Avoiding Unintended Consequences:Student and Student Services

Perspective on Prerequisite Implementation

Julie Bruno, Facilitator, Sierra CollegeKale Braden, Cosumnes River College

Charles Stevens, Student Senate for CCCYvonne Valenzuela, Golden West College

Presentation OverviewBrief overview Title 5 prerequisites

regulations and resources for implementation

ASCCC recommendations Considerations for local colleges when

creating a plan to implement the new regulations

Question and Answer

Prerequisite RegulationsNew Title 5 regulations adopted by the Board of

Governors on March 8, 2011 (Section 55003)

Allows establishment of prerequisites or corequisites in English, reading, or mathematics using solely content review or a combination of content review and statistical validation

Chancellor’s Office guidelines, developed in consultation with SACC and MAC released in February 2012

ASCCC RecommendationsRostrum Article: Implementing Prerequisites: A Response to

SSTF Recommendation 3.4 (April 2012)Prerequisites that are thoughtfully and judiciously established

through a content review process are the best response to Student Success Task Force Recommendation 3.4:

“Community colleges will require students to begin addressing basic skills needs in their first year and will provide resources and options for them to attain the competencies needed to succeed in college-level work as part of their education plan.”

http://asccc.org/content/implementing-prerequisites-response-sstf-recommendation-34

ASCCC Resolution09.03 Implementing Prerequisites for Enhancing

Student Success (Spring 2012)Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California

Community Colleges urge local colleges to begin discussions of prerequisite implementation and to implement appropriate prerequisites in a timely manner in order not only to respond to Student Success Task Force Recommendation 3.4 but also to enhance student success throughout the curriculum.

Time to examine the process at your college

and district!

The Content Review Process & the Course Outline of Record (COR) Content review begins with the COR COR delineates:

course content, competencies the student is expected to achieve, assignments to be completed, and assessments to measure student performance

COR is examined to identify the skills and knowledge a student needs in order to succeed in the course

The guidelines outline a process for conducting content review

Reporting the Establishment of Prerequisites to the Chancellor’s Office Section 55003(i):

Requires that districts establishing prereqs, coreqs, or advisories report to the CCCCO new prereqs or coreqs established during the year as part of annual MIS data collection cycle

Required by August 1st of each year Data from the Curriculum Inventory will be used

for evaluation

Monitoring the Impact of Prerequisites & Corequisites

Section 55003(l): Requires that districts monitor whether or not the

prerequisites or corequisites have a disproportionate impact on particular groups of students

Section 55003(l)(2): Ties the establishment of prerequisites with the student

equity plan

Academic Senate PerspectivePrerequisites will increase student success if applied prudently.

Not everything needs a prerequisiteEach prerequisite must be the correct one for the specific class. Colleges must plan to apply prerequisites in a logical sequence—not all at one time. Colleges must ensure that enough sections of the required classes are available.

Considerations: DialogueWhich stakeholders should be involved in the

discussion?Discipline Faculty and Counseling FacultyA&RStudentsCurriculum Committee membersAdministrationIT

Create a committee to develop a plan, to monitor the process, or both?

Committee may wish to review data on Advisory skill level vs. Prerequisite validation

Unintended Consequences?

Considerations: DialogueWill there be regional issues to consider?

Local area colleges with or without similar prerequisites?

Student migration from course with prerequisite to courses without? Impact on other courses at the college

Student migration to other colleges?Could potentially lose or gain students due to

prerequisites in place at one local college, but not another.

Consider the Impact on:Students:

Need early and clear communication about changes to prerequisites

Counseling Get your Counseling

Faculty involved in the conversations

Notification early so they can advise students appropriately

A&R Resources for clearing

prerequisites This may be an issue for

Counseling as well

FacultyPrograms

Special admission timelines

Facilities Institution

Student Perspectives

Student PerspectivesCommunicate clearly WHY prerequisite was

establishedInform Counseling Faculty about this process

as wellProvide alternatives and options

Transition Time…Executive / Administrative support is keyTemporary dip in enrollment in coursework

with prerequisitesCommitment from administration that

coursework with new prerequisites be given sufficient time to rebound.

Increased demand for prerequisite coursesScheduling appropriately Interdisciplinary conversations

Case Study:Los Rios Community

College District

ResourcesEstablishing Prerequisites PowerPoint from

Curriculum Institute 2012http://asccc.org/events/2012/07/curriculum-institute

Student Success: The Case for EstablishingPrerequisites Through Content Review (Fall 2010) http://www.asccc.org/sites/default/files/Prerequisite-review-fall2010.pdf

Implementing Content Review for Communication and Computation Prerequisites (Spring 2011)http://www.asccc.org/sites/default/files/Content-Review-Spring-2011.pdf

Chancellor’s Office Guidelines for Title 5 Regulations Section 55003 http://extranet.cccco.edu/Divisions/AcademicAffairs/WhatsNew.aspx

Questions?

Thank You!