California Community Colleges: Evaluation of Intersession Extension Pilot Program

California Community Colleges: Evaluation of Intersession YEARS OF SERVICE Extension Pilot Program MAC TAYLOR • L E G I S L A T I V E A N A L Y S T • DECEMBER 2016 Summary In Response to Unmet Course Demand, Legislature Authorized Pilot Program. California Community College instruction is funded primarily by a combination of state General Fund monies, local property taxes, and student enrollment fees. Historically, statute has prohibited community colleges from offering fully fee-supported credit-bearing courses to the public. During the state’s last fiscal downturn, however, many students were unable to access taxpayer-subsidized courses. As a response, the Legislature adopted Chapter 710 of 2013 (AB 955, Williams), which authorized a pilot program for six specified community colleges to offer fully fee-supported summer and winter (intersession) instruction through January 1, 2018. Chapter 710 requires our office to assess implementation of the legislation, including whether the pilot helped students complete high-demand courses and supported financially needy students’ access to these courses. While Limited in Scope, Pilot Furthered Key Policy Objectives. Of the six specified colleges in Chapter 710, to date only Long Beach City College (LBCC) has participated in the pilot, offering eight fully fee-supported courses in 2014. Our review finds that LBCC fully met Chapter 710’s requirements and adhered to the Legislature’s broader goals for the legislation. Specifically, LBCC expanded access to high-demand courses during a period of reduced state resources. Moreover, in offering its Chapter 710 extension courses, the college addressed the Legislature’s major concerns about equitable access and affordability. As a result, a small but generally representative group of LBCC students was able to accelerate progress toward meeting educational goals at no additional cost to the state. Recommend Extending Pilot. Based on the encouraging results of LBCC’s pilot, we recommend the Legislature extend Chapter 710’s sunset date and open up the program to any community college that meets specified criteria. We believe that with our recommended modifications, fully fee-supported intersession programs could serve as one viable means for colleges to maintain or expand access during tight budget years. AN LAO BRIEF INTRODUCTION Chapter 710 of 2013 (AB 955, Williams) the requirements of the legislation, and report on authorized a pilot program for six specified California implementation to date. We then offer our assessment Community Colleges (CCC) to maintain intersession as to whether LBCC’s implementation of the pilot extension programs until January 1, 2018. Under has complied with all statutory requirements the pilot, these colleges may supplement taxpayer- and met legislative objectives. We conclude with supported course offerings with fully fee-supported recommendations regarding continuation of the pilot. courses during summer and winter intersession terms. To date, only one of Figure 1 the six colleges—Long Beach LAO Reporting Requirements City College (LBCC)—has implemented an intersession Chapter 710 of 2013 (AB 955, Williams) directs the Legislative Analyst’s Office to submit a report by January 1, 2017 that includes: extension program, which 9 it offered on a limited basis Summary statistics relating to course offerings; student enrollment, including demographic data on the students enrolled in courses, if for two terms in 2014. This available; financing; student use of financial aid; funding; and course brief satisfies a statutory completion rates for the pilot program. 9 requirement for our office to A determination of the extent to which the pilot program complies with assess the implementation statutory requirements and the extent to which the pilot program results in expanded access for students. of Chapter 710. (Please see 9 Figure 1 for the detailed An assessment of the effect of the pilot program on the availability of, and enrollment in, courses that receive state apportionment funding— reporting requirements in with particular attention to the demographic makeup and financial aid the legislation.) Below, we status of students enrolled in those courses. 9 provide background on the Recommendations as to whether the pilot program should be extended, CCC system, discuss why expanded, or modified, including a consideration of alternative approaches that might achieve the goal of expanded access without increasing state the Legislature adopted funding. Chapter 710, summarize BACKGROUND Community Colleges Are the State’s admit all adult residents. This open-admission Open Admission Institutions. California’s 113 requirement for CCC does not guarantee all community colleges enroll a majority of the state’s students access to courses, however, because the undergraduates, including about two-thirds of number of courses a college can offer depends on all undergraduates and three-quarters of those the college’s funding. attending public institutions. Whereas the State Law Establishes Community College University of California and California State Mission. The primary roles of the community University are selective in their admissions— colleges are to offer instruction up to the requiring students to compete for admission— sophomore level that leads to vocational certificates, community colleges are required by state law to associate degrees, and university transfer, and to 2 Legislative Analyst’s Office www.lao.ca.gov AN LAO BRIEF advance economic and workforce development. Colleges Also May Offer Fully Fee-Supported Statute also identifies instruction in basic math and Programs. While the vast majority of CCC English, including English as a second language, instruction is taxpayer-supported, colleges also and other adult instruction as essential CCC may offer several types of fully fee-supported functions. programs, as shown in Figure 2. One such program Instruction Offered During Primary Sessions is community education (sometimes called and Intersessions. Virtually all community colleges community services or continuing education). are on a semester schedule. That is, their primary Colleges may offer community education courses academic terms are the fall and spring semesters. in a wide range of subjects including recreation, Colleges also may offer courses during shorter nature study, and handicrafts. Community winter and summer terms, called intersessions. education courses do not provide college credit. A Colleges Offer Taxpayer-Supported Courses second CCC program, called contract education, and Programs. The primary sources of funding involves customized training provided exclusively for community colleges are the state General to a company’s employees in exchange for a Fund and local property tax. Together, these two payment that covers the full cost of the training. sources account for 92 percent of CCC funding. Unlike community education, contract education State Lottery funds and other state sources provide is not open to the public and may be offered for another 3 percent. (The remaining 5 percent comes college credit. Nonresident enrollment in regular, from student fees, as described next.) open-access credit courses represents a third type Enrollment Fees Also Support Instruction. of fully fee-supported instruction at CCC. With the Under state law, California residents pay an exception of instruction authorized by Chapter 710 enrollment fee of $46 per semester unit for credit (discussed below), community colleges may not courses (such as transfer-level classes) and no fee offer fully fee-supported credit courses that are for noncredit courses (typically courses in basic open to the public. math and English skills, English as a second language, and short-term vocational programs that do not provide college credit). A full-time Figure 2 CCC student enrolling in a typical course load of CCC Instruction That 12 units per semester for two semesters would pay Can Be Fully Fee-Supported $1,104 annually in enrollment fees. Nonresident students generally pay fees equal to the cost of College Credit No College Credit instruction, which varies by district. In 2016-17, Open- Only nonresident Community nonresident fees average $225 per unit. Access students and (continuing) Chapter 710 pilot education Fees Waived for Financially Needy Students. Resident students with financial need may receive Not Contract Contract a Board of Governors fee waiver that fully covers Open- education education Access their enrollment fees. A student may qualify for such a waiver based on income, receipt of public assistance, or financial need under a federal means test. More than half of students receive fee waivers. www.lao.ca.gov Legislative Analyst’s Office 3 AN LAO BRIEF ADOPTION OF CHAPTER 710 In this section, we discuss the context for the intersession extension pilot program, whereby Legislature’s adoption of an intersession extension participating colleges may offer fully fee-supported pilot under Chapter 710. We also review the credit courses during summer and winter legislation’s requirements for implementation of the intersessions. The intent of Chapter 710 was to pilot. provide students with additional access to courses in the context of surging enrollment demand Unmet Enrollment Demand and limited state funding. The Legislature noted Set Context for Legislation that intersession extension programs could create Recession Brought Surge of Enrollment additional opportunities for students to complete Demand. After a few years of modest growth high-demand courses, free up space in the during the mid-2000s, CCC enrollment in corresponding taxpayer-supported courses during taxpayer-supported courses surged beginning in the primary sessions, and increase all students’ 2007-08. This was due in large part to individuals ability to complete their education. In addition, choosing to attend college during a tight job intersession extension programs could help the market. State and local funding, however, did not state meet its workforce needs while providing meet enrollment demand over this period. By CCC students with a less expensive alternative to the end of 2009-10, community colleges enrolled expensive for-profit colleges to get the courses they 95,000 full-time equivalent students beyond their need. funded enrollment levels. Additionally, as we Requirements of Chapter 710 discussed in The 2010-11 Budget: Higher Education, an unknown but likely significant number of Chancellor’s Office to Establish Voluntary individuals attempted to enroll in courses at Pilot Program for up to Six Colleges. Chapter 710 CCC during this time but were unable to find an identifies College of the Canyons, Crafton Hills available slot. College, LBCC, Oxnard College, Pasadena City Large Reductions in State Funding. With College, and Solano Community College as the declining state revenues, the state reduced CCC eligible colleges. The governing boards of the funding substantially in 2009-10 and 2011-12—a corresponding districts could request to participate, combined reduction of $575 million. Although and could implement their programs once the community colleges initially had expanded their Chancellor’s Office determined that they met the enrollment beyond funded levels, they eventually criteria for the pilot. Criteria include having served had to reduce course offerings to accommodate at least the number of students for which a district these declines in funding. Colleges reduced was funded in the two prior years and having enrollment by 12 percent from 2009-10 to 2012-13, experienced no declines in enrollment during those worsening the gap between student demand for years. Districts also had to have certain enrollment courses and available enrollment slots. priority policies in place. At least one (unspecified) As a Response, Legislature Adopted campus was to begin implementation by January 1, Chapter 710. The legislation authorizes an 2014 and the five others by July 1, 2014. 4 Legislative Analyst’s Office www.lao.ca.gov AN LAO BRIEF Colleges to Offer Standard Courses in aid programs, the federal American Opportunity High-Priority Subjects. The legislation requires Tax Credit, military benefits, scholarships, and that extension courses must be open to the public other financial assistance that may be available. and meet all other regulatory standards for state- Chapter 710 also requires colleges to adopt various funded courses. It also requires that the courses policies so as to ensure that students who are offered must lead to basic skills proficiency, eligible for state financial aid programs have access certificates, degrees, or transfer preparation. to extension courses. In addition, extension programs are subject to Other Requirements. Chapter 710 includes community college district collective bargaining specific reporting requirements on student agreements regarding faculty assignments and participation, demographics, and outcomes, as compensation. well as financial aid, fee levels, and funding. The Extension Programs May Not Use State legislation states the Legislature’s intent that General Fund. Colleges must recover all costs colleges (1) conduct a review by race, ethnicity, associated with the extension programs, including and gender of students enrolled in the pilot any oversight costs for the Chancellor’s Office, extension programs; (2) compare the data to data through fees. In addition, colleges are required on students enrolled in the primary terms; and to set aside one-third of extension enrollment fee (3) take affirmative steps to increase participation revenue for student financial aid, and supplement of low-income and minority students if the review that amount from campus foundations and other shows significant disparities in access to extension nonstate funds. courses. Chapter 710 also prohibits colleges from Colleges to Ensure Students With Financial reducing offerings of taxpayer-supported courses to Need Are Not Disadvantaged. In addition reestablish them as part of an extension program, to setting aside fee revenue for financial aid, and requires participating colleges to give first and participating colleges must support access to second priority for extension courses to continuing extension courses for financially needy students and new students, respectively, who are eligible for by providing them with information on financial resident tuition. IMPLEMENTATION OF CHAPTER 710 Below, we describe implementation of the a two-tiered system for access to credit courses. intersession extension pilot at LBCC and present Moreover, the economy began to improve soon data on extension program enrollment, funding, after Chapter 710 was enacted, which contributed and financial aid. to reduced enrollment demand. At the same Five of Six Eligible Colleges Did Not Offer time, rising state revenues led to restoration of Extension Courses. These colleges offered several funding for community colleges, enabling them to reasons for not implementing the pilot. One college accommodate more enrollment through taxpayer- did not meet the requirements for participation supported courses and diminishing the need for because it had experienced an enrollment decline in additional intersession courses. Only LBCC ended the last two years. Some colleges encountered local up participating in the Chapter 710 pilot program. opposition from faculty members and students, (See box on next page for information about LBCC.) who objected to what they perceived as creating www.lao.ca.gov Legislative Analyst’s Office 5 AN LAO BRIEF LBCC Offered Chapter 710 Extension Courses Courses Taught by Mix of Full-Time and in Winter 2014 and Summer 2014. As shown in Part-Time Faculty. As required in the collective Figure 3, LBCC ran a total of eight Chapter 710 bargaining agreement for LBCC faculty, all extension courses in 2014—five courses in the winter teaching assignments for the Chapter 710 extension term and three in the summer term. The college program were voluntary. Accordingly, college also ran 43 taxpayer-supported courses in winter administrators identified faculty who could teach 2014 and 378 in summer 2014. For both Chapter 710 high-priority courses and were willing to teach extension courses and taxpayer-supported in the intersession extension program. Full-time intersession courses, the college selected subjects that faculty ended up teaching three of the five winter met certificate, degree, or transfer requirements and extension courses, and part-time faculty taught had been in high demand during recent primary all three of the summer extension courses. This is terms. All of the Chapter 710 extension courses had similar to the overall faculty mix at LBCC, where been filled to at least 80 percent of their maximum full-time faculty teach 55 percent of courses during capacity in the primary terms, and several had the academic year but few in summer. (Under the been completely filled and had waiting lists. Other faculty collective bargaining agreement at the time, considerations in choosing courses for the extension full-time faculty teaching in summer were paid an program included (1) helping students complete “overload” rate that was lower than the standard a degree or certificate with immediate workforce course rate that part-time faculty received. As a value, (2) benefiting special populations (such as result, full-time faculty had less incentive to teach veterans), and (3) identifying interested faculty, as during the summer.) discussed next. Long Beach City College (LBCC) Background and Demographics LBCC, the only college in the Long Beach Community College District, serves the communities of Avalon, Lakewood, Long Beach, and Signal Hill. The college enrolls more than 33,000 students in more than 7,000 course sections annually, offers 223 degree and certificate programs, and employs more than 1,600 full-time and Long Beach City College Student Demographics part-time faculty and 2014-15 staff. Compared with 33,566 Students 55% Female overall California 20,409 Full-time equivalent students 45% Male Community College 54.0% Hispanic 14.6% White 26% Less than 20 years old averages, LBCC has 14.0% African American 37% 20 to 24 high proportions of 8.5% Asian 26% 25 to 39 Hispanic students and 4.2% Two or more races/ethnicities 11% 40 or older 3.3% Filipino students who are the 0.8% Pacific Islander first in their families 0.2% American Indian/Alaska Native 62% First generation in college to attend college, as 0.4% Unknown (compared with 42% statewide) shown in the figure. 6 Legislative Analyst’s Office www.lao.ca.gov AN LAO BRIEF Figure 3 Long Beach City College’s Chapter 710 Extension Courses Winter Summer Discipline Course Title Units 2014 2014 Allied Health Phlebotomy 1.5 ✓ ✓ Anatomy Human Anatomy 4.0 ✓ Environmental Science Energy for the Future 3.0 ✓ Geography World Regional Geography 3.0 ✓ Health Education Contemporary Health Problems 3.0 ✓ Philosophy Introduction to Issues in Philosophy, Psychology 3.0 ✓ ✓ and Religion Students in Chapter 710 Extension Chapter 710 Extension Course Outcomes Courses Generally Mirrored Overall Student Better Than Fall and Spring. As Figure 5 shows Demographics. A total of 190 students participated (see page 9), Chapter 710 extension courses had in Chapter 710 extension courses at LBCC. Figure 4 higher success rates—measured by the percentage (see next page) displays demographic information of students completing the course with a grade of about these 190 students compared with the C or higher—than courses offered during recent students in taxpayer-supported primary term primary terms. During a given intersession term, and intersession courses during the same period. success rates for extension and taxpayer-supported As the figure shows, the student composition for courses were comparable. Likewise, Chapter 710 the Chapter 710 extension program generally was extension course completion rates—the percentage similar to LBCC’s overall student composition. of students who passed a course with a grade of Slightly more Asian/Filipino/Pacific Islander D or higher—were higher than in primary term and white non-Hispanic students, and slightly courses and comparable to taxpayer-supported fewer Hispanic and African-American students, intersession courses. enrolled in intersession courses than in taxpayer- Fees Fully Supported Chapter 710 Extension supported courses in the same year. Extension Program Costs. LBCC’s governing board approved courses appeared to attract students new to LBCC resident enrollment fees of $225 per unit for and those 21 and older, while continuing students extension courses and a discount of $70 per unit and those age 20 and younger were more likely for financially needy students, defined as students to enroll in taxpayer-supported courses. Students who are eligible for a Board of Governors fee participating in the Extended Opportunity waiver. Students with financial need also received Programs and Services (EOPS) program and a second discount of $65 per unit supported by the students with disabilities also were more likely college’s foundation, bringing their total price per to enroll in taxpayer-supported courses than unit to $90—about double the $46 per unit fee for extension courses. Since these students comprise taxpayer-supported courses. The college proposed relatively small percentages of LBCC students, these fee levels to provide full program cost however, it is difficult to draw conclusions from recovery for LBCC after considering the impact of the small sample participating in the Chapter 710 fee waivers. (Although Chapter 710 also requires extension program. that fees cover the statewide costs of administering the pilot, Chancellor’s Office staff indicated to www.lao.ca.gov Legislative Analyst’s Office 7 AN LAO BRIEF LBCC that these costs were negligible.) Figure 6 Most Chapter 710 Extension Students shows the revenues and expenses for each term. Received Financial Aid. More than three-quarters According to LBCC staff, the Chapter 710 extension of winter 2014 extension students and two-thirds courses generated a surplus for both the winter of summer 2014 extension students received fee and summer intersessions primarily because fewer discounts. These proportions are similar to the students applied for financial aid than they had overall share of LBCC students who receive fee anticipated. waivers for taxpayer-supported courses, which was Figure 4 Demographic Information for Long Beach City College Students by Academic Session Chapter 710 Chapter 710 Taxpayer-Supported Taxpayer-Supported Extension Extension Fall 2013 Winter 2014 Winter 2014 Spring 2014 Summer 2014 Summer 2014 Number of Students Enrolled 24,282 1,652 113 23,856 8,026 77 Hispanic 52% 51% 46% 51% 52% 47% Asian, Filipino, Pacific Islander 13% 15% 19% 15% 16% 19% White Non-Hispanic 15% 15% 16% 16% 14% 18% African American 14% 15% 12% 14% 15% 13% Female 55% 56% 58% 55% 57% 75% Male 45% 44% 42% 45% 43% 25% First Time at LBCC 28% 5% 16% 14% 21% 43% Previously Enrolled 72% 95% 84% 86% 79% 57% 20 and Younger 41% 42% 30% 37% 39% 27% 21-25 28% 31% 35% 31% 29% 35% 26-30 11% 11% 18% 12% 12% 22% 31 and Older 20% 15% 17% 21% 20% 16% BOG Fee Waiver Recipientsa 70% 70% 74% 70% 70% 67% a Represents estimated share of students eligible for a BOG fee waiver, though students did not receive BOG fee waivers for extension courses. BOG = Board of Governors. 8 Legislative Analyst’s Office www.lao.ca.gov AN LAO BRIEF Figure 5 Long Beach City College Course Success Rates Percent of Students Receiving Grade of C or Higher, by Academic Term Winter 2014 Summer Extension 2014 Summer 2014 Winter Extension 2014 Fall 2014 Taxpayer-Supported Courses Chapter 710 Extension Courses Spring 2014 50 55 60 65 70 75% about 70 percent in the same academic year. As course. These students either did not apply for noted earlier, financially needy students received or did not qualify for discounts or scholarships. two discounts amounting to 60 percent of their Students typically pay for such costs from Chapter 710 extension course fees. Students personal or family savings, current earnings from who did not meet the definition of financially employment, borrowing, or a combination of these needy could apply for scholarships from the sources. LBCC Foundation to help offset fees. Altogether, Need for Chapter 710 Extension Courses allocations to the college from the foundation were Diminished After Two Terms. Following summer the largest source of financial aid, exceeding the 2014, CCC received enrollment growth funding college’s fee set-aside. Some Students, Figure 6 However, Paid Full Fees. LBCC Chapter 710 Extension Program Funding Summary Although a majority of Winter 2014 Summer 2014 Chapter 710 extension Revenues students received Fees paid by studentsa $27,495 $29,550 discounts, more than Fees paid from LBCC Foundation 31,193 9,363 Total Revenues $58,688 $38,913 one-quarter (53 students Expenses over the two terms) paid Operating expenses $28,052 $25,545 the full fees ranging from Surplus $30,636 $13,368 $338 for a 1.5-unit course a After discounts totaling $17,849 in winter 2014 and $9,695 in summer 2014. LBCC = Long Beach City College. to $900 for a four-unit www.lao.ca.gov Legislative Analyst’s Office 9 AN LAO BRIEF from the state that allowed colleges, including result, LBCC has offered no additional Chapter 710 LBCC, to better meet enrollment demand. As a extension terms. LAO ASSESSMENT OF IMPLEMENTATION Because only LBCC participated in the Chapter 710 extension courses, the college appears intersession extension pilot—and the college to have addressed the Legislature’s major concerns participated for just two intersessions—our review about access and affordability, as discussed more is based on very limited data. We assessed, in below. effect, a single-campus case study rather than a Program Did Not Appear to Disadvantage multicampus pilot as envisioned in the legislation. Underserved Groups. As shown in the previous Nevertheless, based on our findings to date, we can section, the demographic differences between the make a number of observations. students enrolling in LBCC’s Chapter 710 extension Implementation Met Requirements of courses and those enrolling in taxpayer-supported Chapter 710. As regards compliance, we find that courses were relatively minor—with the possible LBCC fully met Chapter 710’s administrative and exception of EOPS participants and students with programmatic requirements. Specifically, the disabilities, whose numbers in the pilot were too college met the criteria for participation in the small to evaluate. Moreover, the high proportion pilot, offered high-demand courses, recovered of financially needy students participating in program costs through fees and nonstate funds, Chapter 710 extension courses—a proportion that provided substantial financial aid to a majority generally mirrors the share of financially needy of participating students, and submitted required students at the college overall—suggests that the reports. college’s financial aid policies reduced enrollment Chapter 710 Extension Program Furthered barriers for low-income students. As a result, the Key Legislative Policy Objectives. In addition program did not appear to disproportionately to complying with Chapter 710’s requirements, benefit students who could afford to pay the full fee. LBCC’s extension program adhered to the Intersession Extension Programs Could broader goals of the legislation. Specifically, LBCC Mitigate Effects of Future Budget Shortfalls. provided additional opportunities for students to LBCC’s Chapter 710 pilot suggests that a fully access high-demand courses in a difficult fiscal fee-supported intersession extension program can environment, thereby increasing nearly 200 be a viable, albeit relatively limited-scale, option students’ ability to achieve their educational goals for colleges seeking to expand student access in a more timely manner—a primary objective of to high-priority courses when state enrollment Chapter 710. To the extent students enrolling in funding falls short of demand. Moreover, LBCC’s intersession extension courses otherwise would Chapter 710 pilot suggests that with adequate have enrolled in the same courses during a primary safeguards in place, an extension program can term, the pilot also freed up taxpayer-supported provide this access without adversely affecting enrollment slots for other students in courses that taxpayer-supported course offerings or low-income were oversubscribed. Moreover, in offering its and other historically underserved students. 10 Legislative Analyst’s Office www.lao.ca.gov AN LAO BRIEF RECOMMENDATIONS Recommend Extending Authority to Offer with state priorities, we recommend maintaining Fully Fee-Supported Intersession Extension Chapter 710’s requirements regarding participating Programs. Based on the encouraging results of colleges and course offerings. Specifically, we LBCC’s pilot, we recommend the Legislature recommend the Legislature continue to require that amend Chapter 710 to (1) extend the legislation’s colleges (1) offer extension programs only if they January 1, 2018 sunset date to January 1, 2028; served at least the number of students for which (2) permit any community college that meets they were funded in the prior two years, and had specified criteria to offer fully fee-supported no declines in enrollment during that time; (2) do intersession extension programs, with adequate not supplant taxpayer-supported courses with notification to the Legislature; and (3) codify the extension courses; and (3) offer only high-priority legislation’s equity-focused requirements regarding courses leading to basic skills proficiency, disadvantaged students. Below, we discuss each of certificates, degrees, or transfer preparation in these recommendations. their intersession extension programs. We also Extend Sunset Date. We recommend recommend the Legislature require that colleges extending the program’s sunset date to January 1, implementing an intersession extension program 2028 (ten years beyond Chapter 710’s current sunset for the first time notify the Legislature and date). Given economic cycles, the state is likely to Governor at least 90 days before students register experience additional periods of unmet enrollment for extension courses. Taken together, these demand during this period. Accordingly, the statutory requirements would help ensure that Legislature likely would have the opportunity to colleges use the intersession extension authority evaluate implementation at additional colleges as the Legislature intended, while giving the before deciding whether to reauthorize the Legislature an opportunity to review new extension program beyond 2028. Moreover, the prospect programs. of continued legislative review in advance of a Strengthen Chapter 710’s Equity-Focused new sunset date would further encourage careful Requirements for Participating Colleges. implementation at colleges. Chapter 710 includes uncodified legislative Permit Any Community College to Offer intent language encouraging colleges to keep Chapter 710 Intersession Extension Programs. records on their intersession extension programs We recommend the Legislature expand beyond the measuring student participation, demographics, six colleges currently specified in the legislation and outcomes. Colleges are to compare these data and open the Chapter 710 extension program to to data on students enrolled in the primary terms any community college. Given that CCC funding and take affirmative steps to increase participation is based primarily on enrollment in taxpayer- of low-income and minority students if the review supported courses—and students do not want to shows significant disparities in access to extension pay more for courses than they have to—colleges courses. We recommend the Legislature codify this already have a strong incentive to offer extension requirement. Similarly, we recommend keeping courses only in areas with excess demand. To Chapter 710’s requirement that colleges make every further ensure that extension course offerings align effort to encourage broad participation in extension www.lao.ca.gov Legislative Analyst’s Office 11 AN LAO B R I E F programs, such as by supporting access for to nonneedy students—most of whom are eligible financially needy students and providing students for substantial, if not full, reimbursement from the with information about financial aid programs. federal government through education tax credit Other Alternatives for Expanding Access programs. To increase the overall level of resources During Budget Shortfalls. In addition to extending for the system, the Legislature could increase the sunset date for Chapter 710 and expanding enrollment fees for nonneedy students in taxpayer- the program’s scope, the Legislature has other supported courses, while maintaining the Board options to maintain students’ access to courses of Governors fee waiver program. Alternatively, during periods of budget reductions. For example, the Legislature could adopt a different fee model, it could revisit the current CCC fee policy, which such as a sliding scale based on income or financial charges nonneedy students the lowest community need. Another option during budget downturns college fees in the nation. As we have described in would be to raise the threshold to qualify for a previous publications (see, for example, our 2011-12 Board of Governors fee waiver, thereby reducing Analysis of the Governor’s Budget), maintaining the number of students receiving fee waivers. By very low fees is an inefficient strategy for preserving limiting waivers to students with the greatest need, affordability. While needy students already are colleges potentially could collect more fee revenue shielded from fees through the Board of Governors to support access. fee waiver program, low fees deliver high subsidies CONCLUSION The results of LBCC’s implementation of suggests that extension programs could somewhat Chapter 710 are encouraging. The college expanded improve course access at other colleges during access to high-demand, high-priority courses tight budget years while addressing concerns about during two intersessions and provided robust equitable access and affordability. We believe that, financial aid to eligible students. As a result, nearly with the modifications described above, expanded 200 students—who generally mirror the broader authority for colleges to offer intersession extension LBCC student population—were able to accelerate programs could serve as one viable means for progress toward meeting their educational goals at colleges to maintain or expand access without no additional cost to the state. LBCC’s experience additional state funding. LAO Publications This brief was prepared by Judy Heiman and reviewed by Paul Steenhausen. 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 brief 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. 12 Legislative Analyst’s Office www.lao.ca.gov