Final Evaluation of Community College Bachelor’s Degree Pilot

Final Evaluation of Community College Bachelor’s Degree Pilot GABRIEL PETEK LEGISLATIVE ANALYST JANUARY 24, 2020 analysis full gutter AN LAO REPORT LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE analysis full gutter AN LAO REPORT Executive Summary Background Legislature Created Bachelor’s Degree Pilot for Community Colleges. State law authorizes the California Community Colleges (CCC) to award associate degrees, generally limiting the awarding of more advanced degrees to the state’s universities. As an exception to this rule, Chapter 747 of 2014 (SB 850, Block) authorized CCC to offer bachelor’s degrees on a pilot basis at up to 15 community colleges. The degrees were required to be in subject areas that addressed unmet workforce needs in the region. Additionally, CCC had to consult with the California State University (CSU) and the University of California (UC) in selecting programs, and CCC was not to approve a program that duplicated instruction already offered by the universities. The programs selected for the pilot were to begin no later than the 2017-18 academic year. Pilot to be Evaluated. Chapter 747 directed our office to conduct an interim evaluation of the pilot by July 1, 2018 and a final evaluation by July 1, 2022. We published our interim evaluation in December 2017. Subsequent legislation moved the date for the final evaluation up to February 1, 2020. This report reflects our final evaluation. Assessment Some Programs Show Signs of Meeting Workforce Objectives. Assessing whether programs met industry needs was difficult based on the information provided by colleges in their initial applications. Generally, colleges provided documents citing broad support for the proposed programs with little concrete evidence of the benefits to employers. To better assess whether the programs were meeting workforce objectives, we met with college administrators and faculty, students, and industry representatives. Based on our review, we concluded that 7 of the 15 programs showed signs of meeting workforce needs. For most of these seven programs, we found that graduates were better prepared for specific industry positions and required less on-the-job training than other qualified candidates. For 8 of the 15 programs, we found little evidence that the programs addressed workforce needs. In most of these cases, we found that graduates were using their bachelor’s degrees to enter management positions where a bachelor’s degree is a minimum requirement. We found little evidence that graduates from these pilot programs were better prepared to fill these positions compared to those with other bachelor’s degrees or that pilot program graduates were helping employers fill hard-to-staff positions. Programs Provide Several Benefits for Students. The most common benefit of the pilot cited by students was the relatively low cost of attending the community college bachelor’s degree programs. In a survey conducted by the pilot community colleges, 51 percent of respondents stated they would not have pursued a bachelor’s degree if their community college program had not been offered. The pilot programs particularly benefited students with an associate degree in the same major and related work experience in the industry. Obtaining a bachelor’s degree in the same major often made for an easier educational pathway. Because these programs do not have an equivalent degree at CSU, students transferring to CSU must declare a new major and often must take additional major-specific coursework to complete their degrees. www.lao.ca.gov 1 analysis full gutter AN LAO REPORT No General Concern With Academic Quality. We found no notable issues with the academic quality or rigor of the pilot programs. The programs have been designed to teach concepts and skills that would be immediately relevant in related industries. Furthermore, all programs have been accredited by the CCC regional accrediting body and, if applicable, have obtained third-party accreditation required by industry. Concerns With Small Size of Programs. Though the pilot programs are providing some benefits to students, we are concerned with colleges operating relatively small programs, particularly six programs that averaged less than 15 students per cohort. The enrollment for these programs is far below the projections included in colleges’ applications. Low enrollment levels after three or four years of operation suggests student demand for bachelor’s degrees in the particular fields selected is limited. In addition, colleges operating small programs likely are incurring higher per-student costs, as the student-to-faculty ratio is a principal driver of costs. Concerns With Accelerated Review and Limited Consultation. We identified several concerns with the application review process, primarily due to the accelerated time line set by the CCC Chancellor’s Office—about one month for colleges to submit applications and one month for the pilot programs to be selected. To meet these expedited time lines, colleges were not required to have completed all the typical local curriculum development and review processes. Moreover, the CCC Chancellor’s Office and application review team did not have sufficient time to validate the information submitted and assess the workforce value of the proposed degrees. We also identified several concerns regarding CCC’s consultation with CSU. Most notably, the CCC provided CSU with little information about the programs and requested feedback within three business days. Legislative Options More Effective Options Likely Exist for Meeting Key Workforce and Student Objectives. Given many of the programs selected for the pilot are not meeting workforce objectives and remain small, we think several more promising options exist. In particular, we think the Legislature could consider two options—both of which would better address workforce needs and serve more students across more occupational fields. One option is for the Legislature to encourage the development of shorter training programs linked with industry needs. Such training could be particularly effective for employees that already have an associate degree and considerable technical skills, but may need additional training to be promoted to supervisory positions. Another option is to improve alignment between CCC and the universities, particularly CSU, to increase the number of CCC students who ultimately obtain a bachelor’s degree and reduce the amount of time students take to obtain their degree. Several effective models currently exist. For example, the Tri-County Nursing Pathway in southern California allows students to concurrently enroll in CSU courses while still completing their associate degree coursework. If Keeping and/or Expanding Programs, Consider Improvements in Several Areas. Given some of the benefits of the pilot cited by students, the Legislature may instead want to consider retaining or even expanding the pilot programs. If the Legislature were to make existing programs permanent and/or authorize new programs, we encourage it to make several improvements to help ensure the programs better meet workforce demands. Specifically, we encourage the Legislature to consider requiring programs to (1) meet certain enrollment and graduation targets to continue operating and (2) provide more concrete evidence demonstrating workforce need. We also encourage the Legislature to consider requiring a longer time line for reviewing applications, a clearer process for consultation with CSU, and more detailed fiscal accounting guidelines. 2 LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE analysis full gutter AN LAO REPORT INTRODUCTION State law authorizes the California Community legislation moved the date for the final evaluation Colleges (CCC) to award associate degrees, up to February 1, 2020. generally limiting the awarding of more advanced This report reflects our final evaluation. This degrees to the state’s universities. As an exception report has four sections. We first provide relevant to this rule, Chapter 747 of 2014 (SB 850, Block) background on the pilot, then review available data authorized CCC to offer bachelor’s degrees on on student participation and outcomes in the pilot. a pilot basis at up to 15 community colleges. In the next section, we provide our assessment of Chapter 747 directed our office to conduct an the pilot. In the final section, we provide alternatives interim evaluation of the pilot by July 1, 2018 and a to the pilot as well as potential improvements were final evaluation by July 1, 2022. We published our the Legislature to retain or expand the pilot. interim evaluation in December 2017. Subsequent BACKGROUND In this section, we provide background on the that the CCC Board of Governors could select role of each segment in undergraduate education, up to 15 colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees in describe the key components of the community particular subject areas. Figure 1 (see next page) college bachelor’s degree pilot, and discuss the summarizes the key components of the pilot. Most main differences in the CCC programs selected for importantly, the subject areas had to address the pilot relative to public university programs in unmet workforce needs in the region. Additionally, related academic areas. CCC had to consult with CSU and UC in selecting Certain Aspects of Undergraduate programs, and CCC was not to approve a program Education Assigned to Community Colleges that duplicated instruction already offered by the and Universities. The Donahoe Act— universities. Statute, however, did not provide Chapter 49 of 1960 (SB 33, Miller)—directed CCC detail on exactly what consultation meant or how to offer instruction “through but not beyond” the the consultation process was to be structured. To first two years of college, with CCC programs participate, colleges also had to agree to continue culminating in industry certificates, associate fulfilling their other statutory responsibilities. The degrees, and/or transfer to universities. By programs selected for the pilot were to begin no comparison, the act assigned both lower and upper later than the 2017-18 academic year, and students division coursework to the state’s two university who enrolled in the programs were to complete systems—the California State University (CSU) and their bachelor’s degrees by the end of the 2022-23 the University of California (UC). In the ensuing academic year. Subsequent legislation allowed years, the Legislature added other CCC statutory colleges to enroll new students as late as the responsibilities, including noncredit instruction 2022-23 academic year and extended the sunset (such as adult basic skills, English as a Second date by three years (until July 2026). Language, and citizenship courses), community Chapter 747 Set Forth Corresponding enrichment (such as parenting courses), and dual Application Requirements. Chapter 747 specified enrollment (whereby high school students may the information a district had to submit when enroll in college courses). applying to participate in the pilot. The district was Chapter 747 Created Exception. In a departure required to: from the segments’ longstanding missions, • Document unmet workforce needs and justify Chapter 747 authorized the CCC bachelor’s the need for the proposed four-year degree. degree pilot. Specifically, the legislation specified www.lao.ca.gov 3 analysis full gutter AN LAO REPORT • Document its consultation Figure 1 with CSU and UC regarding Key Components of Pilot collaborative approaches to meeting regional workforce 9 needs. Basic Requirements • Selected programs must address unmet workforce needs in the region. • Describe the proposed degree • CCC Chancellor’s Office must consult with the state’s public university systems in program’s curriculum, faculty, selecting programs. and facilities. • Selected programs cannot duplicate instruction already offered by one of the state’s public universities. • Provide enrollment projections. 9 Core Objectives • Provide a plan for • Selected programs must help (1) maintain the state’s economic competitiveness, administering and funding the (2) meet workplace demand for higher levels of education in applied fields, and program. (3) address unmet student demand for education beyond the associate degree in • Develop a policy requiring certain disciplines. • Selected programs also could give place-bound students and more military all potential students veterans the opportunity to earn bachelor’s degrees. who wish to apply for a fee waiver to complete 9 Funding and submit a federal • Colleges receive the same amount of state funding per full-time equivalent student financial aid application enrolled in the upper division courses as other CCC credit courses. (or a corresponding state • Colleges charge students taking the upper division courses the general course application for certain enrollment fee of $46 per unit plus a supplemental fee of $84 per unit (for a total fee noncitizen students). of $130 per unit). 9 CCC Approved 15 Programs. Financial Aid Figure 2 lists the programs • Colleges provide financially needy students with a California College Promise Grant approved by the CCC Board of (previously called a Board of Governors Fee Waiver) covering the general course Governors. Our interim report enrollment fee, but not the supplemental upper division course fee. • The state fully covers upper division fees for CCC Cal Grant recipients. provides greater detail regarding the program selection process. Ten of the pilot degree programs began enrolling students in 2016-17 and Figure 2 all 15 programs enrolled students 15 Approved Bachelor’s Degree Programs in 2017-18. Program Community College(s) Programs Add Broader Skills to Complement Technical Airframe Manufacturing Technology Antelope Valley Associate Degree Training. Automotive Technology Rio Hondo Biomanufacturinga Mira Costa and Solano The upper division curricula Dental Hygienea Foothill and West Los Angeles of the pilot bachelor’s degree Equine and Ranch Management Feather River programs primarily include Health Information Managementa San Diego Mesa and Shasta courses that teach broader Industrial Automation Bakersfield skills—such as management and Interaction Design Santa Monica communication—that complement Mortuary Science Cypress the technical skills students Occupational Studies Santa Ana learned in their associate degree Respiratory Carea Modesto and Skyline programs. With these additional a Programs approved at two colleges. skills, students with a bachelor’s degree are expected to think critically and creatively on the job, 4 LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE analysis full gutter AN LAO REPORT find efficient ways to conduct technical work, assist Compared to students who major in biology or colleagues in solving problems as they arise, and biotechnology at CSU or UC, students in the manage large-scale projects. CCC biomanufacturing pilot program take fewer Programs Directly Relate to Specific Industry advanced science courses (such as those designed Occupations. Compared to related degrees to teach advanced research techniques). Instead, offered at CSU and UC, the bachelor’s degrees the CCC biomanufacturing curriculum includes offered by the CCC pilot programs tend to focus courses in regulatory compliance and quality on more practical industry applications. Take for control. This CCC curriculum is designed to prepare example the biomanufacturing program offered at students to work in a manufacturing facility that two community colleges (Mira Costa and Solano). produces biological products with little on-the-job training required. STUDENT PARTICIPATION AND OUTCOMES In this section, we provide information about the results of a survey that the community colleges the students in the pilot and their outcomes. We in the pilot administered to recent graduates. obtained data from the CCC Chancellor’s Office Students on student demographics, use of financial aid, course success rates, and graduation rates. We Number of Participating Students Grew asked the colleges in the pilot to review this data Over First Few Years but Remains Small. for accuracy. The participation data we report in Figure 3 shows the total number of new students this section is for the first three cohorts of students who applied, were accepted, and enrolled in the (2016-17 through 2018-19), while the outcome pilot programs by academic year. The numbers data is for the first two cohorts. We also reviewed increased notably in the second year, when all Figure 3 Program Participation Has Grown but Remains Small Number of Students 700 2018-19 600 2017-18 2019-20 500 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 400 2019-20 2018-19 2017-18 2019-20 300 2016-17 2016-17 200 100 Applied Accepted Enrolled www.lao.ca.gov 5 analysis full gutter AN LAO REPORT 15 programs began operating. The numbers before they could apply to the bachelor’s degree increased slightly in the third year, before dropping program. Though these types of reasons suggest slightly in the fourth year. The numbers for programs might be able to grow in the future, 2019-20, however, may increase if programs serve all programs reported wanting to be larger now. additional students during the spring semester. At Administrators of all six programs specified they the peak overall participation level (in 2018-19), were actively looking to increase enrollment and the 15 programs together enrolled 350 new had the capacity to enroll additional students, but students, along with 349 returning students (for their cohorts remained small. total enrollment of 699 students). This enrollment Many Programs Made Efforts to Cater to level is very low within the context of the state’s More Students. Most colleges also have multiple higher education system. By comparison, the online or hybrid courses to increase convenience 15 community colleges participating in the pilot for students, with six colleges offering fully online enrolled a total of 386,000 students in 2018-19, programs. (Included in the six are the two dental while the CSU system enrolls almost 270,000 junior hygiene programs, which offer both a fully online and senior students . track and an in-person track.) Several other Size of Programs Varies Somewhat. In colleges modified their schedules to avoid conflict 2018-19, the number of applicants to the with students’ work obligations—for example, by 15 programs participating in the pilot ranged from scheduling in-person courses only a few times per 13 (Shasta College and Antelope Valley College) week and/or holding most classes in the evenings to 135 (Foothill College), with an average of 40. or on weekends. The size of the incoming cohort ranged from 8 Programs Have Higher Proportions of White (Antelope Valley College) to 73 (Foothill College), and Asian Students. Figure 4 compares the with an average of 24 enrolled students. The race/ethnicity of students enrolled in the bachelor’s participation trends over time also varied by degree pilot programs with overall enrollment at program. Three colleges had more applicants and the colleges participating in the pilot. The pilot newly enrolled students in 2018-19 compared programs have much higher proportions of white to the first year of operation, while five colleges and Asian students, with a much lower proportion experienced reductions in both applicants and new of Latino students. For example, 47 percent of enrollments. The remaining seven colleges had no all students at the pilot colleges were Latino, notable change in applicants or enrolled students whereas 29 percent of students participating in over that period. the pilot programs were Latino. The differences Some Programs Have Had Very Limited are somewhat less pronounced when comparing Student Interest. Of the 15 pilot programs, pilot program students with transfer students from 6 have had average incoming cohorts of less than the 15 participating colleges. The last column 15 students. In our conversations with colleges, of Figure 4 shows these data. For example, administrators and faculty provided several reasons for low enrollment. Figure 4 In one case, a college created its associate degree program Higher Proportion of Pilot Program Students Are concurrently with its bachelor’s White or Asian degree program and thus did Overall Student Body Transfers From not have a natural pipeline of Pilot Programs at Pilot Colleges Pilot Colleges students to matriculate into its White 36% 25% 31% upper division courses. In another Latino 29 47 39 case, the pilot program required Asian 21 13 18 a certain industry certification as Black 5 6 4 a prerequisite, such that students Other 6 5 5 had to obtain work experience Unknown 2 6 3 6 LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE analysis full gutter AN LAO REPORT 39 percent of transfer students at the pilot colleges Outcomes are Latino. Overall Graduation Rates Better Than Those Almost Two-Thirds of Students Receive Some of CSU Transfer Students. Figure 5 shows Financial Aid. Of the 2017-18 incoming cohort of graduation data for the bachelor’s degree pilot bachelor’s degree students, 63 percent received programs. For the ten programs that began a Board of Governor’s fee waiver in their first year. in 2016-17, the overall three-year graduation This share is similar to the share of all full-time rate is 75 percent, somewhat higher than the CCC students receiving fee waivers (62 percent) graduation rate for CCC students who transfer to and notably higher than the share of all CCC the CSU system (70 percent). For the cohort of students receiving fee waivers (40 percent). About students that began in 2017-18 (which includes one-third of bachelor’s degree students received all 15 programs), the two-year graduation rate is grant aid—primarily from federal Pell Grants or 70 percent—30 percentage points higher than the state’s Cal Grant program. Of students in the the CSU transfer rate (41 percent). As the figure 2017-18 cohort, 15 percent received student shows, graduation rates vary by program. The loans. This is a decrease from the 2016-17 cohort, three-year rates for the 2016-17 cohort vary from where 20 percent received students loans. The 57 percent (Antelope Valley College) to 96 percent shares of students receiving loans are substantially (Foothill College). The two-year rates for the higher than for CCC students overall (2 percent) 2017-18 cohorts vary from 25 percent (Antelope but substantially lower than for university Valley College) to 100 percent (Cypress College). undergraduates (about one third). Figure 5 Graduation Rates Vary Across Programs Cypress Mira Costa Modesto Santa Ana Solano Foothill Santa Monica San Diego Mesa Los Angeles Overall Skyline Feather River Shasta Rio Hondo 2016-17 Cohort, Three-Year Rate Bakersfield 2017-18 Cohort, Two-Year Rate Antelope Valley 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100% www.lao.ca.gov 7 analysis full gutter AN LAO REPORT No Official Data on Labor Market Outcomes. administered a survey of their graduates that The CCC system tracks the earnings of its students primarily focused on employment, earnings, and by linking CCC student data with wage information student loan debt. The information is self-reported. collected by the state’s Employment Development The response rate was high (79 percent). On Department (EDD). Linking this data is not typically average, students who graduated in 2018 reported completed until two years after a student exits their current annual salary (as of September the community college system. At the time of this 2019) to be $28,000 higher than their salary prior publication, the most recent data available is for to enrolling in their bachelor’s degree programs. students who exited the community college system For students who graduated in 2019, their current in 2016-17. As a result of this lag, no statewide annual salary was on average $12,000 higher than earnings data is available for graduates of the pilot prior to enrollment in the pilot programs. Two-thirds programs. of graduates also reported that their bachelor’s Survey of Graduates Shows Some degree helped them to obtain their current position. Promising Employment Outcomes. Given the Further data collection would be needed to confirm lack of available EDD data, the 15 pilot colleges these results, but they suggest positive outcomes for recent graduates. ASSESSMENT In this section, we provide our assessment of bachelor’s degree holders more than those with the pilot. Our assessment builds upon the findings an associate’s degree, or that employers would from our interim report. To further our analysis, prefer job candidates with the proposed bachelor’s we reviewed the additional data from the CCC degree over other related bachelor’s degrees. Chancellor’s Office and colleges as well as visited Without more concrete information demonstrating all 15 programs. During our site visits, we met industry need, the likely workforce benefits of with faculty, administrators, students, and industry the pilot programs cannot be analyzed easily and representatives. Below, we focus first on how well consistently. the pilot is meeting its core workforce and student Some Programs Show Signs of Meeting objectives. Based on our review, we concluded the Workforce Objectives. Given colleges were pilot was only partly meeting these objectives. We not asked to provide more concrete evidence then turn to our assessment of the pilot’s program of workforce demand when attempting to justify selection and financing—highlighting concerns in their bachelor’s degree programs, we reached out each of these two areas. to college administrators and faculty, students, and industry representatives to develop our own Workforce Objectives assessment of whether the pilot programs were Information Provided by Applicants Was meeting workforce needs. In particular, we looked Inadequate for Determining Whether Workforce for information in our interviews that showed Need Exists. To justify the need for their proposed (1) program graduates were filling hard-to-staff bachelor’s degree programs, community colleges positions that required the training provided by submitted summaries of discussions with local the bachelor’s degree, (2) employers were willing employers, testimonials from employers, position to pay bachelor’s degree holders higher wages statements from professional associations and than employees with an associate degree to work accrediting bodies, and/or related licensing in the same position, and (3) program graduates requirements. These documents generally cited were better prepared and required less on-the-job broad support of the programs without providing training than other qualified candidates with a any concrete evidence that employers were having bachelor’s degree in a different field. Figure 6 difficulty filling related positions, were willing to pay shows our assessment of each program. Based on 8 LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE analysis full gutter AN LAO REPORT our review, we concluded that 7 of the 15 programs the two dental hygiene programs (at Foothill met at least one of these criteria. Of the seven College and West Los Angeles College) have programs, most were meeting the third criterion— discontinued their associate degree programs, better preparing students such that they required while the occupational studies program at Santa less on-the-job training. Ana College has expressed interest in doing so. Workforce Benefits of Other Programs Are Administrators of the two dental hygiene programs Less Clear. For 8 of the 15 programs, we found indicated that discontinuing the programs was little evidence that the programs met at least one part of a broader overhaul. Currently, an associate of the three criteria mentioned above. In most degree in dental hygiene typically requires over cases, we found that graduates of these programs 90 units of coursework, with a bachelor’s degree used the bachelor’s degree to enter management requiring substantially more than 120 units. positions where a bachelor’s degree is a minimum Administrators used the pilot as an opportunity to requirement. In these instances, employers were create a streamlined 120-unit bachelor’s degree willing to hire individuals with a bachelor’s degree in program. Although we recognize the benefits to a wide variety of subjects. We found little evidence students that such a change could provide, we that graduates from these pilot programs were still have our overarching concerns that employers better prepared to fill these positions compared to neither require a bachelor’s degree in this area those with other bachelor’s degrees or that pilot nor pay more for students with one. Closing the program graduates were helping employers fill associate degree programs reduces access to hard-to-staff positions. an existing pathway that leads to a well-paying job for students. Students living in the region Continue to Have Concerns With Closing who are interested in only obtaining an associate of Some Associate Degree Programs. In our degree are now required either to travel outside interim report, we highlighted concerns with a of their local area to find such a program or enroll few colleges that were discontinuing their existing in the bachelor’s degree program and take more associate degree programs in favor of offering only courses than they had intended to obtain the same their new bachelor’s degree programs. Currently, entry-level position. Figure 6 Based on Interviews, Some Programs Are Meeting Workforce Needs Better Preparation Wage Premium Compared to Other Filling Hard-to-Staff for Obtaining Bachelor’s Degree College Major Positions Bachelor’s Degree Programs Antelope Valley Airframe Manufacturing Technology X X Bakersfield Industrial Automation X X Cypress Mortuary Science Feather River Equine and Ranch Management Foothill Dental Hygiene Mira Costa Biomanufacturing X Modesto Respiratory Care Rio Hondo Automotive Technology San Diego Mesa Health Information Management X Santa Ana Occupational Studies Santa Monica Interaction Design X Shasta College Health Information Management X Skyline Respiratory Care Solano Biomanufacturing X West Los Angeles Dental Hygiene www.lao.ca.gov 9 analysis full gutter AN LAO REPORT For Two Programs, Benefits of Bachelor’s a new major and often must take additional Degree Now Less Obvious. For the respiratory major-specific coursework to complete their care and occupational studies programs, the degrees. justification for bachelor’s degree programs No General Concern With Academic Quality. was primarily based on expected changes in We found no notable issues with the academic accreditation standards, which would have made quality or rigor of the pilot programs. The programs the bachelor’s degree the minimum requirement for have been designed to teach concepts and skills any entry-level position. These changes in minimum that would be immediately relevant in related requirements, however, are still not certain. For industries. Furthermore, all programs have been respiratory care, the accrediting body is no longer accredited by the CCC regional accrediting body authorizing new associate degree programs, but (the Accrediting Commission for Community and graduates of existing associate degree programs Junior Colleges) and, if applicable, have obtained can continue to obtain entry-level positions. The third-party accreditation required by industry. exact time line for when an associate degree in In our conversations with current students and respiratory care will become obsolete is not clear. recent graduates, students were able to clearly In the case of occupational studies, the accrediting articulate what they learned in the upper division body voted in 2017 to make the bachelor’s degree coursework and could apply these concepts to the entry-level requirement for occupational specific situations in the workplace. Furthermore, therapy assistants, but subsequently reversed its the graduation rate data suggest colleges generally decision and voted to accredit both associate and are providing sufficient support for students to bachelor’s degree programs moving forward. complete their programs. Concerns With Small Size of Programs. Student Objectives Though the pilot programs are providing some Programs Provide Students With a benefits to students, we are concerned with Relatively Low-Cost Educational Option. In our colleges operating relatively small programs, conversations with students, the most common particularly the six programs averaging less than benefit they identified was the relatively low cost of 15 students per cohort. The enrollment for these attending the pilot programs. Many had considered programs is far below the projections included in enrolling in private programs offering the same colleges’ applications. Interestingly, three of these degree, but were hesitant to do so because of programs are fully online, so classroom and/or the cost. In the survey conducted by the pilot lab space is not a limiting factor in enrollment. community colleges, 51 percent of respondents Although many programs indicated they expect stated they would not have pursued a bachelor’s enrollment to increase as interested students degree if their community college program had not completed lower division requirements, the low been offered. enrollment levels after three or four years of Programs Have Several Other Academic operation suggests student demand for bachelor’s Benefits for Students. The pilot programs degrees in the particular fields selected is limited. provided other key benefits to students, particularly In addition, colleges operating small programs for those with an associate degree in the same likely are incurring higher per-student costs, as major and related work experience in the industry. the student-to-faculty ratio is a principal driver of These students mentioned they found the costs. Supporting a small program likely entails bachelor’s degree coursework immediately relevant the college having to redirect funding that could and engaging because of the close connection have been available for other programs with greater to what they had previously learned. Obtaining student demand. Operating small-sized programs a bachelor’s degree in the same area also often also likely results in a disproportionate amount of made for an easier educational pathway. Because administrative time being dedicated to them. these programs do not have an equivalent degree at CSU, students transferring to CSU must declare 10 LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE analysis full gutter AN LAO REPORT Program Selection of curricular duplication. (The CCC did, however, ultimately modify the curricula of some programs Application Review Process Was Weakened to address CSU’s concerns.) Because statute did by Accelerated Time Line. Our interim evaluation not specify how consultation was to occur, the of the pilot programs identified several concerns CCC’s actions did not violate the law. This limited with the application review process. Most of the approach, however, complicated intersegmental concerns emanated from the accelerated time efforts between CCC and CSU. In contrast to line set by CCC. Colleges were given less than CSU, UC expressed no major concerns with the one month to submit applications. The CCC then proposed programs and did not request additional reviewed applications and granted initial approval consultation. for the pilot programs within one month of receiving the proposals. To meet these expedited time lines, Financing colleges were not required to have completed Supplemental Fee Does Not Appear all the typical local curriculum development and Warranted. When the pilot was established, review processes. Instead of fully developed the general thinking was that the approved programs, the application required examples or upper division coursework would be costlier illustrations of upper division coursework for the than community colleges’ existing lower division proposed degree. The application did not require coursework. In contrast, we think the approved colleges to submit other information typically upper division coursework likely costs less. The required for new programs, such as program lower division coursework associated with the goals and objectives, information about similar existing associate degree programs often require programs (such as programs in other states), or specialized equipment and have third-party endorsements from an advisory committee and accreditation requirements that mandate low regional workforce consortium. Moreover, with student-to-faculty ratios. This is particularly true of a one-month turnaround, the CCC Chancellor’s the health-related programs. By contrast, the upper Office and application review team did not have division coursework in the pilot programs tends to sufficient time to validate the information submitted be in a more traditional class setting that requires and assess the workforce value of the proposed little additional equipment and can be conducted in degrees. Although colleges eventually received somewhat larger class sizes. local curriculum approval as they further developed their programs, local review bodies likely would Difficult to Draw Other Conclusions From have found it awkward, at best, to delay or deny Fiscal Data. To assess the costs associated with programs on curricular grounds after the Board of operating the bachelor’s degree programs, we Governors already had approved them. collected fiscal data from the colleges through 2018-19. Although the fiscal data submitted by CCC Consultation With CSU Was Very the colleges improved compared with the data we Limited. Our interim report also identified several received for our interim report, we continued to find concerns regarding CCC’s consultation with inconsistencies and irregularities in the data that CSU. The CCC first requested the input of CSU effectively made it unusable. We think these issues after completing the scoring of applications. are likely a result of differences in how colleges The CCC provided CSU with a brief description account for their staffing costs, particularly for of the recommended programs and requested staff that spend only a portion of their time on the feedback within three business days. The CCC bachelor’s degree program. subsequently approved several degrees to which CSU had formally objected based on evidence www.lao.ca.gov 11 analysis full gutter AN LAO REPORT LEGISLATIVE OPTIONS As evident from our assessment section, we did but could focus on areas such as management, not find conclusive evidence that the pilot was an communication, and business practices. The upper indisputable success. Whereas students reported division courses offered in the pilot bachelor’s some benefits of the pilot, many of the community degree programs have focused in these areas. college bachelor’s degree programs were small To serve students and employers effectively, the and not clearly addressing workforce needs. Given Legislature would want to ensure that any new our findings, we believe the Legislature likely has short-term program be approved by accreditors more effective ways of meeting its overarching and any corresponding credential be widely objectives of addressing student and workforce recognized by employers. If established, these needs. Below, we discuss a couple of basic options types of shorter training programs could potentially the Legislature could consider instead of continuing benefit a much larger number of students with the pilot. Alternatively, were the Legislature to associate degrees across a much wider range of decide it wanted to retain and/or expand the fields. pilot, we discuss several options for improving it. Encourage Stronger Alignment Between In particular, the options we discuss would help CCC and Public University Programs. Improving ensure any existing or new bachelor’s degree alignment between CCC and the universities, programs at the community colleges better meet particularly CSU, could increase the number of workforce demands. CCC students who ultimately obtain a bachelor’s degree and reduce the amount of time students Alternatives to the Pilot take to obtain their degree. Several effective More Effective Options Likely Exist for partnership models already exist. For example, Meeting Key Workforce and Student Objectives. the Tri-County Nursing Pathway is a partnership We think several more promising options exist for between Riverside City College and two CSU the state to better address workforce needs and/or campuses (Fullerton and San Bernardino) that increase access to bachelor’s degree programs. allows associate degree nursing students to Below, we discuss two such options. One option concurrently obtain their bachelor’s degrees. would provide shorter industry-relevant training Students can enroll in CSU courses while still that does not entail completing a bachelor’s degree completing their associate degree requirements, program, while the other option would provide allowing them to obtain their bachelor’s degree streamlined pathways for existing bachelor’s with only six additional months of coursework. The degrees. Compared to the CCC pilot, we think CSU upper division courses are offered primarily either of these alternatives would have the potential as online or hybrid courses to provide greater to benefit a greater number of students across convenience for students. CSU satellite campuses many more occupational fields. tend to work in similar ways by also providing Develop Shorter, Targeted Training Programs. greater convenience for students in completing Rather than developing 120-unit programs that their upper division coursework. The Legislature lead to a bachelor’s degree, the Legislature may wish to explore ways it could encourage these could encourage closer partnerships between types of collaborations across segments to help industry and colleges or universities to provide meet student and workforce needs more efficiently shorter training programs. Such training could be and effectively. Such partnerships could not only particularly effective for employees that already be more cost-effective, but also benefit more have an associate degree and considerable students (including place-bound students) across technical skills but may need additional training more occupational fields, thereby having a more to be promoted to supervisory positions. The widespread impact. specific training would be linked to industry needs 12 LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE analysis full gutter AN LAO REPORT Improving the Pilot that employers are having difficulty filling certain positions that require a bachelor’s degree. We If Keeping and/or Expanding Programs, suggest this workforce-based information hold the Consider Improvements in Several Areas. greatest weight in the application review process. Despite the lack of conclusive evidence that the We also encourage the Legislature to require that pilot is effectively meeting its core objectives, the any college authorized to offer a new bachelor’s Legislature may want to consider retaining or even degree keep open its related associate degree expanding the pilot programs. If the Legislature program. Finally, we encourage the Legislature were to make existing programs permanent and/or to require any newly approved programs to be authorize new programs, we encourage it to make reviewed by the CCC Chancellor’s Office at specific several improvements, discussed below. intervals, based on the criteria we describe in the Require Programs to Meet Certain Criteria to above paragraph. Continue Operating. Specifically, we encourage Create Longer Time Line for Review and the Legislature to consider requiring community Clarify Consultation Process. We encourage college bachelor’s degree programs to (1) meet the Legislature to require the CCC Chancellor’s a minimum threshold for its cohort sizes and Office to use a longer application time line that (2) maintain graduation rates at or above the gives colleges sufficient time to develop their rates for CSU transfer students. Regarding curriculum. We also think the CCC Chancellor’s establishing cohort size, the Legislature could Office should allow sufficient time in the review start with a minimum size of 20 and reevaluate as process to validate the information that colleges better information on the viability of that cohort submit and assess the workforce value of their size becomes available. We also encourage the proposed degrees. Additionally, we encourage the Legislature to require colleges to demonstrate Legislature to require the CCC Chancellor’s Office their programs are meeting workforce needs. to provide more detailed information to CSU on the Specifically, we recommend programs demonstrate proposed programs, as well as to seek feedback that industry partners (1) have difficulty filling from CSU at several points in the approval process. certain positions that require a bachelor’s degree, We suggest clarifying that CSU’s role is to assess (2) are paying bachelor’s degree holders more than whether the programs are duplicative of its existing those with a related associate’s degree, and/or programs, but it also could submit comments (3) are hiring candidates with the specialized pilot regarding the quality of the proposed curricula bachelor’s degree over candidates with other submitted by the colleges. The CCC Chancellor’s bachelor’s degrees. The CCC Chancellor’s Office Office, however, would remain responsible for rating could review programs based on these outcomes the quality of submitted applications and making annually or periodically. Requirements of this kind recommendations to the CCC Board of Governors are typically not applied to community college for approval. programs. However, we think these requirements Develop More Detailed Fiscal Accounting are reasonable given operating bachelor’s degree Guidelines. To obtain more accurate and programs is such a significant departure from the consistent fiscal data, we encourage requiring the core mission of the community colleges. CCC Chancellor’s Office to develop regulations Require Stronger Justification of Workforce specifying how colleges are to account for Need. If the Legislature desires to expand the spending on their bachelor’s degree programs. pilot to allow additional colleges to participate, we This data also could be reviewed as part of encourage it to require applicants to provide more community college districts’ annual financial audits. concrete information demonstrating workforce Absent greater oversight and more careful review need. We think the information required should of submitted information, the Legislature will be be similar to the information required for existing unable to determine the cost to administer these programs—for example, information showing programs. www.lao.ca.gov 13 analysis full gutter AN LAO REPORT CONCLUSION This report is intended to provide the available data are not conclusive, we provide the Legislature with guidance in deciding whether to Legislature with options. One set of options focuses continue allowing community colleges to offer on replacing the pilot programs with other initiatives specialized bachelor’s degrees. We obtained that make completing upper division coursework the best data available from the 15 pilot more convenient. The alternatives we identify would programs and had numerous conversations with have the potential to benefit a much greater number faculty, administrators, students, and industry of students across many more occupational fields. representatives involved in the pilot programs. We A second set of options focuses on how to improve concluded the pilot was only partly meeting its the pilot programs such that they are more likely core objectives. Whereas some of the programs to provide both student and workforce benefits. In have benefited students, many have not addressed the coming months, we can work further with the unmet workforce needs. Questions also remain Legislature as it contemplates these options and about whether some programs have sufficient considers how it would like to proceed. student demand over the long term. Given the LAO PUBLICATIONS This report was prepared by Edgar Cabral and reviewed by Jennifer Kuhn Pacella and Anthony Simbol. 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. 14 LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE