Update to the Vision for Success Reaffirming Equity in a Time of Recovery

July 2021 2 California Community Colleges Vision for Success Contents

A Message from the Chancellor ...... 4

Our North Star Remains Unchanged ...... 7

Our System’s Approach to Equity Continues to Evolve .... 10

Reaffirming Our Commitments totudents S ...... 14

COMMITMENT 1: Focus relentlesly on students’ end goals ...... 15

COMMITMENT 2: Design and decide with the student in mind ...... 17

COMMITMENT 3: Pair high expectations with high support...... 19

COMMITMENT 4: Foster the use of data, inquiry, and evidence ...... 21

COMMITMENT 5: Take ownership of goals and performance ...... 23

COMMITMENT 6: Enable action and thoughtful innovation ...... 25

COMMITMENT 7: Lead the work of partnering across systems ...... 27

Making Progress One Step at a Time ...... 29

On the Horizon ...... 32

Irvine Valley College

Reaffirming Equity in a Time of Recovery 3 A Message from the Chancellor

In 2017, the California Community Colleges Board of Governors adopted the Vision for Success. In these last four years, the Vision for Success has served as our collective North Star, by making clear our goals for improvement and our commitment to do better for both our students and for our state. Now, in 2021 I am pleased to present the Update to the Vision for Success: Reaffirming Equity in a Time of Recovery.

From the beginning, the Vision for Success has always been about equity. Indeed, its overarching goal (Goal 5) is to reduce equity gaps across all measures by 40 percent within 5 years and to fully close those gaps within 10 years. Moreover, the seven core commitments of the Vision for Success are designed to help us all reframe how our colleges are structured and how we behave, putting the student experience front and center. When implemented with integrity, these commitments have the power to dramatically improve outcomes for students of color and students whose income, region, or life circumstances have put them at a disadvantage. Now, at four years into the Vision for Success, we are beginning to see consistent progress, especially in rising completion rates across the system. Still, we can do more.

4 California Community Colleges Vision for Success It is critical to chart a course to a new day when all Californians “ can actively participate in helping our state thrive. What is the best route to that future? Preparing everyone with the training and education necessary to engage in the high-quality, in- demand jobs that will drive a recovering, vital economy.”

— Governor’s Council for Postsecondary Education in the 2021 Recovery with Equity report1

It is clear that many of our students are in California’s economic and social recovery. Finally, to all of the hardworking community suffering from the collective traumas of The recent Recovery with Equity report from college professionals across the state, I the past year: the pandemic and resulting the Governor’s Council for Postsecondary thank you on behalf of our 2.1 million financial devastation, a nationwide reckoning Education calls on higher education to students. I know you must feel exhausted with systemic and institutional racism, a advance four guiding principles: Fostering but please, keep up the good work and tumultuous election, and worsening social inclusive institutions, streamlining pathways persevere. Our students need you. I invite divisions fueled by disinformation. The to degrees, facilitating student transitions, you to join us in celebrating our collective multiple crises of the last year have left us and simplifying supports for students. wins, redoubling our commitment to do all feeling untethered, but this past year We are in complete agreement with these better, and supporting our students through has also offered us an opportunity to see principles. They align closely with the goals anything that comes their way. more clearly the resilience of our students and commitments of the 2017 Vision for and the value of our institutions. Community Success. With the release of this update, we colleges are uniquely positioned to aid are doubling down on our commitments and in our state’s recovery. California needs answering the Governor’s call to help rebuild Sincerely, an educated populace to shape the new California with equity. economy, rebuild our infrastructure, fight future pandemics, and participate in our The Vision for Success is not an initiative, nor democracy as informed voters and activists. is it a “one and done” reform. I am confident The system’s vast size and scope make it a that the Vision for Success will long outlast Eloy Ortiz Oakley vital instrument for achieving these ends. my tenure as Chancellor. It has gained Chancellor, California Community Colleges At the same time, community colleges are strength over the years as leaders, faculty, accessible and personal institutions that can staff, and allies across the state have taken also help students on an individual level to ownership of its goals and commitments, regain their hopes and rebuild their futures. listened to students, tried and refined new Students need us and we are here to deliver approaches, and continued to move forward for them. Simply put, this is our moment. in the face of great challenges. Collectively, we have shown that we are all invested in The purpose of this document is to reaffirm the Vision for Success and are all called to our goals and commitments in light of be courageous, equity-centered leaders. today’s challenges, reiterate our resolve to In particular I acknowledge and thank the achieve equity, and show how the California district leaders who shared their experiences Community Colleges will play a central role and success stories in the pages that follow.

Reaffirming Equity in a Time of Recovery 5 5-Year Systemwide Goals

1 | Increase completion of degrees, credentials, certificates, and job-specific skill sets by 20% between 2017 and 2022 2 | Increase transfers to UC and CSU by 35% between 2017 and 2022 3 | Decrease the average number of units accumulated by associate’s degree earners to 79 units by 2022 (down from an average of 87 units in 2017) 4 | Increase the number of exiting CTE students employed in their field of study to 76% by 2022 (up from 60% in 2017) 5 | Reduce equity gaps by 40% across all the above measures by 2022, and fully close those gaps by 2027 6 | Close regional gaps across all of the above measures by 2027

6 California Community Colleges Vision for Success College of San Mateo Our North Star Remains Unchanged

In 2017, the Vision for Success established unrest, and worsening political divisions This ladder that we hold a set of robust five-year goals to serve as and misinformation campaigns. Students up, community colleges a “North Star” in guiding the collective in the California Community Colleges “ reform efforts of the California Community have suffered as a result of these events— as a ladder to mobility, Colleges. These goals established clear personally, financially, and academically. is crumbling to dust for targets for completion, transfer, efficiency, and employment, and most importantly, for In response, community colleges pivoted our Black, brown and closing equity gaps and regional attainment heroically in 2020 and made rapid changes low-income students.” gaps (see sidebar on page 6). In addition to meet students’ needs (see sidebar on to establishing systemwide goals, the 2017 page 8). With an attitude of “all hands on — Andrew Nickens Vision for Success also called for college deck,” leaders, faculty, and staff throughout Student and Vice President, Legislative districts to develop and adopt aligned local the college system stepped up to continue Affairs, Student Senate of the goals for student success, which all districts providing high-quality education and services California Community Colleges, have now done. despite a statewide shutdown. Student on a 2021 California Community leaders were also instrumental, providing a Colleges System webinar2 Of course, when the Vision for Success much-needed conduit of information to and goals were established, no one could have from students. All in all, the system proved imagined the major disruptions and setbacks remarkably nimble and resilient. that students and colleges would face in 2020. COVID-19 ravaged our state in deeply inequitable ways, causing great harm in particular to Black and African American, Latinx, and low-income communities. Further societal damage ensued from highly visible police killings, months of acute social

Reaffirming Equity in a Time of Recovery 7 Evergreen Valley College Responding to COVID-19 A piece of advice I could In response to the COVID-19 pandemic of updates on pandemic developments and a give to students would be 2020 and 2021, the California Community place to ask questions and share promising “ Colleges took bold action to step up for response practices. It also provided weekly explore your resources. students, communities, and the State of webinars for college leaders to support I’ve noticed that all the California. Most notably, colleges moved effective COVID-19 responses. To help the virtually all instruction to online learning system transition to online learning in resources that we would platforms in a matter of weeks, a feat of science-related disciplines specifically, the have had on campus— sheer resolve for the world’s largest higher Chancellor’s Office purchased a virtual lab education system. Just as challenging, platform and expanded technical assistance whether that’s tutoring colleges also moved virtually all student for faculty using the platform. To assist for each different subject, support services online in the spring, students, the Chancellor’s Office enacted whether it’s mental including academic counseling, library policy changes in March 2020 to ensure that services, financial aid, tutoring, and more. students were not penalized academically health services—those Many campuses also lent their facilities to or financially for withdrawing from classes have also been translated serve emergency healthcare and housing due to COVID-19. needs during the height of the pandemic to an online format.” and contributed ventilators, masks, and The Foundation for California Community — Gurshaan Arora other Personal Protection Equipment from Colleges took action to increase awareness the stockpiles of college-based health of CalFresh, California’s food assistance student, Foothill College, on training programs. Colleges also leapt into program.4 Additionally, the Foundation the California Community action to provide aid to students, from launched a relief campaign specifically for Colleges podcast3 emergency food to housing services to cash students working toward certificates or assistance. In addition to administering and degrees in health care, delivering almost coordinating new funding associated with $1 million in crucial emergency support, the federal stimulus packages, many colleges mobile hotspots, and laptops.5 repurposed existing resources to meet the needs of students in acute financial distress These activities and others are examples during the pandemic. of the California Community Colleges’ responsiveness and resilience in the To assist college leaders and employees, face of a highly unpredictable working the Chancellor’s Office issued executive environment. The college system was able orders and guidance to provide flexibility to adapt and make bold, rapid changes in on reporting deadlines, temporarily suspend service of students—an accomplishment various regulations and requirements, and that can serve as a foundation for facing take other actions to relieve administrative future challenges. burdens. The Chancellor’s Office launched a COVID-19 Community on the Vision for Success Resource Center, providing

8 California Community Colleges Vision for Success Community colleges will need to continue • Some students are stepping away from I had to go to sleep these strong efforts in the months and ey ars their educational paths. For Fall 2020, hungry because I had to ahead, and the task won’t be easy. Compared California Community Colleges student “ to four years ago: headcount and full-time enrollment is choose between gas for down, with the most serious declines traveling and textbooks • Students are in worse shape financially. in hard-hit communities and among Over half of California Community students of color, male students, and and food…I had to choose College students saw a decrease in their students over 50 years old.11 Many between buying my kids income in 2020 due to lay-offs, furloughs, students have had to take on new or work reductions associated with responsibilities as caretakers or shoes and transportation, COVID-19, with greater impacts among breadwinners, making it unclear if and housing, food…No one students of color.6 when they might return to complete their should have to make higher education. • More students have become housing- or these kinds of choices.” food-insecure. Nearly 60% of California In spite of these many difficulties, students Community College students reported as a whole have persevered and most are — Marjorie Blen food insecurity, housing insecurity, or continuing their educations. While the Student, on a 2021 California 12 homelessness in 2020. Students of color pandemic has been a major disruption, Community Colleges System webinar were 16 percentage points more likely to the California Community Colleges are report at least one basic needs insecurity not abandoning the ambitious goals set in The work ahead is than white students.7 2017. The overarching North Star remains challenging. But the the same: to reach the systemwide Vision “ • Students are experiencing fresh pain for Success targets for completion, transfer, post-secondary sector, and trauma from racial injustice. efficiency, workforce attainment, and above in partnership with The racism and racial violence that all, equity. The California Community communities across the students witnessed in the last year has Colleges have proven to be nimble, adaptable, compounded the existing pain felt and able to rise to the challenge of serving state, can build a more from long-standing injustices in our students even in the face of great challenges. equitable future from society and our institutions. This can As discussed in the pages that follow, affect students in deeply personal ways, forward-thinking college leaders have even this crisis. Together, undermining their focus, self-esteem, been able to leverage the disruption of the Californians can make and hope for the future. pandemic and make real progress toward that future a reality.” serving students better. Such opportunities • Students’ mental health is suffering. Two- will continue as the system rebuilds in — Governor’s Council for thirds of California Community College the coming years. With continued effort, Postsecondary Education students report experiencing higher California can become a national model for in the 2021 Recovery with levels of anxiety, stress, depression, or equitable recovery in higher education. Equity report 13 mental distress than usual, and nearly half are having difficulty concentrating in school.8 Over a third are concerned about the risk of developing a substance abuse problem.9

• The pandemic has exacerbated the digital divide. Low-income students, many of them students of color, are less likely to have access to the internet, functioning laptops, and quiet study space and privacy, putting them at greater disadvantage during the shift to distance learning.10

Reaffirming Equity in a Time of Recovery 9 San Joaquin Delta College Our System’s Approach to Equity Continues to Evolve

When we’re talking about The California Community Colleges have As the college student population became equity it’s not just about always been an instrument for achieving more diverse over the latter part of the 20th “ broad access to higher education. The colleges century, it became increasingly clear that a having a program for a are the largest system of post-secondary traditional model with added-on supports hundred students and education in the world and serve all was not a sustainable approach for achieving applicants regardless of educational racial equity or success. College systems saying, ‘It’s equitable.’ background or life trajectory. The colleges came to realize that more transformative No, we’re saying we need offer a quality higher education at the change was needed to restructure lowest tuition sticker price found anywhere institutions from the ground up. to restructure our entire in the country. Despite this unparalleled organization to make commitment to affordability and accessibility, With the 2017 Vision for Success, the California sure that all students, not the California Community Colleges—like Community Colleges embarked on a series most higher education institutions—were of systemic efforts aimed at building racial just one hundred, are largely designed for traditional students, equity into the core infrastructure of the receiving all the services who at the time were predominantly white colleges. These reforms were conceived as middle-class students who had access an interconnected set, based on the belief they need to complete to a K-12 education that was sufficiently that entrenched institutional problems can their education goals.” resourced and supported. As a result, the only be solved with a clear vision, multiple colleges’ bureaucratic structures generally coordinated reforms aligned to that vision, — Keith Curry reinforced the marginalization of students and persistence over many years. No longer President, Compton College of color. In decades past, colleges did at the margins, these reforms mark an effort acknowledge inequitable outcomes among to put equity concerns front and center while low-income students and students of color, improving the overall performance and but these were addressed through discrete success of the entire college. These major programs that existed at the margins of the systemic reforms are still in the relatively college, with separate funding streams and early stages and will require many more lines of reporting, rather than structural years of persistent effort to reach full impact. changes to the college as a whole.

10 California Community Colleges Vision for Success Of course, in the day-to-day work of • Equitable Placement and Support The funding formula implementing the Vision for Success reform remedies past unfair practices that incentives make sense strategies, it can be difficult to keep sight over-placed students into remedial “ of how these reforms serve and support education, especially students of color, and are aligned with what each other and are aligned toward the creating obstacles to their momentum we as a set of colleges are same end point. In summary, this is how and success. To date, this policy has they fit together to advance equity and greatly expanded access to college-level doing: increasing college student success: coursework for students across the access and equity toward board and has significantly narrowed • Guided Pathways is a framework for achievement gaps between white students completion, especially transformative institutional change and students of color, getting the college for first-generation, low- that provides a structure for colleges to system closer to its goals for improved income, adult learners and scrutinize their practices, disaggregate completion and equity. data to uncover opportunity and underresourced students attainment gaps, and redesign college • The Student Centered Funding Formula and communities.” programs and policies with the aim of weights funding towards colleges that providing every student with a clear path serve low-income students and English — Francisco Rodriguez to graduation and quality job opportunities. learners. Colleges receive additional Chancellor, Los Angeles Guided Pathways is based on the idea dollars when students reach specified Community College District that students need structured, cohesive educational milestones and outcomes, support to reach their end goals and plus an additional funding bump when recognizes that support needs will differ higher-needs students reach these It used to be that the only from one individual student to another. milestones. This change aligns fiscal financial incentive was resources with the systemwide goals “ • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts for improved success and equity. for us to grow, but now provide a roadmap to making campuses we have an incentive safer, more accessible, and more • The restructuring of Career Technical to serve different types welcoming to students of color and Education aims to build more career underserved student groups. These pathways that lead directly into well- of students. It makes initiatives promote diversity in hiring, paying jobs and to award credit for sense to tie goals to the aim to eliminate cultural bias in teaching demonstrated competence and prior and curriculum, and help to counteract learning. These reforms are expanding financial underpinnings institutional racism. They help to level opportunities, especially for adult learners, of the system.” the playing field and expand opportunity, and will lead to more students reaching helping more students reach their their end goal of a living-wage job. — Brian King end goals. Chancellor, Los Rios Community College District

Reaffirming Equity in a Time of Recovery 11 Santa Monica College

Historically, our system has Heading now into the 2020s, the colleges’ have been systemically disadvantaged. These not been set up to meet approach to equity continues to evolve efforts especially aim to call out and correct “ in response to students’ needs and the policies and practices that are inherently people where they are. It circumstances of our state and society. racist, while also recognizing and addressing has been set up in a way The California Community Colleges Board the damaging effects of ableism, sexism, and of Governors has adopted an unequivocal discrimination based on gender identity, that says, if you have all statement committing to diversity, equity, sexuality, or other characteristics. the right words and you and inclusion that is serving as a model to other systems in California and nationally. As our society moves forward and seeks to know where to go, then As a system, the California Community recover from the social and health traumas you’ll get what you need. Colleges are beginning to address institutional of the past year, the California Community It is not inclusive. The racism and injustice in a more explicit Colleges will do their part: welcoming every and intentional way. Colleges are trying to student individually, meeting students result is to exclude some build truly diverse and inclusive colleges by where they are, and providing the necessary versus others, whether encouraging frank conversations about race high quality supports that will level the and institutional racism, auditing campus playing field and provide truly equitable that’s intentional or not.” environments, examining curricula for opportunities for advancement. cultural bias, overhauling hiring, reforming — Pamela Haynes police training programs, advocating for President of the Board of Governors of undocumented students, and providing the California Community Colleges more direct assistance to students who

12 California Community Colleges Vision for Success ...Our students are hurting and they are outraged “ because of the systemic racial injustices that still exist in our country. In this moment, we need to use our positions of privilege, influence and power to make a difference… We cannot say that we are equity champions and be afraid to have open dialogue about structural racism.” — Eloy Ortiz Oakley Chancellor, California Community Colleges14

Los Angeles Southwest College Reaffirming Our Commitments to Students

The 2017 Vision for Success articulated seven commitments that function as a set to drive improvement, success, and equity:

1 | Focus relentlessly on students’ end goals.

2 | Always design and decide with the student in mind.

3 | Pair high expectations with high support.

4 | Foster the use of data, inquiry, and evidence.

5 | Take ownership of goals and performance.

6 | Enable action and thoughtful innovation.

7 | Lead the work of partnering across systems.

Each of these commitments is Although the ground has seemingly shifted fundamentally about students: giving each in the years since these commitments were student a fair opportunity, paying attention first made, they are just as relevant today, if to their results, and continually making not more so. They will carry the California structural adjustments to serve students Community Colleges through recovery. With better, especially students of color and continued adherence to these commitments low-income students. and courageous, equity-centered leadership, the colleges can fulfill their role as engines of economic and social recovery. In the pages that follow, each commitment is discussed in light of this moment—both its new challenges and new opportunities.

14 California Community Colleges Vision for Success San Joaquin Delta College COMMITMENT 1 Focus relentlessly on students’ end goals This commitment is about getting all students to their end goals. Colleges should be designed equitably to lead all students to concrete outcomes that have personal and economic value, such as a high-quality certificate, degree, or transfer to a four-year university. This commitment is fundamental, so much so that all other commitments are designed to support it.

Given the extreme circumstances of encouraging their peers to return to college the past year, focusing on students’ end (a good use of one-time recovery funds, goals matters now more than ever. Many as some colleges have found). Restoring students are finding it hard to hold on to access is critical at this time. Of course, this their own educational hopes and dreams. focus needs to be paired with a steadfast As administrators, faculty, staff, and allies, commitment to student completion. we all have a critical role to play in helping students connect or reconnect with their Looking ahead, the California Community educational goals and supporting each of Colleges must ensure that the relentless them to completion. focus on outcomes is really about equitable outcomes. Student success cannot be Of course, in the aftermath of the pandemic, achieved without equity. Guided Pathways the most immediate concern of many colleges is becoming more established as a normal will be restoring educational access. Students way of doing business, and colleges have been cut off from classes and support typically disaggregate program results and services due to a lack of technology or internet completion data to understand how different access. Many students have been forced into student groups are faring. Now is the time work or care-taking roles that prevent them for colleges to move beyond data analysis from continuing their studies. As colleges and take the next step of experimenting with reopen, it will be critical to reach out and get bold program improvements that have the students reenrolled, through individualized potential to advance equity in meaningful outreach, enrollment campaigns, and by ways. See sidebar for a leading example offering services and courses when, where, from Cosumnes River College. and how students need them. Colleges should bring students to the table to inform and co-design these efforts and to help in

Reaffirming Equity in a Time of Recovery 15 How Cosumnes River College is Focusing Relentlessly on Students’ End Goals

Cosumnes River College (CRC) has been jumped, with the greatest gains among advancing a rigorous set of reforms under Latinx and Black and African American the Guided Pathways framework, all aimed students, resulting in reduced equity gaps. at improving student outcomes while closing College-wide, enrollment increased by equity gaps and upholding rigor. Based on 3.85 percent while headcount increased the research literature and their own data by only one percent, gains that benefitted analysis, CRC leaders made a decision to the college financially while making more substantially increase the number of students efficient use of facilities and resources. CRC enrolled full time and the number taking has now expanded its default schedule to college-level English or math in their first cover a student’s first full year and ultimately term—two behaviors known to build plans to have students enroll with default momentum and help students complete two-year plans. a degree or transfer. While progress has slowed in the face of To make this happen, CRC began providing the pandemic, the college continues to all students who are recent high school take deliberate steps to ensure success and graduates with a “default” first-term equity. In the last year, CRC has expanded schedule that includes a 15-unit course load eligibility for its English supports and and enrollment in college-level math and math centers, expanded online tutoring, English. The default schedule is specific to and leveraged its case management the student’s area of study and guaranteed to infrastructure and call centers to reach out be available in the student’s first academic to students who are not attending class. term. (It is not required, however— students “We are really trying to be high tech and who are unable or uninterested in that high touch in this environment,” says CRC schedule can still opt out and enroll in other President Ed Bush. courses or at a lower level of intensity.) In 2020, the college also launched a “We Won’t As part of its comprehensive Guided Fall” initiative with 13 goals for addressing Pathways work, the college also developed institutional racism and improving outcomes two-year program pathways, a case for Latinx and Black and African American management approach to counseling, and students. The initiative brings an equity Student Success Teams aligned with specific emphasis to all of CRC’s institutional reforms, career and academic areas. They adopted its professional development, its efforts to Cosumnes River College new technology to support the default change teaching and learning in the classroom, scheduling and provided professional and even its faculty evaluation procedures. development to both classified staff and faculty to assist them in adopting Guided The initiative’s targets were very ambitious, Pathways reforms. CRC also leveraged its aiming to increase full-time enrollment even existing outreach activities at area high in the midst of the pandemic, and ultimately, schools, using those opportunities to fully says Bush, the college did not quite make enroll students in their first term classes, it—the external realities were simply too not merely fill out college applications. great to overcome. But one intention of the goals was met, he says. “Part of it was CRC’s hard work paid off, with the default to make sure that no group fell off the cliff schedule in particular showing immediate during this time. Those goals are going to results. In the initiative’s first year, the share stay in place until we hit them. It is going to of all new CRC students enrolling full time in be the same goals we set every fall until we their first term nearly doubled. Completions hit those goals for those target populations.” of transfer-level math and English also

16 California Community Colleges Vision for Success COMMITMENT 2 Design and decide with the student in mind I’ve entered into the community college system This commitment is about two things: 1) Designing all institutional “ three different times and programs, policies, and investments with the student experience in mind, particularly the experience of students of color and other underserved every time that I’ve come groups, and 2) “Erring” on the side of students whenever possible in back, the [student] dynamic individual administrative and classroom decisions that have the power to has changed, the [student] either move students forward toward their end goals or hold them back. culture has changed. You

In the process of enrolling, registering, and student forward toward their goal. Says need to continue to keep accessing aid or services, students typically Haynes, “We’ve got to give our institutions your ear to the ground interact with community colleges through agency and permission to ‘get to yes’ for on what that student multiple offices, programs, and digital students. Our purpose is to move platforms, often with little guidance. Says folks forward.” perspective is, what that Pamela Haynes, President of the Board of student culture is, to be Governors of the California Community One of the surest ways to fulfill this Colleges, “Students often have to go from commitment is to bring students to the able to set students up for building to building, or make phone call table and authentically engage them to success, because they’re after phone call. There’s rarely a ‘warm shape programs and set guidelines for constantly changing.” handoff’ with someone following through decisions. With a representative group of and saying ‘We spoke last week. Did you students as co-designers, reform efforts — Stephen Kodur get what you need?’ That’s the kind of are much more likely to work for everyone. Student and President, Student Senate coordination we need.” Moreover, once students are invested in a for California Community Colleges reform initiative, they can play a critical Other problems occur when students role in advocating for it. “Governance is are penalized for missing deadlines or healthier when students are involved in misunderstanding policies that were poorly the decisions,” says Chancellor Eloy Ortiz communicated in the first place, or perhaps Oakley. For example, he notes, once student were designed in a different era for a different advocates understood the objectives of type of student. Unfortunately, campus Equitable Placement and Support (AB 705), policies and gatekeepers sometimes stop they were among its loudest supporters. “AB students’ progress; a better approach would 705 wouldn’t be here without the students be to give administrators permission and organizing and pushing to be at the table.” flexibility to err on the side of moving the

Reaffirming Equity in a Time of Recovery 17 Sacramento City College When engaging with students, it is important for Postsecondary Education. That report’s to reach out to students from a diverse first recommendation is to “Listen carefully range of backgrounds, experiences, and to the voices and expectations of Black and life circumstances—not just those who are African American, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian financially able to participate or those in Pacific Islander, and adult learners—those campus leadership roles. Students may also student groups experiencing the widest need time and training to engage in complex equity gaps today—in determining priorities planning processes. Some forward-thinking for redesign of the post-secondary system.” colleges are experimenting with paying Community colleges also need to get students to bring authentic student voices to ahead of changing demographics and start the table and support their deep engagement revamping policies, practices, and services in reform work. Cosumnes River College, for to best serve the populations that are example, is considering adding students as growing and will continue to grow as the paid advisors to its career-themed student traditional “college age” population shrinks. success teams. This will include working adults, displaced workers, and incarcerated/formerly Looking ahead, this commitment will be incarcerated students, among others. As critical as California recovers from the the student body evolves, authentic and pandemic and rebuilds its higher education representative student engagement will be system as called for in the Recovery with essential for designing community colleges Equity report from the Governor’s Council that work for everyone.

18 California Community Colleges Vision for Success COMMITMENT 3 Pair high expectations with high support Students shouldn’t have to perform their poverty. This commitment is about knowing that all students are capable of “ We’ve centralized all our learning and achieving their end goals. It requires colleges to provide robust and wide-ranging supports to meet students where they are and services so that students help them achieve those goals. only have to go to one place…We put it in the As a system, community colleges have California Community Colleges had some middle of our campus become more knowledgeable about the of the highest rates of food and housing kinds of academic expectations that will insecurity among colleges nationwide. where a new quad is and help students stay in school and reach California community college students we’re going to put out their educational goals, such as attending have limited access to financial aid to cover picnic tables, because full-time, taking college-level classes in their living expenses, despite facing some of first year, and getting on a degree pathway the highest costs of living in the country.15 nobody should have to right from the start. More and more, colleges Students’ social and emotional health is also be ashamed of going in.” are becoming more intentional about how fragile. Highly visible racial violence and to encourage and support these behaviors, injustices over the past year have brought — Pamela Luster including by building these expectations additional anxiety and trauma to a student President, San Diego Mesa College into core policies and practices. A leading body that was already frayed by the stresses example of this is Equitable Placement and of the pandemic. Support (AB 705), a reform that has shown impressive results to date (see sidebar on Recognizing these complex needs, colleges page 30) and has the potential for greater have dramatically stepped up to serve returns in the future if colleges can continue students in expansive and creative ways, to build and strengthen equitable supports including food pantries (now commonplace), for students enrolled in college-level courses. food delivery, emergency housing Even during these challenging times, it is arrangements with local hotels, clothing crucial to keep academic expectations high closets, shower facilities, and emergency for all students regardless of their background, cash aid. It is important for colleges to ensure so that each one has a fair shot at successfully these services are accessible, inclusive, and completing college. dignified. Colleges are finding many ways to do this, such as making services highly At the same time, it is clear that high academic visible and accessible rather than waiting expectations and academic supports are for students to ask for help, or making not enough. Even before the pandemic, the services available on an “opt out” basis

Reaffirming Equity in a Time of Recovery 19 American River College

I have a job 35 hours a rather than “opt in.” Establishing a culture In the realm of basic needs services, the week. I [frequently] have where the utilization of support services greatest upcoming challenge for colleges “ is the norm rather than the exception will be the efficient coordination of services, to sacrifice one over the goes a long way in making a student feel which will require support from and close other: work or school. I comfortable and welcome. For financial aid partnership with governmental entities. services specifically, colleges should design Colleges need to be resourced properly always have to debate this.” processes and procedures such that students to coordinate and administer multiple do not need to repeatedly verify their streams of state and federal money and — Rodrigo Velazquez Angel low-income status. coordinate services with counties. Student Student, on a 2021 California eligibility for income-based resources 16 Community Colleges System webinar Looking ahead, colleges need to keep up should be automated across programs, and the good work with Equitable Placement the processes and technology to make this and Support while expanding and improving possible should be developed centrally at academic supports equitably to help all the state level. The Chancellor’s Office will students succeed in their college-level continue to work with the Governor and the coursework. Implementing this reform with Legislature on these issues and to advocate fidelity will continue to yield better results for resources to build better infrastructure in course completion, college completion, and capacity for coordination of services transfer, and equity. Authentic student on campuses. engagement and input can help colleges refine academic services and supports for maximum effectiveness.

20 California Community Colleges Vision for Success COMMITMENT 4 Foster the use of data, inquiry, and evidence This commitment is about establishing a culture that examines student data on a regular basis and uses it to improve instruction and services, from the top levels of the college down to interactions with individual students. This is especially true for data related to students of color and other underserved groups.

Over the past decade, most colleges have conversations to engage our board with come to embrace the use of data for relevant outcomes data,” says Chancellor institutional improvement. More recently, Francisco Rodriguez of the Los Angeles colleges are investing in data systems and Community College District, “including practices that help individual students stay regular study sessions and board retreats, on track and provide tools for staff and with dashboards to help make the data easy educators to assist them. In the midst of to access, monitor, and understand our COVID-19 and the resulting enrollment loss progress towards closing equity gaps.” at many colleges, the most pressing use for data right now is determining which San Diego Mesa College President Pamela students have left the college and using the Luster also emphasizes the importance of information to get them back. A closely not just looking at data “for data’s sake,” related priority is identifying and deploying but rather to investigate the “whys, what additional resources to students who are at ifs, and so whats” of the data. In other risk of dropping out, or whose grades signal words, colleges can use data to examine a problem. Colleges are becoming more and problems—identifying, for example, points more sophisticated in how they do this (see where students are consistently struggling sidebars on page 22 for two examples). or dropping out—then make program or policy changes that will advance, rather Some colleges have made significant than block, student success. Analyses of investments in their data systems and quantitative data can be supplemented with research personnel while others have not. feedback from representative focus groups Still, it’s not necessary to acquire a new of students to fill in the picture of what is data system to fulfill this commitment. and isn’t working. Students’ participation in Sometimes it is enough to just use existing the redesign process is crucial. data differently: changing who looks at it, when, and why. Colleges should be Looking ahead, the state’s emerging Cradle- identifying students who have missed to-Career Data System will change the deadlines, failed to re-enroll, and following landscape by providing tools and resources up to help students get back on track. that contribute to educational planning and These practices are a win for everyone: help educators advise students. California’s they lighten the burden on students and next challenge is to provide all campus users help them reach their goals while making with access to timely data. Luster explains efficient use of advising resources and that administrators need on-the-ground boosting institutional completion rates. information systems, particularly to manage their enrollments strategically. “We need At the leadership level, data, inquiry, and disaggregated data in real time, not at the evidence can and should be a normal part end of three years, because by then the of college business. At a minimum, the students are gone,” says Luster. Robust Board of Trustees, college leadership, and student management systems are also department and division leaders should important for creating equitable course- regularly review data on course and program taking opportunities. “Setting the schedule enrollment and outcomes, loss points, and is everything,” says Luster. Students would student satisfaction, all disaggregated by also benefit from better access to data—their demographic factors to identify what is own as well as their school’s—to help them working or not working, and for whom. become more informed customers and “We have structured and facilitated make better educational choices.

Reaffirming Equity in a Time of Recovery 21 Compton College Is Using Data to Serve Students Better

Compton College has adopted an enterprise Compton College is located in one of resource planning system to maintain the hardest-hit cities in the state, with integrated, real-time data on students, and extremely high COVID-19 case rates and it has proven to be essential for helping the disproportionately low access to vaccines. college reach out to students during the “Our enrollment is down 20%,” says Curry. devastation of COVID-19. Compton College “It’s going to push us back.” He anticipates has used this system to identify students that the COVID-19 pandemic will have who did not return to school during the an impact on his community and college pandemic and to craft proactive strategies for the next five years. Still, he says, the for getting them back. “We know all the college will not abandon its commitment characteristics [of these students], everything,” to students. Using its robust data system says President/CEO Keith Curry. “With our and implementing aggressive outreach call center, we can be able to follow back strategies, Compton College is beginning the up with them and provide them with the long process of helping students return to support they need.” college and rebuild their lives and educational dreams. “We will continue to do it,” says Critically, Compton is able to disaggregate Curry. “We’re not going to stop…We have to all of its data by students’ Guided Pathways continue to try to hit those targets.” Divisions—meaning the academic/career cohort they belong to—making it easier to provide more targeted outreach and connect students to the right staff members. The system can also disaggregate students by program eligibility and participation, making it easier to identify students who aren’t accessing resources that might help them, such as CalFresh. Compton College Golden West College Is Boosting Completion through Better Data Use

Golden West College is using available award and the benefits that come with it. transcript data to increase graduation Meanwhile, the college boosts its graduation numbers. College personnel regularly rates and gets a better understanding of review student progress and auto-award where students get hung up and why. “Auto- degrees or certificates when students are awarding well-earned degrees enhances our eligible. Using this method, the college unique place in the education marketplace,” awarded 5,711 degrees and certificates in says Golden West College President Tim 2018-19—the most of any college in the state McGrath. “It shows we really are making a that year—and held a special graduation difference in our community and in the lives ceremony for those students. The result of our students.” is a win for everyone: students gain an Golden West College

22 California Community Colleges Vision for Success COMMITMENT 5 Take ownership of goals and performance The goals themselves should be ambitious, This commitment is about colleges taking responsibility for their “ but it’s the nature of the current performance and setting authentic local goals that the campus community can embrace and coalesce around. Goals and performance conversations about can and should be part of a college’s institutional culture and identity. those goals that is most important. Those In 2017 the Vision for Success established Now is also the time to bring students conversations will lead to broad systemwide goals. Districts followed authentically into the conversation about suit by adopting their own aligned goals goals and performance. This strategy the “ah-ha” moments.” that are appropriate to their local context. benefits everyone: students get a rich — Eloy Ortiz Oakley However, goal-setting is not a one-time event. learning experience and greater sense Chancellor, California It is the beginning of an investigation into of agency while colleges ensure that Community Colleges how the college can do better, particularly discussions of goals and performance are in serving students who are disadvantaged about students, not just numbers. by the structures of traditional higher education and society at large. “The goals Looking ahead, the next frontier is for themselves should be ambitious,” explains colleges to realign resources—fiscal, California Community Colleges Chancellor personnel, facilities—in support of their Eloy Ortiz Oakley, “but it’s the nature of the goals. The Student Centered Funding conversations about those goals that is most Formula (SCFF) required all districts to important. Those conversations will lead to adopt performance goals and ultimately the “ah-ha” moments.” to align district budgets to those goals. As San Diego Mesa College President Luster Now is the time for districts and colleges to says, “We have to ask ourselves: Where’s drill down into their goals and performance our agency? Are we putting our money with a particular emphasis on diversity and where our mouth is? Are we spending our equity. While there are plenty of circumstances resources to actually close equity gaps?” beyond the control of the college, there are These questions should be at the center also plenty of factors that colleges can control, of all resource discussions and decisions particularly around equity of opportunity. happening now, especially as the system Despite the setbacks of 2020, many colleges manages an influx of one-time dollars are determined to adapt and innovate their from the state and federal government. way back, never losing sight of their goal of helping every student reach their educational goals. (See sidebar for a leading example.)

Reaffirming Equity in a Time of Recovery 23 San DiegDiego Mesa CCoollege Drills Down into Equity and Owns Its Performance

San Diego Mesa College exemplifies the disaggregated by student demographics. Vision for Success Commitment 5: “Take These data are strictly for the faculty ownership of goals and performance.” member’s use; no one else looks at them. Faced with the COVID-19 pandemic and its Says Luster, “It wasn’t popular when we impact on enrollment in the spring of 2020, first did it, but now faculty ask, ‘When are the college’s leadership team wasted no we going to get our data?’” The practice has time in analyzing which students left. Most changed how faculty members evaluate importantly, they were unafraid to own their themselves, says Luster, and has brought findings and ask whether the college itself a greater equity focus to department played a part in students’ departure. “We meetings. The college has also developed sat down and started looking at who left us,” data dashboards at the program level, and Says President Pamela Luster, “[We asked], each year requires departments to analyze who did we not serve well? They loved us equity gaps in writing, describe how those once, and they wanted to go to college— gaps are being addressed, and request what happened? Was it an interaction with campus support for doing so. These a college staff member? Was it just too hard program level data are public and cover to navigate?” every department on campus, even operational units such as accounting. The college then took action. “We called every single student,” says Luster, deploying San Diego Mesa College also looks at its data peer navigators, student ambassadors, in comparison to other colleges serving tutors, and others to get the job done. similar populations, always asking “Are we Although this was primarily an effort to get cutting it? Are we doing what we need to students to return, the college also used do?” The college’s actions are admirable, San Diego Mesa College the opportunity to collect survey data and but more remarkable is its attitude. Even in now has a full report detailing students’ top the midst of a global pandemic, the college reasons for leaving. The college used this owns its performance. “We’re committed to information to design a Black and African not saying that ‘Life happens to students,’” American student retention program in the says Luster. “That’s certainly a fair statement fall of 2020 and to inform other recruitment right now, but that lets us off the hook.” and retention efforts during COVID.

San Diego Mesa College is also leading the way in encouraging faculty to own their goals and performance. Each semester the college sends each faculty member a data file with their course outcomes,

24 California Community Colleges Vision for Success COMMITMENT 6 Enable action and thoughtful innovation In the past we were hesitant about the implications This commitment is about being bold in adopting new policies, programs, “ of using technology and and processes that will help students reach their end goals. Not every idea is a good one, but it is important that colleges experiment, track results, how it might undermine make adjustments, and keep moving forward. Innovators should be live instruction. But we’ve supported when experiments fail, not blamed. actually found places where it helped quite a bit. So let’s Large, long-standing systems like the were developed out of necessity to squeeze California Community Colleges are built to in as much instruction as possible before an not lose that momentum. be stable and risk-averse. They are not places expected pandemic surge in November of This is an opportunity to that naturally foster action and innovation, 2020. These short courses were particularly reach more students, to but in 2020, the COVID-19 crisis necessitated helpful to working students so the college both. Seemingly overnight, the California is thinking of making them permanent, make it easier to meet Community Colleges were forced to move albeit with some adjustments to make the students where they’re at. almost entirely to distance learning and workload more manageable for students online services, with no playbook to follow. and faculty. Let’s continue to improve It was an enormous task, but colleges rose to it and push it forward to the occasion and proved themselves to be far Faculty members have also made positive focus on the end goal. We more adaptable and innovative than many changes that can outlast the pandemic. “The thought possible. work that the faculty have done during the need to hold on to those pandemic has been extraordinary,” says gains that we’ve made.” As California slowly emerges from the Dolores Davison, President of the Academic pandemic and begins to rebuild, now is the Senate for California Community Colleges. — Eloy Ortiz Oakley time to analyze what aspects of the great “They really rose to the challenge,” she says, Chancellor, California shift online actually worked for students by making changes to teaching methods, Community Colleges and consider making some of those changes assignments, policies, and deadlines in permanent. For example, some colleges order to accommodate students attending like Cosumnes River College are thinking class from a distance while maintaining high of adding hybrid classes as permanent academic standards. Many faculty members additions to their catalog in order to be also learned to use new technologies to more accessible and flexible for students. teach and stay in touch with students. Says In another example, Shasta College is Davison, “Learning to use new tools and considering keeping some new 8-week applications was an essential part of this Career Technical Education courses that work and again, faculty embraced the need

Reaffirming Equity in a Time of Recovery 25 De Anza College

If a student’s childcare plan for change and in doing so improved their Funds not going directly to students can breaks down or they are own skill sets.” Though forged in a time of also be used strategically to help students “ distress, these new skills can ultimately and advance equity. For example, Cosumnes not feeling well one day, make courses more accessible to students River College is planning to make a major does it mean they have and improve the classroom experience. investment in professional development to At the same time, there is much more improve students’ classroom experience, to miss instruction? Our to learn and try. “We don’t understand complementing its core reform work of students’ needs are fluid. everything that we need to know about encouraging full time enrollment and online pedagogy,” says Chancellor Eloy Ortiz completion. Compton College, through their They may need to take a Oakley. “We’ve just scratched the surface.” work with Achieving the Dream, is also class online one week but making a major investment in professional also want to go take the Looking ahead, many colleges are thinking development, with an emphasis on hard about how to use a one-time influx of supporting faculty teaching and learning. same class face-to-face state and federal money strategically. “We’ve These ideas and many others can help the next. Students might been working on guiding principles of how to advance equity and student success, to use those resources in the best possible even as colleges engage in the slow work want to come to campus way,” says Shasta College President Joe rebuilding and recovering. As always, it will to see a counselor face- Wyse, keeping in mind that future expenses be important for local leaders to track data to-face, but they should will rise again, potentially just as the extra on the impacts of any new strategies and funds are drying up. Much of this funding make continual adjustments to ensure that also be able to add and is required to go directly to students and students are being served well and equitably. drop courses or apply for colleges can use it very intentionally to rebuild student enrollment and support financial aid without ever students in moving toward their end goals. having set foot on campus.” One college, for example, is considering giving students tiered cash awards for — Ed Bush enrolling in 12 or 15 units to encourage full- President, Cosumnes River College time enrollment. Other colleges are paying students to contact fellow students who have left and help recruit them back. Students can also be paid for other contributions to the college’s rebuilding efforts, such as providing input or helping to co-design program improvements.

26 California Community Colleges Vision for Success COMMITMENT 7 Lead the work of partnering across systems In order to ensure our This commitment is about colleges reaching out to K-12, CSU, UC, and state recovers equitably workforce agencies—setting aside any “us versus them” mentality—and “ from COVID-19, higher working collaboratively to help students reach their end goals. education segments and institutions [must] take Of all the resources needed to rebuild to reform grading and admissions policies California’s education systems and economy, so that students would be held harmless for strong action that will effective partnerships may be the most withdrawing from classes or not earning a require coordination and important. As emphasized in the recent letter grade as a result of the pandemic. Says Recovery with Equity report from the Governor’s Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley, “We changed collaborations across Council for Post-Secondary Education: grading policy by working with the other segments and within segments in ways that transcended our each region in our state.” Recovery with Equity will take the eforts previous partnership. We accomplished a lot of Californians across disciplines: from that wouldn’t have seemed possible a year — Lande Ajose post-secondary institutions to K-12 ago. We need to continue to build on that.” Senior Advisor to Governor Gavin schools, from human services agencies Newsom, in Recovery with Equity, a to local healthcare providers, from At the same time, there is much room for report from the Governor’s Council business partners to learner-focused improvement. Students transitioning from for Post-Secondary Education nonprofit organizations. Working K-12 schools to community colleges are together, Californians can change the often surprised—and disadvantaged—by the trajectory of the state so that all its unfamiliar instructional approaches and residents have the support they need to academic expectations of college. To better qualify for the high-wage, high-quality, prepare students for this transition, “our high-demand jobs that will drive faculties need to talk to each other and work California’s economy. together,” says Pamela Haynes, President of the Board of Governors of the California Although partnering across educational Community Colleges. Some forward- systems is always a complex endeavor, thinking campuses have partnered with the pandemic has shown that remarkable feeder high schools to develop programs progress can be made in a very short period that boost students’ readiness for college, of time. As an example, the California including dual enrollment courses and Community Colleges, UC, and CSU all acted partnerships anchored in student services. quickly and in alignment with one another For example, Cosumnes River College sends

Reaffirming Equity in a Time of Recovery 27 Antelope Valley College

I’ve already reached out counselors to its feeder high schools and road,” she says. “It’s a fantastic program, to the Superintendent of actually registers 12th grade students into especially for students who are place-bound “ their first full year of college classes, getting and can’t commute to a UC or CSU. There are the [local] school district them started on career/degree pathways early. opportunities out there and the colleges are to initiate conversations trying to take advantage of those.” Students transferring from a community about the impact of college to a four-year university also face Looking ahead, there are state-level efforts COVID-19 on the students frequent obstacles. Many transfer students afoot to forge better connections across find themselves shut out of local campuses the education segments and the workforce. who will be coming to us or popular majors due to overcrowding. The creation of the new Cradle-to-Career in the coming year. Let’s “The system will only work,” says Haynes, Data System will make cross-sector data start working on how to “if our students who plan to transfer have a more transparent and accessible for seat waiting for them. Yet historically, these student advising, institutional planning, overcome these recent systems have always seen themselves as and statewide policy. The Chancellor’s challenges together, rather autonomous, not part of a linear system that Office continues to work with UC and needs to work for students.” CSU and advocate for expanded transfer than waiting for the issues opportunities and is working with the state’s to show up on our doorstep.” Community college students transitioning Labor and Workforce Development Agency into the workforce also face difficulties to launch a workforce recovery initiative — Tim McGrath when colleges are not well connected to together. The California Community President, Golden West College industry and employers. Many colleges Colleges Board of Governors has issued a are working to strengthen pathways into resolution calling for coordination across the workforce, through “learn and earn state agencies to meet students’ basic needs, models” with employer participation, and the Chancellor’s Office will continue to supports for part-time students and adult advocate for these changes. Of course, while learners, credit for prior learning, and these state-level actions can set the stage for reskilling of incumbent workers for job better coordination and alignment at the retention. Pilot baccalaureate programs are local level, they are no substitute for local also showing promise as points of entry. partnerships, leadership, and relationships. For example, Solano Community College Now more than ever, community college is partnering with leading companies as districts can help incoming and outgoing part of its Biomanufacturing Bachelor of students by advocating boldly with Science degree program. Academic Senate leaders in adjacent systems and working for California Community Colleges President collaboratively on solutions. Dolores Davison describes the program this way: “Students do internships and go straight to Genentech, which is literally across the

28 California Community Colleges Vision for Success Making Progress One Step at a Time

The 2017 Vision for Success established Despite notable progress in some areas, five-year goals with a 2022 endpoint. The it is clear that there is still much work goals remain in place and there is interim to be done, especially given the recent progress to report. In particular, California unprecedented challenges of COVID-19. Community Colleges have shown an The years ahead offer challenge, but also impressive increase in completion and have great opportunity. The pandemic has been a already met the Vision for Success completion major disruption, but disruptions can have a goal, two years ahead of schedule. net positive effect when they dismantle old Completion gains have been realized across beliefs and behaviors that were an obstacle all student demographic groups, with to progress. They can set the stage for major particular progress among American Indian/ change and rapid gains. Alaskan Native and Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian students. (See the annual State of the System report for details and statistics on progress toward all Vision for Success goals.)

These gains aside, there is still much more room for improvement. Particular areas for concern are completion rates of Latinx and Black and African American students specifically—these rates are improving, but not as fast as needed to reach the ambitious systemwide goals for closing equity gaps. Transfer rates have improved steadily, but very slowly. Progress toward reducing unit accumulation has been minimal, signaling that students, on average, are still taking too long to reach a concrete outcome. One bright spot is the excellent results seen from implementing Equitable Placement and Support (AB 705): more students are enrolling in transfer-level English and math across the board, with the greatest gains among Latinx and Black and African American students. (See following sidebar for details.) Over time, these trends are expected to increase degree completion and transfer, shorten time to completion, and narrow equity gaps significantly. San Jose City College

Reaffirming Equity in a Time of Recovery 29 Advancing Equity through Improved Course Placement and Support What we in the field know In prior years, students’ academic placement Early research on Equitable Placement and was based predominately on high stakes Support has shown truly remarkable results: “ is that, if we can connect placement exams. Though well intentioned, enrollment in transfer-level courses has with students and get them this practice led to the over-placement skyrocketed and by and large, students have of students into remedial coursework, succeeded in those classes. Students of color through transfer-level math which often consisted of years-long course have made particularly impressive gains and English, they’re going sequences that did not count toward a and equity gaps in course completion have to be successful in college; degree or transfer outcome. This matters, narrowed. Specifically, direct enrollment in says Pamela Haynes, President of the Board transfer-level English by Black and African they will soar. Everything of Governors of the California Community American students increased the largest else is secondary.” Colleges, because students lost precious time amount, by 40% between fall 2017 and and many never made the transition from fall 2018, the first year of implementation. — Tim McGrath remediation into college-level coursework. Enrollment of Latinx students grew nearly President, Golden West College “For community college students,” she says, as much, by 39%. Along with enrollments, “Time is a killer. It is a killer of dreams. It completion rates are also rising. In the is a killer of opportunity.” These practices first year, 80% more students completed Using grades for placement of under-placement and remediation transfer-level English, 116% more completed instead of placement tests disproportionately affected students of color. transfer-level statistics/liberal arts math, “ and 103% more completed transfer-level is a big change for us, but To reverse these damaging practices, Business-STEM courses. These completion it’s the biggest positive AB 705 was signed into law in 2017 in data also revealed a narrowing of gaps change we’ve ever seen conjunction with the Vision for Success. That between ethnic/racial groups, though not as law established Equitable Placement and dramatic as what was seen in enrollments.18 in a single year and one Support, requiring that student academic of the most impactful placement be based on other factors such Best of all, the data also showed that across things we’ve done in over as prior course-taking and grades, which all groups, there were only minor changes in are better predictors of academic success the distribution of letter grades and course 20 years. We’ve made and also less likely to result in remedial withdrawals, despite the fact that many the shif away from the placement. Colleges made corresponding more students had enrolled directly in a changes: expanding the number of college- transfer-level course. According to The RP notion that if students are level courses offered, adding co-requisites, Group report on first-year implementation, prepared, they’ll succeed, and building out academic support services “Despite a substantial influx of students into but if they’re not prepared, like tutoring and math centers. transfer-level English and math courses, student success has not declined—students, it’s not our problem.” it seems, are rising to the occasion.”19 — Brian King Los Rios Community College District Chancellor

30 California Community Colleges Vision for Success These [course placement] changes are really an “ equity imperative. We need to ensure that students of color are getting through college-level math and English. We have seen huge gains with Latinx and African American students. College-wide, we’ve seen the throughput rates for college-level math increase from 23 percent to 67 percent in just a few years.” — Julianna Barnes President, Cuyamaca College

Las Positas College On the Horizon

There is hope ahead as California rebuilds. The California Community Colleges have always provided opportunities for economic and social advancement and today they are more committed than ever to fulfill this mission equitably.

In the face of great challenges, the community colleges have shown incredible resilience, adaptability, and perseverance. Coming out of this terrible time, our system can continue to be a model of recovery by embracing hope and finding new opportunities for progress.

As we move forward, our next steps are clear. Collectively, we must:

Keep our eyes on the ambitious goals we set for ourselves in 2017 Our students need us more than ever to invest in their futures and pursue equity and success with great determination. We won’t back away from our ambitious Vision for Success goals.

Hold fast to our commitments The Vision for Success commitments will help us stay focused on what matters, clear barriers that stand in the way of student progress, develop new innovations to close equity gaps and fuel success, and create robust partnerships that can endure through future challenges. These commitments can guide us through policy and practice decisions at every level and help us to reach our goals. Los Angeles Trade–Technical College

32 California Community Colleges Vision for Success Take reform strategies to The Chancellor’s Office will also embark on the next level new strands of work in the months ahead Coming out of the distraction of the that align closely with the Vision for Success pandemic, the California Community goals and commitments and supplement Colleges Chancellor’s Office plans to the major reforms implemented to date. We accelerate its Vision for Success-aligned will work closely with our partners in state reform strategies, providing renewed government and other education systems support and guidance in the following areas: to make good on our promise of equitably supporting all students in reaching their • Using the Guided Pathways framework end goals. Some of this will require difficult to identify opportunity gaps and develop conversations and changes to longstanding innovative solutions aimed at greater equity. practices. It may be challenging to set aside old beliefs and behaviors and try doing • Expanding Diversity, Equity, and things differently. As difficult as this work Inclusion work to build more inclusive may be, we will press on in service of our and anti-racist institutions, diversify students and our state. Together we will faculty, and foster more culturally build back better than ever. competent curricula.

• Strengthening Equitable Placement and Support, including expanding student supports to reach equity of opportunity.

• Fully implementing the Student Centered Funding Formula, including alignment of expenditures to goals for success and equity.

• Reshaping Career Technical Education to foster equity and prepare students for the new post-pandemic economy.

Reaffirming Equity in a Time of Recovery 33 Acknowledgments

The Foundation for California Community Project team Jodi Lewis Colleges is grateful to the College Futures Director of Strategic Initiatives, Success Center, Foundation for their generous support of Camille Esch Foundation for California Community Colleges this project. Lead Author Eloy Ortiz Oakley This project reflects the hard work and input Amy Supinger Chancellor, California Community Colleges of many. The Foundation for California Co-Author Community Colleges thanks the following Sheneui Weber individuals for their contributions: Brock Grubb Vice Chancellor of Workforce and Contributing Researcher Economic Development, California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Darcy Harvey

Contributing Researcher Individuals who generously shared their experiences to Contributors inform this project Marty Alvarado Julianna Barnes Executive Vice Chancellor of Educational President, Cuyamaca College Services and Support, California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Ed Bush

Elisha Smith Arrillaga President, Cosumnes River College Managing Director, Charles A. Dana Center at Keith Curry the University of Texas at Austin, and former President/CEO, Compton College Executive Director, The Education Trust-West

Paul Feist Dolores Davison President, Academic Senate for Vice Chancellor for Communications California Community Colleges & Marketing, California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Brian King Stacy Fisher Chancellor, Los Rios Community College District Senior Director of Strategic Projects and Initiatives, Success Center, Foundation Stephen Kodur for California Community Colleges President, Student Senate for California Community Colleges Sandra Fried Vice President, Success Center, Foundation Pamela Luster for California Community Colleges President, San Diego Mesa College

Daisy Gonzales Tim McGrath Deputy Chancellor, California Community President, Golden West College Colleges Chancellor’s Office Francisco Rodriguez Pamela Haynes Chancellor, Los Angeles President, California Community Community College District Colleges Board of Governors Joe Wyse Nadia Leal-Carrillo Superintendent/President, Shasta-Tehama- Director of Policy Development, Success Center, Trinity Joint Community College District Foundation for California Community Colleges

34 California Community Colleges Vision for Success Endnotes

1. California Governor’s Council for 9. Global Strategy Group on behalf of The 15. The Institute for College Access and Post-Secondary Education. (February, Education Trust-West. (2020). Ed Equity in Success has found repeatedly that 2021). Recovery with Equity: A Roadmap Crisis: Centering Higher Education Student California’s Cal Grant program is not for Higher Education After the Pandemic. Experiences. https://west.edtrust.org/ designed to sufficiently address non- https://www.capostsecondaryforall.org/ ed-equity-in-crisis-centering-higher-ed- tuition costs of college. See, for example: wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Recovery- student-experiences/ The Institute for College Access and with-Equity_2021Mar25-12pm.pdf Success. (2018). Designing Financial Aid 10. California Community Colleges in for California’s Future. https://ticas.org/ 2. California Community Colleges partnership with The RP Group. (2020). files/pub_files/designing_financial_ Chancellor’s Office. (April 7, 2021). Statewide COVID-19 Impact Surveys of aid_for_californias_future.pdf. The Webinar: Vision for Success: Financial Aid Students and Employees, Spring 2020 Institute for College Access and Success. Reform and Advocacy. To access, create an Results. https://rpgroup.org/Portals/0/ (2020). What College Costs for Low-Income account at https://visionresourcecenter. Documents/Projects/CCC_Guided_ Californians: 2020. https://ticas.org/wp- cccco.edu Pathways/Statewide_COVID_Survey_ content/uploads/2020/08/what-college- Results_FINAL_20201211.pdf costs-for-low-income-californians- 3. Eloy Ortiz Oakley, Host. (June 15, 2020). 2020.pdf Episode 34: “Distance Learning During 11. California Community Colleges the COVID-19 Pandemic,” California Chancellor’s Office. (March 18, 16. California Community Colleges Community Colleges Podcast, California 2021). Consultation Council Meeting Chancellor’s Office. pril(A 7, 2021). Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. Agenda Item 1.7: Enrollment and Webinar: Vision for Success: Financial Aid https://www.cccco.edu/-/media/CCCCO- the Post-COVID-19 Recovery. https:// Reform and Advocacy. To access, create an Website/Podcasts/CCC20034.mp3 go.boarddocs.com/ca/cccchan/ account at https://visionresourcecenter. Board.nsf/Public# cccco.edu 4. Foundation for California Community Colleges. (2021). FCCC Impact Report, 12. California Community Colleges 17. Eloy Ortiz Oakley, Host. (September section on Equity. https://impactreport. Chancellor’s Office. (April 7, 2021). 14, 2020). Episode 37: “Equity in Higher foundationccc.org/equity Webinar: Vision for Success: Financial Aid Education with John. B. King,” California Reform and Advocacy. To access, create an Community Colleges Podcast, California 5. ibid account at https://visionresourcecenter. Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. cccco.edu https://www.cccco.edu/-/media/CCCCO- 6. California Community Colleges in Website/Podcasts/CCC20037.mp3 partnership with The RP Group. (2020). 13. California Governor’s Council for Statewide COVID-19 Impact Surveys of Post-Secondary Education. (February, 18. The RP Group. (September 2019). Access, Students and Employees, Spring 2020 2021). Recovery with Equity: A Roadmap Enrollment, and Success in Transfer-Level Results. https://rpgroup.org/Portals/0/ for Higher Education After the Pandemic. English and Math in the California Documents/Projects/CCC_Guided_ https://www.capostsecondaryforall.org/ Community College System. https:// Pathways/Statewide_COVID_Survey_ wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Recovery- rpgroup.org/Portals/0/Documents/ Results_FINAL_20201211.pdf with-Equity_2021Mar25-12pm.pdf Projects/MultipleMeasures/Publications/ AccessEnrollmentSuccess.pdf 7. ibid 14. Eloy Ortiz Oakley. (June 5, 2020). Letter to the California Community Colleges. 19. ibid, page 6. 8. Student Senate for California Community California Community Colleges Colleges. (May 2020). Student Senate for Chancellor’s Office. https://www.cccco. California Community Colleges Survey edu/-/media/CCCCO-Website/Files/ Report. https://www.studentsenateccc. Communications/vision-for-success/ org/file_download/9d54e54c-a5e8-4297- dei-call-to-action-update.pdf a6c3-7c0071e28567

Reaffirming Equity in a Time of Recovery 35 California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Ofice 1102 Q Street, 6th Floor Sacramento, CA 95811 916-445-8752 [email protected]