www.lao.ca.gov AN LAO REPORT types of services provided. Another 30 percent requirement for state aid. The state did not provide is based on student enrollment, and 10 percent is dedicated funding for equity planning, however, for a uniform base grant to each college. Within and the planning requirement, in turn, was not the 60 percent component, the formula weights enforced. In the 2014-15 Budget Act, the Legislature the various services to reflect their costs. A provided funding for the first time and the comprehensive student education plan, for example, requirement to develop SEPs was reinstated. (See generally is more expensive to provide than an the box on page 8 regarding earmarked student orientation, initial assessment, and abbreviated equity funds for foster youth services.) education plan. Accordingly, the formula allocates Plans Must Identify Equity Gaps, Include more for comprehensive education plans than the Strategies to Close Them. Regulations specify that other services. To provide the necessary data for SEPs must be based on campus-level data in the allocations, colleges track the number and types areas of access, retention, degree and certificate of services provided to each student, and submit completion, English as a Second Language (ESL) this information to the CCC Chancellor’s Office. and basic skills completion, and transfer. Plans Chapter 624 also requires colleges to match state must identify any disparities in these outcomes SSSP funds with local funds. (See the box below among various groups of students. In addition, the regarding college match requirements.) plans must include goals to reduce equity gaps, SEP Requirement Restored and Funded. In strategies for attaining these goals, and sources of 1991, the Legislature stated its statutory intent funds to support implementation. that public higher education in California provide Plans Use Three Methodologies to Identify equitable environments for students, regardless Equity Gaps. To help colleges develop their plans, of their race/ethnicity, gender, age, disability, the Chancellor’s Office has provided three equity or economic circumstance. In 1992, the BOG gap methodologies, described in Figure 2 (see approved associated regulations requiring colleges next page). All three approaches require colleges to create SEPs. Four years later, the BOG made to disaggregate enrollment and outcomes data by college adoption of these plans a minimum race/ethnicity and gender, as well as for former Local Match Requirements Have Changed Over Time From 1987-88 through 2012-13, the Matriculation Program required community colleges to contribute some local funding as a match to state funding. The Student Success and Support Program (SSSP) continues this local match requirement. Though statute establishes the basic match requirement, regulations adopted by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors (BOG) sets the specific local match amount. In recent years, the BOG has amended regulations to lower the local match amount. These adjustments Local Funds have been in response to large SSSP state Year(s) Per $1 of State Funds funding increases, together with growing 1987‑88 to 2012‑13 $3 concerns about colleges’ ability to make their 2013‑14 3 2014‑15 2 local match. The figure shows the local match 2015‑16 1 amount from 1987-88 through 2016-17. 2016‑17 1 www.lao.ca.gov Legislative Analyst’s Office 7 AN LAO REPORT Pell Grants and the Figure 2 number of students from Equity Gap Methodologies ZIP codes in the bottom 80 Percent Rule. Compares performance of either all students or the highest two quintiles of college performing group, as the reference group, to performance of every other group. The performance of a group at less than 80 percent of the performance of the attainment, but the reference group is considered evidence of a gap. BOG also may use other Proportionality. Compares a group’s percentage in an initial cohort (such as criteria. The BOG-adopted entering students) to its percentage of an outcome group (such as those completing a degree or certificate). A ratio of 1.0 indicates the group is student equity allocation represented in both initial and outcome groups at the same rate. A ratio of less formula distributes than 1.0 indicates the initial cohort group is underrepresented in the outcome group. Each college determines a cut‑off ratio for identifying a gap. 40 percent of funds based on overall student Percentage Point Gap. Compares the percentage of a group that achieved an outcome with the percentage of all students achieving the same outcome. enrollment, 25 percent on A group’s result that is at least 3 percentage points lower than all students is the number of students considered evidence of a gap. receiving a Pell Grant, and foster youth, students with disabilities, low-income the remaining 35 percent students, and veterans. on characteristics of the surrounding community, Colleges Receive Student Equity Funding including its rates of poverty and educational Based on Student Enrollment and Community attainment. Risk Factors. Budget legislation in 2014-15 required State Has Increased Ongoing Funding for the BOG to develop an allocation formula for Student Success Programs Significantly in Recent student equity funds that provides more resources Years. As Figure 3 shows, the state increased annual to districts with more “high-need” students. The funding for various CCC student success programs legislation includes some criteria for calculating from $243 million in 2012-13 to $820 million in the number of high-need students in a district, 2016-17—an increase of $577 million. The bulk of such as the number of students receiving federal new spending ($391 million) has been for SSSP and 2014 Legislation Authorizes Supplemental Services for Foster Youth Chapter 771 of 2014 (SB 1023, Liu) authorized the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to fund specialized foster youth services in some community college districts. Beginning in 2015-16, the state budget has earmarked $15 million of the student equity appropriation for this purpose. The new program, called the Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support (CAFYES) Program, is meant to encourage the enrollment and academic success of current and former foster youth in the community colleges. The program’s services, specified in the legislation, include outreach and recruitment, service coordination, counseling, book and supply grants, tutoring, independent living and financial literacy skills support, frequent in-person contact, career guidance, transfer counseling, child care and transportation assistance, and referrals to health services, mental health services, housing assistance, and other related services. Through a competitive grant process, the Chancellor’s Office awarded the CAFYES funds in January 2016 to ten districts operating 26 colleges. 8 Legislative Analyst’s Office www.lao.ca.gov AN LAO REPORT Figure 3 State Funding for California Community Colleges’ Student Success Programs (In Millions) 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 Increase Actual Actual Actual Revised Enacted From 2012-13 Student Success and Support Program $49 $85 $185 $285 $285 $236 Student Equity Plans — — 70 155 155 155 Extended Opportunity Programs and Services 74 89 89 123 123 49 Disabled Student Program and Services 69 84 114 115 115 46 Basic Skills Initiative 20 20 20 20a 50 30 CalWORKs Student Services 27 35 35 35 44 17 Institutional Effectiveness — — 3 18 28 28 Technology Projectsb — 14 14 14 14 14 Fund for Student Successc 4 4 4 4 6 2 Totals $243 $331 $604 $769 $820 $577 a In addition to the ongoing funding shown, the state provided $70 million in one-time funding—$60 million for the Community Colleges Basic Skills and Outcomes Transformation Program and $10 million for the Basic Skills Partnership Pilot Program. b Consists of the Common Assessment Initiative, Education Planning Initiative, and electronic transcripts. c Supports the Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement program; Middle College High School program; and Puente Project. student equity. Other smaller funding increases and technical assistance program for colleges—the went to the following existing categorical programs: Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Initiative. Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, This initiative is to help improve administrative and Disabled Student Programs and Services, Basic educational operations and reduce accreditation Skills Initiative, California Work Opportunity sanctions and audit issues at colleges. New statewide and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) student technology projects (the Common Assessment services, and the Fund for Student Success. The Initiative, Education Planning Initiative, and state also funded a new professional development electronic transcripts) also received funding. FINDINGS This section summarizes key actions the planning and reporting requirements and Chancellor’s Office has taken in administering templates. The templates specify what planning CCC student success and equity programs. We processes and content are required for each plan. then discuss how colleges have implemented For example, the SSSP template requires colleges these programs, with a particular focus on their to describe their planned activities for each spending, hiring, and provision of core services. core SSSP service. Similarly, the SEP template requires colleges to (1) set goals to reduce equity Systemwide Implementation gaps for each of the specified student outcomes Chancellor’s Office Is Responsible for and (2) link specified activities to meeting those Statewide Implementation of SSSP and Student goals. The Chancellor’s Office also developed Equity. To direct college implementation efforts allocation formulas, expenditure guidelines, and for each program, the Chancellor’s Office adopted audit processes for each program. Additionally, www.lao.ca.gov Legislative Analyst’s Office 9 AN LAO REPORT the Chancellor’s Office provides periodic feedback number of districts getting significantly less than to colleges on how to improve their SSSP plans they would under the old allocation method. and SEPs, and it sponsors conferences and other Chancellor’s Office Issued Expenditure professional development opportunities for college Guidelines for SSSP and Student Equity. The personnel to learn and share best practices. guidelines identify eligible expenditures for Chancellor’s Office Initially Developed each program. In general, expenditures must Three-Year Transition Plan to New SSSP be consistent with the activities and goals in a Allocation Method. The Chancellor’s Office college’s SSSP plan and SEP. For SSSP, allowable set forth a new allocation formula in a 2014 expenditures must relate to the core SSSP services. SSSP handbook. Because of concerns about the Expenditures may not include research unrelated accuracy of initial data reports from colleges, the to the delivery and evaluation of core services, handbook sets forth a gradual transition to the salaries and benefits for staff who do not provide new formula, intended to limit redistribution core services, and construction and/or rental of funding before data systems were fine-tuned. of new space. The expenditure guidelines for Under the transition plan, the Chancellor’s Office student equity are more flexible than those for would calculate each college’s funding using the SSSP. Colleges may use student equity funds new formula, compare it to a specified percent of to provide a broad array of services as long as the college’s 2014-15 funding (which used the old these expenditures target student groups with enrollment-based formula), and provide the higher achievement gaps identified in a college’s SEP. of the two amounts to the college. For 2015-16 and Colleges also may use the funds for faculty and staff 2016-17—the first two years the new formula was to professional development, program administration, be implemented—colleges were guaranteed at least and coordination. The Chancellor’s Office conducts 80 percent and 50 percent, respectively, of their random audits of colleges to help ensure they 2014-15 funding. The new formula would be fully accurately track core services and expenditures implemented beginning in 2017-18, but, to prevent as well as use program funds only for allowable large year-over-year changes, colleges would receive purposes. at least 95 percent of their prior-year’s funding Review Teams Score Plans and Provide thereafter (absent state budget reductions). Feedback. Small teams of Chancellor’s Office and Chancellor’s Office Modified 2015-16 SSSP college staff evaluate colleges’ SSSP plans and Funding Allocation. In practice, the Chancellor’s SEPs. Following training on an evaluation rubric, Office modified the 2015-16 guaranteed funding teams of three reviewers score plans and identify amount to account for a 54 percent increase in those that meet all requirements, meet minimum SSSP funding. With the adjustment, all colleges requirements but need improvement, or do not received an SSSP funding increase in 2015-16. meet minimum requirements. The Chancellor’s About one-sixth of colleges received more funding Office provides colleges with their scores and because of the 80 percent guarantee than they feedback. It also has identified some exemplary would have received through the new formula. For plans for colleges to use as models. It posts these 2016-17, the Chancellor’s Office has indicated that plans on its website. it intends to reduce the guarantee to 50 percent Chancellor’s Office Hosts Conferences of 2015-16 funding. The Chancellor’s Office may and Professional Development Opportunities. reconsider, however, if this results in a large These opportunities include an annual SSSP 10 Legislative Analyst’s Office www.lao.ca.gov AN LAO REPORT All Directors’ Training and an annual Student also included breakdowns by racial/ethnic groups, Success Conference. Through these convenings, gender, and categorical programs. Staff concluded the Chancellor’s Office prepares new college that while some differential impacts were likely, administrators and staff to implement SSSP, they appeared to be small. The three racial/ethnic provides colleges with new program guidance groups likely to be most affected, according and updates on implementation efforts, and to the simulation, were Hispanics, African- provides an opportunity for colleges to share Americans, and Pacific Islanders. Those groups effective practices. In addition, the Chancellor’s had projected loss rates of 4.8 percent, 4.5 percent, Office provides specialized workshops and online and 4.5 percent, respectively. According to the training opportunities through the Institutional simulation’s projections, students with disabilities Effectiveness Partnership Initiative and its (6.1 percent), Extended Opportunity Programs Professional Learning Network. and Services participants (4.5 percent), and male Colleges Implemented Academic Standards students (4.2 percent) were also more likely to lose for BOG Fee Waivers. Regulations require students eligibility. to maintain a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) or SSSP I mPlementatIon above and complete more than 50 percent of their coursework to maintain eligibility for BOG fee Our evaluation of colleges’ SSSP waivers. Students who fail to meet these standards implementation included an analysis of for two consecutive terms face potential loss of Chancellor’s Office data and colleges’ 2014-15 eligibility. Colleges were required to adopt local year-end SSSP expenditure reports; a survey we policies and processes for notifying students conducted of colleges’ 2014-15 and 2015-16 SSSP facing probation or loss of eligibility, informing all hiring; a review of a sample of college SSSP plans; students of support services available to help them and interviews with academic, student services, maintain or re-establish eligibility, and handling and administrative personnel at a sample of appeals of fee waiver decisions. Loss of eligibility colleges. Below, we present key findings from our initially took effect in fall 2016. The Chancellor’s SSSP evaluation. Office reported that 94 percent of colleges Colleges Implemented Priority Registration responding to a June 2016 survey had notified Policies for Students. Under these policies, new affected students as required (with the remaining in students must identify a course of study and progress) and all had adopted appeals processes for complete assessment and placement, orientation, fee waiver decisions. and abbreviated education plans to receive Chancellor’s Office Estimated Effects of Fee priority course registration. Students with priority Waiver Standards on Students. Data on actual registration can sign up for courses earlier than loss of fee waiver eligibility will not be available other students, increasing the likelihood they will until after fall 2016 financial aid awards and get the courses they want. Continuing students appeals are completed. To estimate the effects must complete comprehensive education plans of the new policies, however, Chancellor’s Office after earning 15 degree-applicable units or before staff conducted a simulation using earlier student their third term, whichever comes first, to maintain data and concluded that the projected number of registration priority. The regulations authorize students potentially losing eligibility for a BOG colleges to go beyond priority registration and fee waiver was about 4 percent. The simulation place a registration hold for students who have not www.lao.ca.gov Legislative Analyst’s Office 11 AN LAO REPORT completed the necessary steps. Figure 4 Students with a registration Colleges Spent About Half of SSSP Funding hold cannot sign up for For Counseling and Education Planning courses until they meet certain Percentage of 2014-15 Spending by Core Service conditions. We found that few colleges have opted to use Program Coordination registration holds. Colleges Reported New Student Using a Majority of Their Orientation Counseling and SSSP Funds for Counseling Education Planning and Education Planning. At-Risk Required expenditure reports Follow-Up classify expenses by core Services SSSP service as well as for program coordination, which refers to the coordination of Assessment services across departments and Placement as well as the development and implementation of SSSP SSSP = Student Success and Support Program. budgets and plans. According to the 2014-15 year-end reports, colleges spent more than half of Figure 5 Staff Salaries and Benefits Comprised their SSSP allocations providing Four-Fifths of Colleges’ SSSP Spending students with counseling and education planning services. Percentage of 2014-15 Spending by Operating Expense (The reporting template Other combines these services.) Equipment, Figure 4 shows reported SSSP Materials, and Supplies spending by core service. Colleges Reported Spending Most of Their SSSP Academic Salariesa Funds on Staff. The colleges’ Employee expenditure reports also break Benefits down operating expenses into categories such as salaries, benefits, and equipment. According to the 2014-15 Nonacademic Salariesa year-end reports, colleges spent 81 percent of their SSSP a Academic employees include counselors as well as certain administrators, such as deans. Classified or other nonacademic employees include instructional and student service aides, allocations on salaries and secretarial staff, and student workers. benefits, as shown in Figure 5. SSSP = Student Success and Support Program. 12 Legislative Analyst’s Office www.lao.ca.gov AN LAO REPORT Funds Are Supporting Existing and New Staff. increasing their hiring of full-time counselors, a Colleges are using SSSP funds to support existing majority of colleges continued to hire primarily staff who provided services in the old Matriculation or exclusively part-time counselors. Some colleges Program. In addition, as Figure 6 shows, colleges indicated that part-time counselors help meet reported hiring about 1,800 new full-time student demand for core SSSP services during peak equivalent (FTE) employees with SSSP funding times, such as the first few weeks of a term when in 2014-15 and 2015-16 combined. (For reference, most students plan and register for their classes. one full-time employee or two half-time employees In addition, part-time counselors spend a greater equal one FTE.) The new hires include 800 FTE share of their hours providing direct services to counselors—44 percent of the total. Program students than full-time counselors because they assistants and student workers represented nearly all have fewer other responsibilities. Though colleges’ remaining new hires. Of the approximately three- hiring decisions appear driven primarily by service quarters of CCC’s 113 colleges that responded to our considerations, colleges also acknowledged that survey, three-fourths reported hiring new staff with past funding cuts to categorical programs during SSSP funds. Colleges, however, differed somewhat economic downturns account for some of their in the types of staff they hired. About one-third reluctance to hire more full-time staff using SSSP of colleges hired no new counselors, 39 percent and student equity funds. hired no new assistants, and 59 percent hired no new Figure 6 student workers. Counselors Most Common Staff Hired With Full-Time Counselor Student Success and Support Program Funding Hires Increasing. Whereas Number of FTE Staff Hired in 2014-15 and 2015-16 Combined 38 percent of new counselor FTEs hired in 2014-15 were 900 full time, 48 percent of those 800 hired in 2015-16 were full Full-Time time. Colleges report needing Part-Timea 700 as much as one year to 600 complete the hiring process for a full-time, permanent 500 counseling position. 400 Accordingly, we expect colleges will reflect additional 300 full-time counselor hiring 200 related to the large 2015-16 SSSP augmentation in their 100 2016-17 reports. 0 Colleges Continuing to Counselors Assistants Students Administrators Other Hire Part-Time Counselors. a Reflects full-time equivalent (FTE) hires. For example, two staff working half-time count as one hire. While our staffing survey showed colleges are www.lao.ca.gov Legislative Analyst’s Office 13 AN LAO REPORT Colleges Reported Providing Core SSSP a near majority had received orientation (49 percent Services to Fewer Than Half of Newly Enrolled of students) by the end of the fall term. Colleges also Fall 2014 Students. The most common services provided more counseling and education planning nonexempt students received were assessment and services to newly enrolled students. Nonetheless, the placement (44 percent of students) and new student percentage of students receiving services remains low. orientation (37 percent of students). (Colleges Examples of SSSP Activities. Implementation began submitting core service data in the summer of the core SSSP services varied by college. Many 2014 term. As a result, fall 2014 numbers exclude colleges, however, added online orientation services. some core services that entering students may have Many also expanded existing activities, such as received prior to their first course enrollment, such small group sessions that provide new students as assessment and orientation sessions that some with orientation, assessment and placement, and colleges offer to prospective students during the abbreviated education planning in a single visit. Some spring term of their senior year in high school.) piloted new activitiesG. Froarp exhaimcp Sle,i sgenve rOal fcfolleges By Fall 2015, Colleges Reported Serving a initiated intensive summer bridge experiences where Secretary Higher Share of Newly Enrolled Students. Figure 7 a small cohort of basic skills students completes two Analyst shows the percentage of newly enrolled, nonexempt full weeks of courses to accelerate English and math MPA fall 2015 students who received each core service. remediation. Figure 8 provides examples of common Deputy (The numbers include services the students received activities implemented or expanded under SSSP. in spring 2015, prior to their first course enrollment. S e I tudent quIty mPlementatIon As a result, the numbers are not directly comparable to fall 2014 information.) A majority of newly Similar to our evaluation of SSSP enrolled fall 2015 students had received assessment implementation, our student equity analysis and placement services (54 percent of students) and included a review of colleges’ SEPs and expenditure reports, a staffing survey, Figure 7 and interviews with Colleges Reported Serving About Half of college personnel. We also Newly Enrolled Fall 2015 Studentsa interviewed equity experts Percent of Nonexempt Students Served who have helped colleges develop their SEPs. Below, we Assessment present our key findings. and Placement Colleges Reported Using New Student More Than 60 Percent of Orientation Funds for Direct Services to Education Planning Students. Colleges’ student equity year-end expenditure Counseling reports classify expenditures Other under eight student equity Services activities, ranging from 20 40 60% direct student services (such as counseling, tutoring, a At-risk follow-up services do not appear in this figure because few newly enrolled students receive these services. categorical programs, and 14 Legislative Analyst’s Office www.lao.ca.gov ARTWORK #160256 O:\Workload\2016\160256\Fig_7_Colleges Reported Serving More Newly Enrolled Fall 2015 Students.ai AN LAO REPORT financial assistance) to program coordination and student equity allocations on salaries and benefits, planning. Figure 9 (see page 16) shows 2014-15 as shown in Figure 10 (see page 16). expenditures in each of these eight categories. Funds Are Supporting New Instructors and Colleges spent more than 60 percent of their Other Staff. As Figure 11 (see page 17) shows, student equity funds on direct services to students; colleges reported hiring about 1,400 FTE employees 10 percent each on coordination, outreach, and with student equity funding in 2014-15 and professional development; and the remainder on 2015-16 combined. The new hires include 550 FTE research, evaluation, and curriculum development. instructors (including tutors)—39 percent of the Colleges Reported Spending Nearly 60 Percent total. Student workers and program assistants of Student Equity Funds on Staff. According to the represented most of the remaining new hires. 2014-15 reports, colleges spent 59 percent of their Most colleges we surveyed (78 percent) reported Figure 8 Common Student Success and Support Program (SSSP) Activities Core SSSP Service Common Activities Assessment and • Assessment in High School. Providing English and math assessment and Placement placement for prospective students at their local high schools, often during the spring of their senior year. • Expanded Use of Multiple Measures for Assessment. Using high school transcripts, student questionnaires, and other information to increase the number of students appropriately placed into college‑level courses. • Summer Bridge Initiatives. Offering intensive summer courses, together with support services, to accelerate English and math remediation and student placement in to college‑level courses. • Assessment Center Expansion. Adding more testing stations and increasing hours of operation, including evenings and weekends. New Student Orientation • Online Orientation. Offering online orientation, often developed at district level. • Group Orientation. Offering orientation in groups, often together with assessment and abbreviated education planning. • Student Ambassadors. Hiring student workers to help new students navigate core SSSP services and register for classes. Education Planning • Individual or Small Group Sessions. Expanding availability of appointments and drop‑in times for students to meet with counselors to complete their abbreviated or comprehensive education plans. • Guided Pathways. Creating structured, multiyear course schedules for specific educational goals—such as a particular associate degree for transfer—that guide students’ course choices and ensure availability of the courses in the correct sequence. • Online Degree Planning and Auditing. Implementing electronic education planning and degree audit tools (which allow students and counselors to track a student’s progress towards a goal). Counseling • Expansion of Counseling Services. Hiring additional counselors to meet with students individually, in groups, or online. • Learning Communities. Connecting students with similar backgrounds and/or educational goals for academic and personal support. At-Risk Follow-Up • Early Alert System. Developing systems for instructors to notify counselors and Services other student services staff when a student is experiencing academic difficulties. • Academic Probation/Dismissal Workshops. Developing or revising mandatory workshops for students on academic probation. www.lao.ca.gov Legislative Analyst’s Office 15 AN LAO REPORT hiring new staff with student Figure 9 equity funds. Some colleges Colleges Used More Than 60 Percent of Student reported hiring fewer staff in Equity Funding for Direct Services to Students 2014-15 to give themselves Percentage of 2014-15 Spending by Activity more time to complete their Course/Curriculum SEPs and determine how Research and Development and Adaptation best to use their funding. Evaluation Several colleges cited gaps Professional in their research on student Development disparities as another reason to postpone hiring. Direct Services Community and to Students Others waited to decide Student Outreach how to administer the program, with some colleges combining their student Student Equity equity and success programs Coordination and Planning under one administrator and others maintaining separate leadership. Examples of Student Equity Activities. Figure 12 Figure 10 (see page 18) provides Staff Salaries and Benefits Comprised About 60 Percent of Colleges' Student Equity Spendinga some examples of common student equity activities Percentage of 2014-15 Spending by Operating Expense implemented in 2014-15 and 2015-16. Several colleges Other Operating Classified Expenses and Salaries used student equity funding Services for expenditures such as targeted student support services, additional research and evaluation staff for equity-related projects, supplemental instruction for basic skills and ESL Equipment, Materials, students, and equity-related and Supplies Academic Salaries professional development opportunities for Employee Benefits administrators and faculty. a Colleges differed, however, Several colleges reported hiring consultants in 2014-15 to help them develop their initial Student Equity Plans and establish their campus equity research programs. These personnel are reflected in how they addressed equity in other operating expenses and services or professional development, not salaries and benefits. gaps of different student 16 Legislative Analyst’s Office www.lao.ca.gov AN LAO REPORT groups. Some colleges funded programs and as learning communities for underrepresented services, such as math labs and writing workshops, minorities and student services staff dedicated shown to improve overall student achievement on to serving veterans, disabled students, or other their campuses. Other colleges funded programs student groups. and services for specific student groups, such LAO ASSESSMENT OF IMPLEMENTATION TO DATE Based on our review, we find that systemwide in the past few years. Unlike during the recession, and college efforts to implement SSSP and student when students competed for access to a shrinking equity generally are consistent with the intent number of course sections, colleges now report of Chapter 624. Colleges are hiring more staff, that students generally can access desired classes providing more students with services, and regardless of whether they have priority enrollment. working to reduce gaps in access and outcomes Although some courses still fill up, increased on their campuses. Though progress is moving in funding for enrollment growth and declining the right direction, it remains slow and uneven for enrollment due to a recovering job market have several reasons we describe below. We first discuss eliminated much of the scarcity students previously our assessment of systemwide implementation experienced when registering for classes. of these programs, followed by our assessment of college Figure 11 implementation efforts. Instructors Most Common Staff Figure 13 (see page 19) Hired With Student Equity Funding summarizes our assessment in Number of FTE Staff Hired in 2014-15 and 2015-16 Combined these two areas. Systemwide Implementation 600 Full-Time Granting Priority 500 Part-Timea Registration Has Had Limited Effect. As mentioned earlier, 400 few colleges have opted to place registration holds for students 300 who have not completed orientation, assessment, and 200 education planning. Most have relied instead on registration 100 priority as an incentive for 0 students to complete these Instructorsb Students Assistants Counselors Administrators Other services. The recovering economy, however, has limited a Reflects full-time equivalent (FTE) hires. For example, two staff working half-time count as one hire. b Although student equity funds may not support instruction that generates apportionment funding, the effectiveness of priority it may support tutoring and supplemental instruction. registration as an incentive www.lao.ca.gov Legislative Analyst’s Office 17 AN LAO REPORT Current SSSP and Student Equity Planning efforts, some colleges use detailed crosswalks and Reporting Processes Are Cumbersome. The outlining which types of services and expenditures Chancellor’s Office developed the templates and each program can provide and when plans and deadlines for SSSP plans and SEPs independently reports are due. Some colleges also have tried to from each other. Perhaps as a result of this combine certain committees to help coordinate approach, the required information, formats, and planning for the two programs, but other due dates for the two programs are not aligned. colleges have separate committees for each plan. In an attempt to coordinate their student success Compounding the SSSP plan and SEP alignment Figure 12 Common Student Equity Activities Outcome Indicator Common Activities Access • Marketing and Outreach. Expanding contact with target groups through outreach campaigns with community organizations and public agencies. • Alternative Course Scheduling. Offering evening, weekend, and online courses to accommodate parents and working students. • On-Site Support Services. Providing students with on‑site child care, health care, and other assistance. Overall Course Completion • Tutoring and Supplemental Instruction. Expanding availability of tutoring and offering supplemental instruction for target groups. • Mid-Term Intervention. Identifying students who are struggling academically and connecting them to tutors, counselors, and other student support services. • Additional Supplies. Providing school supplies and textbooks for students, or giving students bookstore vouchers. English as a Second Language • Embedded Tutoring and Supplemental Instruction. Expanding tutoring (ESL) and Basic Skills and supplemental instruction for students in ESL and basic skills courses. Completion • Alternative Pathways. Offering accelerated basic skills English and math courses, statistics‑based math pathways, and other strategies to improve student completion. • Best Practices. Hosting focus groups with students who completed ESL and basic skills courses to identify best practices. Degree and Certificate • Peer Mentoring. Matching target groups with learning communities and Completion providing student success coaches as mentors. • Integrated Career and Education Services. Aligning academic and career goals to structure students’ education planning. • Proactive Counseling. Dedicating counselors to target groups to provide enhanced services. Transfer • University Visits. Traveling to four‑year colleges for tours and information about their transfer processes. • Skill Building. Holding workshops that help prepare students for transfer. • Transfer-Ready Students. Identifying and contacting students with enough courses to transfer to a four‑year college. Other College or Districtwide • Professional Development. Providing faculty and staff with equity‑ Initiatives Affecting Several focused training. Indicators • Research and Evaluation. Collecting and analyzing student data to determine equity gaps, and evaluating programs and services to determine whether they widen or narrow those gaps. • Request for Proposals. Soliciting proposals from faculty and staff for projects to close equity gaps. 18 Legislative Analyst’s Office www.lao.ca.gov AN LAO REPORT problem, colleges have to complete or update A majority-Hispanic college, for example, could annually at least a dozen other plans, including deem that Hispanic students do not have a low their strategic, educational master, facility master, completion rate if the college uses “all students” as basic skills, institutional effectiveness, and other the reference group—even if Hispanic students at categorical program plans, as well as a number the college complete at only half the rate of another of other operational and division plans, program student group. This is because the Hispanic students reviews, and accreditation self-studies. Colleges would have a large influence on the average for all must coordinate their student success and equity students, and thus their completion rate would be efforts with several of these other plans, yet the close to the overall average. The second problem is reporting requirements remain separate. Several that a group’s underrepresentation for an outcome colleges have hired additional management staff does not necessarily indicate an equity gap for the specifically to contend with the increasing number group. The clearest example is for access, where of reporting requirements. colleges compare the demographics of their students Chancellor’s Office Working on Streamlining to that of the surrounding community to identify Planning and Reporting. Given the increase in equity gaps. Because nonwhite and financially reporting requirements, the Chancellor’s Office disadvantaged students disproportionately attend recently suspended the requirement to submit community colleges, the gap analysis suggests 2016-17 SSSP plans, SEPs, and Basic Skills Initiative that white and affluent students experience plans while it explores combining these three plans disproportionately low access to community into one. The Chancellor’s Office is trying to better colleges. A plausible alternative interpretation is align its requirements across all categorical Figure 13 Summary of Assessment programs and foster more integrated planning at Systemwide Implementation campuses. These efforts are 9 Granting Priority Registration Has Had Limited Effect in Encouraging in their infancy, and much Students to Complete Assessment, Orientation, and Education Planning more work is needed to 9 streamline planning and Current Planning and Reporting Are Cumbersome, but Chancellor’s Office Is Working on Streamlining reporting for community 9 college programs, Equity Gap Analysis Has Serious Shortcomings including SSSP plans and 9 Chancellor’s Office Providing Adequate Oversight of Implementation SEPs. 9 Equity Gap Analysis Reporting Lag Hampers Legislature’s Ability to Monitor Results Has Two Main Problems. College Implementation First, the determination 9 Provision of Core Services Moving in Right Direction of whether an equity 9 gap exists for a student Course Alignment With Student Education Plans Still Needs Work group at a college is very 9 Student Equity Spending Generally Complements Other Categorical sensitive to the gap analysis Spending method and reference 9 group the college selects. Some Colleges Spending Funds More Strategically Than Others www.lao.ca.gov Legislative Analyst’s Office 19 AN LAO REPORT that these students have equal access to community College Implementation colleges but more options to attend other colleges. Provision of Core SSSP Services Moving in Some colleges used additional information, such as Right Direction. Although many newly enrolled their knowledge of the community, to help interpret students still are not receiving all core SSSP the results of equity gap calculations. Others, services, several colleges have shown significant however, took the results at face value and developed progress in providing students with these services strategies, such as increased outreach to white and between fall 2014 and fall 2015, and we expect this affluent students, to address the identified equity trend to continue. The growing number of new gaps. counselors and other student support personnel Chancellor’s Office Providing Adequate being hired, along with continued development of Oversight of SSSP and Student Equity alternative delivery methods such as online and Implementation. The Chancellor’s Office has made group counseling sessions, should enable colleges to notable progress in the systemwide implementation further increase the number of students receiving of SSSP and student equity, especially with respect core services. Systemwide technology projects also to clarifying program rules, refining administrative will streamline service delivery for participating procedures, and offering professional development colleges. conferences to disseminate best practices. These Course Alignment With Student Education activities have been well received by colleges, with Plans Still Needs Work. Now that more students conferences routinely filling to capacity. College are completing education plans, colleges have an and district efforts at implementation, however, opportunity to better match course offerings with are more difficult for the Chancellor’s Office to these plans. Yet, most colleges continue to schedule oversee. The office must rely on data review and courses using past course enrollment data. In our retrospective audits to ensure accountability for 2014 report, we identified this as one of three key program funds. areas needing focused attention, but colleges have Reporting Lag Hampers Legislature’s Ability made little improvement in this area. (See the to Monitor Results. The CCC’s online Student nearby box for an update on the other two areas, Success Scorecard is one of the main ways the for which progress has been more substantial.) Legislature can monitor CCC student outcomes. Despite the lack of progress systemwide, a few The scorecard displays systemwide and college districts and colleges are taking steps toward better outcomes in eight key performance measures for matching course offerings with student needs. One a cohort of students (disaggregated by age, race/ district we interviewed, for example, had analyzed ethnicity, and gender). The benefit of the scorecard course scheduling for the top degree programs is limited, however, in that it reports outcomes its students identified in their education plans. Its for the cohort six years after initial enrollment. analysis identified some poor sequencing of course District and college personnel have indicated that offerings, such as not offering required prerequisites they expect their SSSP efforts to begin improving for a certain course in the term immediately prior student outcomes by 2017-18—just before our third to offering the course. The analysis also showed report. Under existing reporting practices, data on high-demand courses that had become bottlenecks affected students (those who first enrolled during on degree pathways, with few options for students 2014-15) will not be available until 2020-21—well to enroll outside of peak daytime hours. The after our third and fourth reports are due. district improved the sequence of course offerings 20 Legislative Analyst’s Office www.lao.ca.gov AN LAO REPORT and provided more sections of high-demand attempting to reduce disparities among student courses at various times to improve students’ ability groups. Many colleges, for example, funded staff to progress toward their goals. In addition, several to identify gaps, provide instructional support and colleges are creating highly structured two- and student services to help reduce these gaps, and three-year course schedules based on the education train faculty and staff on equity issues. At several goal a student identifies. These colleges guarantee colleges, equity spending complemented SSSP availability of the necessary courses in the right spending by providing more core SSSP services to sequence for cohorts of students in a program. groups with identified disparities in outcomes. One These colleges are the exceptions, however, and college, for example, created a number of separate much work remains to identify additional best resource centers where students from target groups practices and disseminate them across the system. could access core services as well as additional Student Equity Spending Generally support services. At other colleges, equity spending Complements Other Categorical Spending. provided services not supported by SSSP funds to Colleges, in general, used student equity funding all students. Some colleges, for example, expanded for the intended purposes of identifying and math and writing labs that are ineligible for SSSP Notable Progress on Two Priorities Identified in Our 2014 Report In addition to improving course alignment, our first progress report on implementation of Chapter 624 of 2012 (SB 1456, Lowenthal) identified two other key areas in need of improvement: (1) basic skills instruction and (2) professional development. As highlighted below, we found substantial progress in two of these areas since our last report. Improving Basic Skills Instruction. Over the past two years, the state has taken notable actions to improve basic skills instruction. In the 2015-16 budget, the Legislature funded two competitive, one-time basic skills grant programs to transform how community colleges (in collaboration with public schools and universities) provide basic skills instruction. These programs emphasized the use of evidence-based strategies for improving basic skills outcomes, including using multiple measures for student assessment and placement, better aligning remedial and college-level curriculum, and integrating proactive student services with basic skills instruction. In the 2016-17 budget, the Legislature amended the longstanding Basic Skills Initiative program, adding the emphasis on evidence-based practices and increasing funding from $20 million to $50 million annually. Providing Effective Professional Development. Over the past two years, the state also has taken notable actions to foster more effective professional development. Specifically, the Legislature provided $12 million in ongoing Proposition 98 funding in 2015-16 and an additional $8 million ongoing in 2016-17 to improve the statewide professional development system. As part of the enhanced system, the Chancellor’s Office is hosting a series of annual, regional training workshops and has created an online professional development portal (called the Professional Learning Network). Workshop topics in 2015-16 included student success research and practice, basic skills transformation grant planning, and enrollment management. In our interviews, participants consistently gave high marks to the workshops, describing them as timely, informative, and engaging. www.lao.ca.gov Legislative Analyst’s Office 21 AN LAO REPORT funding but shown to improve success for all and services, discontinuing ineffective activities, students. The greater flexibility in allowable student proposing new ones based on research and best equity expenditures facilitated the braiding of practices, and hiring new staff. In contrast, colleges student equity funds with SSSP funds. that were not already engaged in student success Some Colleges Spending Funds More and equity efforts had a much longer lead time to Strategically Than Others. Typically, we found the develop and approve plans through their shared more strategic efforts at colleges that have strong governance structures and deploy their funds. leadership and already had been working on how Large augmentations to the programs starting in to change their institutions to improve student 2013-14—and limited time for colleges to plan and success and equity. A number of these colleges had spend new funds—led some of these colleges to incorporated SSSP and student equity goals into delay hiring and primarily fund existing programs their strategic plans, had achieved broad campus and services without evaluating their effectiveness. buy-in, and were able to deploy the new resources Other colleges spread funding across dozens of relatively quickly. They planned for the long-term activities rather than focusing on a smaller number implementation of SSSP and student equity by of targeted, evidence-based practices. methodically evaluating their existing programs RECOMMENDATIONS Below, we make five recommendations on how Require Chancellor’s Office to Standardize to improve the implementation and evaluation of Equity Gap Methodology for Each Measured SSSP and student equity. Outcome. We recommend the Legislature Require Students to Complete Assessment, direct the Chancellor’s Office, prior to the next Orientation, and Education Planning. Specifically, required SEP submission, to identify a consistent we recommend the Legislature direct the BOG to way of measuring disparities for each of the strengthen the requirement that students complete specified student outcomes. Specifically, for each these services, including potentially requiring that student outcome (such as course completion), we colleges with low SSSP participation rates employ recommend the Chancellor’s Office select one registration holds to ensure that more students methodology—either from the three currently receive needed services. (We recommend the BOG used or an alternative approach—and establish any continue to exempt certain students, such as those corresponding rules for using the methodology who already have degrees, from completing these (such as for defining the reference group). The services.) In tandem with stronger registration Chancellor’s Office could then set cut points for policies, the BOG could require colleges to mitigate identifying disparities. For example, were the any disproportionate impact on groups of students. Chancellor’s Office to choose the 80 percent rule The BOG, for example, could direct colleges to use for course completion, it could direct colleges to student equity funds to help affected groups access use the highest performing group as the reference SSSP services, as well as ensure that colleges have group. If it were to use the proportionality method, adequate appeal processes. it could set 0.90 as the cutoff for identifying a disparity. In addition to this standardization, we 22 Legislative Analyst’s Office www.lao.ca.gov AN LAO REPORT recommend the Legislature direct the Chancellor’s also are gaining experience implementing Office to provide related training for campus administrative provisions of Chapter 624, such personnel on analyzing disparities. as academic progress notification and appeals, Require Chancellor’s Office to Produce a and have developed some effective strategies in Special Three-Year Student Success Scorecard. As these areas. While the consensus around effective noted earlier, the current Student Success Scorecard practices for SSSP and student equity is not yet does not measure performance for a cohort of as clear as for basic skills, sufficient research students until six years after initial enrollment. and evaluation exists to begin focusing colleges This means data on students who enrolled after on strategies that have been effective at CCC SSSP and student equity implementation will campuses and other community colleges nationally. not be available until 2020-21. To permit the In addition to using the results of academic Legislature to evaluate these programs before research on effective practices and consulting with 2020-21, we recommend, as an interim measure, experts, the Chancellor’s Office could identify the Chancellor’s Office produce a three-year practices employed at CCC campuses that have scorecard. This three-year scorecard would contain made the greatest gains in student outcomes. The the same performance measures as the existing Chancellor’s Office could encourage colleges to use six-year scorecard, disaggregated by whether the identified practices in their SSSP and student students received each of the core SSSP services. equity programs and require them to justify the use We recommend the Chancellor’s Office release the of other strategies that have not been shown to be three-year scorecard by October 2017 and include effective. data for the cohort entering in 2014-15, as well as Require Chancellor’s Office to Collect Data on the cohorts entering in 2012-13 and 2013-14 for Course Alignment With Education Plans. To date, comparison. the Legislature does not have a way to monitor Require Chancellor’s Office to Promote (1) the extent to which colleges’ course offerings Evidence-Based Practices in SSSP and Student align with students’ education needs as identified Equity. We recommend the Legislature direct the in their education plans, or (2) the extent to which Chancellor’s Office to compile a list of evidence- students are following their education plans. To based practices for SSSP and student equity and address these gaps, the Legislature could direct make it available publicly no later than October 1, the Chancellor’s Office to identify, by January 1, 2018. Over time, the state could further direct the 2018, strategies for monitoring and improving the use of SSSP and student equity funds toward best alignment of course offerings and education plans. practices as it has done for basic skills. Over the To conduct the initial data collection and analysis, past few years, a body of research similar to that the Chancellor’s Office could focus on pilot colleges for basic skills instruction has been developing for the Education Planning Initiative, which on matriculation services, other student success already have implemented electronic education interventions, and closing equity gaps. Colleges plans. www.lao.ca.gov Legislative Analyst’s Office 23 AN LAO REPORT CONCLUSION Over the past few years, the Legislature has moving forward, we recommend strengthening increased funding significantly for CCC student the requirement for students to complete core success and equity programs. Colleges generally SSSP services, choosing a consistent approach are implementing these programs consistent for measuring equity gaps, requiring a special with the intent of Chapter 624. They have hired three-year Student Success Scorecard, identifying additional counselors and other student support and disseminating effective practices, and staff, provided more matriculation and support improving the alignment of course offerings with services to students, and increased their focus on student education plans. Taken together, we think student equity. To improve the implementation these recommendations will promote continued and evaluation of SSSP and student equity progress on student success and equity. LAO Publications This report was prepared by Brian Metzker and Judy Heiman, and reviewed by Jennifer Kuhn. The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) is a nonpartisan office that provides fiscal and policy information and advice to the Legislature. To request publications call (916) 445-4656. This report and others, as well as an e-mail subscription service, are available on the LAO’s website at www.lao.ca.gov. The LAO is located at 925 L Street, Suite 1000, Sacramento, CA 95814. 24 Legislative Analyst’s Office www.lao.ca.gov