The California Educational Policy Grant

Fall
2011
Resolution Number
13.21
 
Assigned to
President
Category
General Concerns
Status
Assigned

Whereas, The California Educational Policy Grant has been given to Central Valley colleges in the “C- 6 Consortium,” which have “agreed to work together to pilot a series of innovative approaches to educational policy reform efforts focused on college readiness” that will “determine a best practice for the entire state”;

Whereas, The grant includes the following components:

  • Use of a common placement and advisement test across all colleges
  • Agreement on common cut scores for placement tests
  • Alignment of curriculum between 12th grade and college freshmen year
  • Priority registration for targeted groups

 

Whereas, The goals of this grant resemble other attempts at academic reform such as the Accelerated Learning College, AB 743 (Block, 2011), and some preliminary and as yet unapproved recommendations of the California Community College Student Success Task Force, and embarking on this venture bypasses Consultation Council, Academic Senate processes, and other statewide participatory governance processes; and

Whereas, Although the grant background document indicates “academic senates in the 12 colleges will share instructional reforms with colleges in state meetings, beginning the grassroots movement for change,” the faculty in the targeted colleges may not have been involved in the decision to participate in the grant and may not be aware of the administrative decision to sign on with this grant, the goals are clearly academic and professional matters, and the results of the pilot will have an effect on both local and statewide policies regarding academic and curricular matters;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges inform local colleges about the existence of this grant, remind senates of the purview of the local academic senates in academic matters, and encourage senates to insist on faculty participation in any and all academic matters; and

Resolved, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges provide needed support to the C-6 consortium faculty.

MSU

Appendix A: California Community Colleges Task Force on Student Success