About
California Education Policy
The C6 plan builds on a history that demonstrates that a regional policy change approach can affect state thinking and policy reform. As a variety of advocacy groups, educational policy recommendation committees, and legislators interface with our work, the political will to change will drive effective educational policies. Multiple partners have already offered mentoring and support, joining our efforts at state policy change with their own such as CalPass, Central Valley Higher Ed Consortium and LearningWORKs. Our region is also being mentored by educational reform leaders at several foundations such as Gates and advocacy organizations funded by Hewlett. The strength of the national leadership behind our grassroots college efforts, as well as the administrative will of a large geographic section of California, ensure our success in policy reform that one entity alone could not affect. This project will leverage the efforts of multiple organizations to create policy changes.
The C6 Consortium, representing 12 Central California colleges, is working together to reform educational policies in California. Change will occur on three levels: administrative procedures, college and high school policy and state legislation. By piloting the following changes across a broad region of the state, the data will validate the need to change policies that hamper the community college students’ ability to complete their degree in a timely manner. Grassroots organizations, like community colleges, can affect policy change by providing conclusive success data, constituent “buy-in” and group advocacy from many factions such as faculty, administrators and task force groups and working with influential lobbying groups such as LearningWorks and CalPASS. The C6 administrators can influence statewide policy changes by demonstrating leadership and effective practices on state policy advisory committees
Education reform issue area(s) on which your organization focuses
- College Readiness was identified by twelve Central California college presidents and top administrators as the most strategic area to begin reform. College Readiness is critical to all student success. In order to prepare the students for college, change must begin with standards, assessment and accountability. The C6 Consortium will work with policies to increase college readiness and the proportion of and pace by which low-income young adults progress through community colleges to postsecondary workforce credential and degree completion.
The C6 Consortium has identified the following interconnected educational reform issue area(s) that support College Readiness efforts:
- Standards and Accountability: The C6 Consortium members have agreed that high standards and aligned curriculum is the ideal starting place for reform. All students must have access to a challenging curriculum that’s aligned to the standards – K-16 with an emphasis on college readiness. There is a well documented need to reform and align current standards, college placement assessments, and accountability policies in order to prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace and to compete in the global economy (see reference cited). The C6 proposal supports efforts to Assembly Bill 743 (Block).
- Finance Reform: There have been subsequent reform efforts since Serrano vs. Priest, and California continues to struggle to develop a more equitable system. The C6 Consortium understands that K-14 finance flexibility is fundamental to systemic, sustainable changes.
- Data Systems: In the era of “data-driven decisions” it is clear that incomplete data and the lack of strong data analysis capacity has driven poor decisions both in educational practice and reform efforts which has lead to, in part, California’s current fractured education policy environment. The C6 Consortium will pilot policy and procedures that will provide a systematic feedback mechanism in order to evaluate the initiative’s progress, as well as measure student growth and success from Pre-K through college and the workforce. Data will be shared to inform teachers and principals on how they can improve instruction.
Researchers (Significant Discussions, Shulock) have identified three key issues from examining other state efforts. These are as follows:
Issue1: There is a misalignment between high school curriculum and standardized placement testing in preparation for college coursework. Solutions: Alignment of 9-14 curriculums by standardizing student learning. High School and college content faculty will work together to revise high school senior year English. Also, a senior year math review should be added beginning with diagnostic assessment of skills, followed by strategies to remediate weak areas, and the subsequent retaking of the college placement test upon completion of class. Additionally, a summer freshman math review class should be offered prior to students enrolling in college level math courses. Finally, creation of a required 21st Century Skills Seminar class for high school seniors that supports their transition to the academic behaviors and cognitive strategies necessary in college or career.
Issue 2: College placement tests are not aligned with high school standards and do not adequately reflects the student’s readiness to take college level math and English courses. Solutions: There should be common acceptance of a regional common placement test. High school senior year English should be redesigned to strengthen needed college English skills. Also, high school seniors who do not demonstrate pre-collegiate math skills must take a math review as students stop math classes by their 11th grade year.
Issue 3: Conflicting board governance policies create barriers for students. Solutions: Standardize board policy pertaining to common assessments and course alignment. Work with local high schools to change board policy for the senior year experience. Policies should be revised to allow for the preparation in math, English, and college awareness through collegiate model instructional delivery.
Research and best practices which support policy framework
This project is grounded in established research and input from regional higher education leaders, employers and Workforce Investment Boards and will transform the design, structure and delivery of education at 12 Central California Community Colleges. The seminal report, Closing the Achievement Gap, detailed key elements to systematically “develop, implement, and sustain a specific, ambitious plan that holds the State of California accountable for creating the conditions necessary for closing the achievement gap” many of which this proposal will implement (2008).
For example, use of a common placement test across all colleges and high schools and implementation on common cut scores for placement test which will lead to articulation across grade spans. The C6 consortium policy framework regarding alignment of curriculum between 12th grade and college freshman year (Significant Discussions, 2010) is supported by research conducted at UC Davis which states, “…it is a ‘ground-up’ approach with some promise” (Timar, 2011). Research from UC Davis demonstrates a need to translate research findings and syntheses into language most suitable for immediate use in a policy-making environment, this is the cornerstone of the C6 initiative. Based on Shulock’s (2011) research, there is a call for “next generation” leadership to lead comprehensive policy reform at local and state levels, the C6 consortium is taking the effort to “collect and report data on intermediate measures. The goal is to encourage common practices and definitions, as well as more thoughtful and effective uses of these data for institutional improvement, policy reform, performance funding, and accountability purposes.”
Priority registration for targeted groups such as students with a certain number of units, persisting students, high school freshmen is based on Shulock’s cited best practice evidence of an emerging strategy to use data to improve postsecondary outcomes. This allows the C6 consortium to measure the patterns by which students reach and move through intermediate stages as they progress toward completing degrees.
Change high school policy to create a common “Senior Year Experience” that requires college readiness in the instructional delivery of classes and changes in content, as well as math review class for students not placing into college level math. “Postsecondary system leaders… need to know where and why students are stalling, what might be done about it, and what policy changes at the system and state level are needed” (Shulock, 2011). This change in academic behavior to improve the student’s chance of degree completion is also support by Shulock and UC Davis research.
Potential our organization to impact the California education policy reform issues
The C6 consortium is comprised of leaders from 12 community colleges and several K-12 superintendents who have the authority to adopt administrative procedures that support policy reform and that will ensure sustainability. The C6 consortium will provide nonpartisan, research-based education policy recommendations to the state based on the effectiveness of the piloted regional policy changes.
Policy outcomes for our focus area include:
- Use of a common placement and advisement test across all colleges
- Agreement on common cut scores for placement test
- Alignment of curriculum between 12th grade and college freshman year
- Priority registration for targeted groups such as students with a certain number of units, persisting students, high school freshmen
- Change high school policy to create a common “Senior Year Experience” that requires college readiness in the instructional delivery of classes and changes in content, as well as math review class for students not placing into college level math.
State education policies expected to influence
The C6 Consortium plan to impact state education policies by working with the following:
- Legislative Analyst Office to provide data and support for passage Assembly Bill 743 (Block) for implementation of a common assessment system and AB78 (Portantino), which will removed certain restrictions on concurrent enrollment and authorize school districts to enter into partnerships with community college districts.
- Student Support Taskforce, of which two members are C6 Consortium representatives, to introduce new policy items, as outlined in this proposal, to the Consultation Council to establish legislative reform.
- California Department of Education to implement regulatory changes to allow for the alignment of student learning outcomes related to math and English skills from grades 9 through 14.
- California Community College Academic Senate and California Community College Chief Instructional Officers (CCCCIO) to implement regulatory changes to allow for the alignment of student learning outcomes related to math and English skills from grades 9 through 14.
The C6 Consortium acknowledges that the collaborative component of our strategy may appear different from traditional approaches to policy reform. Change on a microcosm has the ability affect change on a much larger scale such as state educational policy. It has been the region’s experience that this collaborative approach in piloting and demonstrating has resulted in effective policy changes as demonstrated by social change phenomena (Critical Mass Consciousness: The hundredth monkey, Keyes, 1984.
Partners & roles and responsibilities
Collaborative partners include twelve (12) community colleges and administrations are committed to working to change state policy, serving as members on policy recommendation committees, and working with legislative analysts and policy research groups such as LearningWORKs and the Careers Ladder Project. Educational leaders: Approximately forty (40) top administrators will implement local policy changes, working with multiple regional unified school districts to validate data, in order to influence state policy. Faculty: Academic Senate presidents of the twelve colleges will share instructional reforms with colleagues at state meetings beginning the grass roots movement for change. College faculty will work with 12th grade English and math teachers to develop transitional coursework to better prepare seniors for college work. Our current regional participation in the state’s Career Advancement Academy model will fund developmental faculty to compress basic skills classes. Educational Advocacy Organizations: C6 Consortium will partner with CalPASS, Student Support Taskforce, California Department of Education, Academic Senate, Chief Instructional Officers , Central Valley Higher Education Consortium, the Career Ladders Project, and LearningWorks, the Research and Planning Group for California Community Colleges (RP Group), and the California Community Colleges. Legislative Analyst Office: The LAO will partner with the C6 Consortium by providing support for legislative policy change. K-12 and CC/CSU Teaming efforts will focus on assessment, standards and curriculum alignment.
Anticipated outcomes of your organization’s efforts
The C6 Consortium is proposing to implement regional policy reforms that could serve as the model for state-wide policy changes. The anticipated short term policy outcomes of C6 Consortium efforts are:
- Use of a common placement test across all college - The C6 will support efforts to Assembly Bill 743 (Block) by providing data and support to implementation of a common assessment system.
- Agreement on common cut scores for placement test- The C6 supports efforts to Assembly Bill 743 (Block) by providing data and support to implementation of a common assessment system.
- Alignment of curriculum between 12th grade and college freshman year is based on the research by the P-16 Council & League for Innovation in the Community College, Significant Discussions
- Based on Shulock’s cited best practice evidence, priority registration for targeted groups is of an emerging strategy to improve degree outcomes. The C6 consortium can measure patterns as students move through intermediate stages as they progress toward completing degrees.
- Change high school policy to create a common “Senior Year Experience” that requires college readiness in the instructional delivery of classes and content changes, as well as math review for students not placing into college level math. We will provide data & support for passage of AB78 (Portantino), which is held under submission. This bill will removed restrictions on concurrent enrollment and authorizeK-12 districts to enter into partnerships with community colleges.
As a result of policy changes, the long term outcomes will include robust empirical data for future policy change and create social change models that can be replicable in other areas of educational reform. Aligning K-14 curriculum along with standardization of college placement assessments will result in a seamless transition for students, decrease in time needed to complete a college degree, and increase college completion rates. Alignment of formative assessments and benchmarks of assessments will provide needed information to develop accurate, appropriate and coordinated interventions as needed. In addition, having CalPASS as a partner will improve data-driven decision making at both the local and state level.
The C6 policy proposal will support the emerging national trend to standardize academic and career readiness education to better meet the workforce needs of 21st century employers where critical thinking, communication, math and science skills are highly sought after.
Evaluate impact
CalPASS has agreed to evaluate the project on both a micro and macrocosm level. This will provide college and K-12 leaders with the site level data needed for on-going program improvement as well as provide legislative and regulatory groups with required cumulative student success data. Additionally, LearningWorks will assist in the evaluation of policy implementation.
Success Defined Specifically, the C6 policy reform that will allow removal of restrictions on concurrent enrollment and authorize school districts to enter into partnerships with community college districts; adaptation of a common placement test; and passage of a local policy to provide a common “Senior Year Experience” that requires college readiness in the instructional delivery of classes and changes in content. Finally, state-wide utilization of CalPass data will be used in further educational policy reform work.
The C6 Consortium and its partners will analyze 3 years of data on a regional basis to determine next steps. This ongoing evaluation process will be sustained by C6 Consortium and will be lead by partner, Central Valley Higher Ed Consortium. Effectiveness in influencing policy changes will encourage leaders in identifying and supporting the next set of beneficial state policy changes.
Tangible policy “wins” include:
- Statewide use of a common placement test for entering freshmen with same cut scores
- Change high school policy to create a common “Senior Year Experience” that requires college readiness in the instructional delivery of classes and changes in content, as well as math review class to improve basic skills – reduce time by better sequencing, compressed delivery systems that leverage out of class time and standardize curriculum
- Based on the research provided by the P-16 Council and League for Innovation in the Community College, Significant Discussions: Alignment of curriculum between 12th grade and college freshman year
Leadership Dr. Barbara Hioco, President of Reedley College from 2004 to 2011 and who is now the CVHEC Executive Director. Elaine Cash, superintendent of the Riverdale School District from 2001 until 2010, Mrs. Cash led in the transformation of the district from low performing to one where the elementary school was named a California Distinguished School and the high school was one of three in the nation to receive the College Board’s Inspirational Award for inspiring students to go on to college. Less than 1% of Riverdale students dropped out of school and more than 90% of the graduating high.
In conclusion, It is now time to allow for the practitioners to implement the changes that have been so adeptly argued for among academics and legislators. “In order to be successful, it will take the work of many—from the grass roots instructional level to the policy level.” (Significant Discussions, League for Innovation in the Community College, 2010).
