IFC Beginning and History of Measuring Student Completion Rates in California Community Colleges
In 2004, Assembly Bill 1417 triggered the creation of a performance measurement system, a scorecard, for the California Community Colleges (CCC) at the recommendation of the Student Success Task Force (SSTF). The newly developed CCC scorecard was to be built on the existing reporting system, the Accountability Reporting for the Community Colleges (ARCC). An advisory group was reconvened in 2005 with representatives from community college entities, researchers with technical expertise and other stakeholder groups. The technical group, after review of the existing framework, designed the new scorecard with a four-tiered accountability framework. The "Scorecard" is the second tier of this accountability framework and it measures intermediate PROGRESS AND COMPLETION at each college for various student/college demographics: Completion, Persistence Rate, 30 Units Rate, Remedial Progress Rate, Career Technical Education Rate, Career Development, College Preparation Rate, and College Profile (California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, 2015).
In April 2010, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) joined with five other national organizations to express a shared commitment to student completion. Their key points included: Responsibility for completion is shared throughout the institution and the community. COMPLETION MUST BE EMBEDDED into the fabric of the institution with relationships, rigor, and relevance; students want to be engaged; and the completion agenda must be transparent and data driven.
In August 2012, the Citrus College theme for the new academic year "Citrus College: A College of Completion" was introduced and drew praise from the Convocation attendees. The audience was invited to sign a commitment to COMPLETION PLEDGE and many joined in signing on to this important goal. In May 2014, Citrus College hosted local school board members, superintendents and administrators for a K-14 Education Forum. The overall theme of the event was to have broad participation in discussions on how to strengthen college readiness and completion. Strategies produced included: alignment of curriculum between K-12 districts and Citrus College; math should be continued in the junior and senior years of high school; and a college-going mindset should be created in the early years.
In November 2014, creation of an Institute for Completion was detailed in the 2015 Student Equity Plan as Goal Number 1. Mid-August 2015, Citrus College hired the new director for the Institute to provide leadership and accountability for the activities outlined in the Student Equity Plan and to implement the four primary components of the IFC: Professional Development, Research, Innovative Strategies and Resource Development.
October 2015