Student Services and Special Programs
Program Facts and Stats
CalWORKs Program Program Fact Sheet January 2012
Program Histroy: The California Community Colleges CalWORKs program was established in 1997 as part of California’s response to 1996 federal welfare reform legislation. At that time, the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program included an annual appropriation of $65 million for community college services to recipients of federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits engaged in welfare-to-work activities directed by county social services. This appropriation’s expenditures are counted towards meeting the state’s maintenance of effort requirement for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. In fiscal year 2002-2003, due to the State’s budget deficit, the community college CalWORKs program funding was cut by 46%, resulting in a reduced appropriation of $43 million ($35 million Proposition 98 and $8 million federal TANF). In July 2006, the colleges received a $9 million augmentation in State Proposition 98 funding to expand work-study and job development services, increasing the program’s funding level to $51.58 million. In fiscal year 2009-2010, also due to the State’s budget deficit, the program received an additional cut of 39%, bringing the funding down to $34.7 million ($26.7 Proposition 98 and $8 million federal TANF).
Description: As an integral partner in the state’s welfare system, the community colleges’ 113 CalWORKs programs are instrumental in providing critical education, training, support services, and job opportunities to assist families living in poverty to reach their educational/employment goals and achieve economic self-sufficiency.
Data shows that community college CalWORKs participation has had a significant impact on the transition of welfare recipients to employment that offers potential for self-sufficiency. CalWORKs recipients who were employed year-round during their last year in college (1999-2000) increased their median annual earnings by 43% after being out of college for one year and by 88% after three years. Those in vocational programs and those who left with certificates or associate degrees increased their median annual earnings by 65-85% after being out of college for one year. Even CalWORKs recipients who entered college without a high school diploma increased their earnings by 40% one year after exiting.
Services: Services offered to the CalWORKs student include: 1) coordination of services for CalWORKs recipient students between the colleges and the counties, 2) academic, career, and personal counseling services to focus goals and develop student education plans, 3) case management to track progress, support persistence, and make appropriate referrals to on-campus and off-campus services 4) work study employment, 5) job development and placement services, 6) child care, and 7) curriculum development and redesign to accommodate TANF benefit time limits.
Appropriation for 2011-12: $34.7 million ($26.7 million CalWORKs Proposition 98 and $8 million federal TANF funds)
California Education code: Section 79200-79203 and 84759
Students in program During 2010-11: 39,800
Eligibility Criteria: Students who are CalWORKs/TANF cash aid recipients whose education program has been approved by the county as part of their welfare-to-work plan.
Critical Issues: The CalWORKs programs on community college campuses have been challenged by the effects of budget cuts in recent years. CalWORKs students are experiencing reductions in course offerings and services. Many colleges have been forced to redirect or expand the responsibilities of their CalWORKs Coordinators, causing a loss of expertise and dedicated service to a vulnerable population. In addition to reduced course offerings and services from the community colleges, the maximum amount of time that an adult on CalWORKs can receive cash aid has been reduced from 60 months to 48 months.
Chancellor’s Office CalWORKs Staff: Jason Orta, CalWORKs Program Coordinator | Cristina Mora, CalWORKs Program Assistant II | Rochelle Rios, Office Technician
Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education (CARE) Program History January 2012
Program History: The State established the Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education (CARE) program in the California Community Colleges as "a unique educational program geared toward the welfare recipient who desires job-relevant education to break the dependency cycle" (AB 3103, Hughes (Chapter 1029, Statutes of 1982).
EOPS students, who are welfare-dependent single heads of household, are eligible for CARE, which offers educational support services to students as they acquire the education, training and marketable skills needed to transition from welfare-dependency to employment and eventual self-sufficiency.
Presently, 113 programs in all 72 districts of the California Community Colleges system are funded to offer CARE services annually through EOPS, its parent program.
CARE is the first state-funded and only statewide program of its kind in the nation.
Appropriation: 2010-2011: $ 9.332 million | 2011-2012: $ 9.332 million
Students Served (Annual Unduplicated Headcount): 2009-2010: 8,849 | 2010-2011: 8,154
Description: CARE Student Characteristics – Academic Year 2010-2011
Ethnicity: African American 26.7% Hispanic 39.6% | American Indian/ Alaskan Native 1.2% Pacific Islander 1.0% | Asian 279% White Non-Hispanic 20.6% | Filipino 0.9%
Gender: 95.2% Female; 4.0% Male
Age: 32.6% - age 24 or younger 44.2% - between ages 25 to 34 23.2% - age 35 and older
California residents who meet all EOPS eligibility requirements as per Title 5 regulations Low income and eligible for Board of Governors Fee Waiver A or B Educationally disadvantaged or academically underprepared (see "Challenges" below).
Career Technical Education (CTE): 8,666 (77.1%) CARE students were enrolled in career technical education classes in 2008-2009. Critical Issues: Challenges Students Face at the Time of Being Accepted into the CARE Program:
Student Success: A cohort group of students accepted into the CARE program during academic year 2002-2003 was evaluated to determine the number of students that completed their educational goal prior to and during academic year 2007-2008. Of that cohort:
Reduced Dependency on Welfare: In 1993, Cerro Coso Community College and Kern County Department of Public Social Services reported a significant finding. They determined through an analysis of college files, county Department of Public Social Services records, and related data that since the inception of the Cerro Coso Community College CARE program in 1982, over 85 percent of all former CARE participants no longer received welfare or public assistance and were gainfully employed. Although comparable statewide data is not currently available, research efforts are encouraged.
CARE Services That Contribute to Student Success: In addition to the core supportive services provided by the EOPS program, CARE students may be awarded supplemental grants, services and allowances to pay for educationally-related expenses (such as child care, transportation, textbooks and supplies) not offered by other resources to strengthen their retention, persistence, graduation and transfer rates, such as:
Contact: Cheryl Fong, Interim State Coordinator, EOPS and CARE Programs, Student Services and Special Programs Division, California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office – e-mail cfong@cccco.edu or telephone/voicemail (916) 323-5954
Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS) Program Fact Sheet January 2012
Program Histroy: Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS) was created when Assembly Bill 77 (Lanterman), was enacted in 1976 and codified in Education Code, Section 84850 and Title 5, California Code of Regulations (5 CCR) Sections 56000-56076. It funds support services and instructional programs for students with disabilities in the California Community Colleges. DSPS assists colleges to provide services and accommodations for qualified students with disabilities to support their student success and to meet the requirements of federal and State non-discrimination and civil laws, including Sections 504 and 508 of the federal Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); and State Government Code Sections 11135-11139.5.
Description: The DSPS program provides support services and educational accommodations to students with disabilities so that they can have full and equitable access to the community college experience. In addition, many colleges provide specialized instruction as part of their DSPS program. A Student Educational Contract (SEC) is developed for each student served by DSPS. The SEC defines the student’s educational goals and outlines the support services and academic accommodations to be provided to address the students’ specific disability-related educational needs.
Examples of services that may be provided by DSPS that are over and above those regularly offered by the college would be test-proctoring, assessment for learning disabilities, specialized counseling, interpreter or captioning services for hearing-impaired or deaf students, mobility assistance, note-taker services, reader services, speech services, transcription services, on-campus transportation, specialized tutoring, access to adaptive equipment, job development/placement, registration assistance, special parking and specialized instruction. Appropriations for 2011-2012: $69,223,000 allocated to community colleges:
$69,223,000 TOTAL
Students served during 2010-11:
Acquired Brain Injury
5,272
4.2%
Developmentally Delayed Learner
11,007
8.9%
Hearing Impaired
4,843
3.9%
Learning Disability
22,676
18.3%
Mobility Impaired
14,556
11.7%
Other Disability
42,456
34.2%
Psychologically Disabled
19,502
15.7%
Speech/Language Impaired
781
0.6%
Visually Impaired
3,012
2.5%
Eligibility Criteria: To be served by DSPS, the student must have a verified disability which results in an educational limitation that inhibits the student’s ability to participate in the general educational program of the college without additional specialized services. Critical Issues :The funding provided for the DSPS program assists colleges significantly to meet the accommodation requirements for students with disabilities in the classroom setting. However, the DSPS allocation may not be sufficient to cover all required accommodations and services of DSPS students, especially as new student populations and service and accommodation issues emerge. In addition, in some cases DSPS funds cannot be used to fund accommodations which would be required by the college under state and federal laws to guarantee equal access for students with disabilities and the public to the instruction, services, and programs available at the colleges.
Early Childhood Education (ECE) Programs Program Fact Sheet January 2012
Program History: Early Childhood Education (ECE) – is also known as Child Development at many campuses. For more than four decades, the community colleges have been the primary higher education system responsible for early childhood teacher preparation coursework. An essential component is a high quality Campus Children’s Center that serves as a practicum/laboratory site for the instructional program that serves low-income college students with young children. Integrated programs at the campuses support career technical education/workforce needs of the state as well as transfer opportunities for students. The Chancellor’s Office provides coordination, policy work and technical support for the colleges to respond to the State’s need for effective, well-integrated programs in Early Childhood Education (ECE) throughout the State. A Statewide Advisory Committee exists to help guide recommendations to the Chancellor’s Office and other groups.
Description: 105 community colleges offer ECE instructional programs. The 2010 ARCC report listed the ECE discipline as awarding the second highest total number of certificates and degrees completed among vocational programs in community colleges. These programs offer essential early childhood teacher preparation, as well as critically needed services through 99 campus children’s centers to low-income students. These students rely on these services to access higher education. The Chancellor’s Office provides important state and federal information, leadership, coordination, and technical assistance for the integration of instruction and children’s centers on campuses, and works closely with colleges, state agencies and organizations on ECE policy and practices. Appropriations for 2011-12: ECE instructional programs are funded through FTES and many campuses apply for grants to add fiscal support for instruction and student services aspects of these programs. Campus Children’s Centers rely on multiple sources of funding that may include campus general funds, child care and development contracts with the state (CA Department of Education), tax bail-out funds (47 campuses per 1978 legislation), and parent/student fees. The System Office has oversight for only two direct funding sources for campus child care: up to $9.2 million in CalWORKs child care and approximately $3.5 million in Child Care Tax Bailout funds. These programs were cut significantly from 2008-09 levels (formerly $15 m for CalWORKs and $6.8 m in Child Care Tax bailout). Students Served: It is estimated that annually more than 100,000 students are enrolled in ECE instructional programs and more than 10,000 student parents are served in Campus Children’s Centers, although due to cuts in the center budgets over the last few years, this number may have decreased significantly. Eligibility Criteria: ECE instructional programs are among the top enrolled disciplines at community colleges and practicum students and low-income student parents are the primary focus of the Campus Children’s centers at 99 colleges. Critical Issues:
Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) Program Fact Sheet January 2012 Program History: EOPS was created in 1969 to enable low income, educationally disadvantaged students "affected by language, social, and economic handicaps" to achieve a college education (SB 164, Alquist, Chapter 1579, Statutes of 1969). There are 113 EOPS programs funded in 72 districts throughout the community colleges system (California Education Code, sections 69640 through 69656, and California Code of Regulations, Title 5, sections 56200 through 56292). For over forty-two years, EOPS has continuously provided guidance, motivation, support services and resources to help students complete their educational goals, including vocational certificates, associate degrees and transfer to four-year institutions.
Appropriation: 2010-2011: $ 64,273,000 | 2011-2012: $ 64,273,000
Students Served (Annual Unduplicated Headcount): 2009-2010: 88,711 (figure includes 8,849 CARE students)
2010-2011: 79,517 (figure includes 8,154 CARE students)
Description: EOPS Student Characteristics – Academic Year 2010-2011:
Ethnicity: African American 17.0% | Hispanic 44.4% | American Indian/Alaskan Native 1.0% Pacific Islander 0.7% | Asian 13.7% | White Non-Hispanic 22.1% | Filipino 1.1% Gender: 66.7% Female 33.3% Male Age: 58.1% under age 25
California residents who are enrolled as full-time community college students Low income and eligible for Board of Governors Fee Waiver A or B Educationally disadvantaged and academically underprepared to compete in collegiate-level coursework at time of acceptance into EOPS and CARE programs, because student:
Career Technical Education (CTE): 73,526 (65.22%) EOPS students were enrolled in career technical education classes during 2008-2009.
Critical Issues: Services That Contribute Toward Student Success: EOPS provides academic and financial support to community college students whose educational and socioeconomic backgrounds may deter them from successfully attending college and completing their educational goals. Services are specifically designed to offer educational support services to address the specific needs of at-risk students, including but not limited to:
Contact: Cheryl Fong, Interim State Coordinator, EOPS and CARE Programs, e-mail cfong@cccco.edu or telephone/voicemail (916) 323-5954; and Kelly Gornik, EOPS/CARE Specialist, at e-mail kgornik@cccco.edu or telephone/voicemail (916) 323-4281 – Student Services and Special Programs Division, California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office
Foster and Kinship Care Education (FKCE) Program Program Fact Sheet January 2012 Program History: The California Community College Foster & Kinship Care Education (FKCE) program was established in 1984 with the passage of Senate Bill 2003 (Chapter 1597, Statutes of 1984). The purpose of the program is to provide high quality education and training to foster parents and kinship care providers throughout the state to prepare them for working with the many needs of the foster children and youth in their care. The Chancellor’s Office administers this statewide educational program in conjunction with 62 colleges. Our office provides leadership, funding, oversight and technical assistance; maintains interagency agreements with the California Department of Social Services; and collaborates with key state and local agencies to ensure effectiveness of the program.
Description: The FKCE Program supports statewide requirements for preparing and retaining well qualified foster and kinship caregivers and to help address the statewide shortage of foster and kinship care families. FKCE delivers quality education and training for foster care providers of children and youth in out-of-home care to meet the educational, emotional, behavioral and developmental needs of children and youth. In 2010-11, the colleges provided over 30,000 hours of education throughout the state to 35,000 participants caring for foster children and youth. Appropriations for 2011-12: The FKCE program is budgeted for $10.3 million, approximately half in federal matching funds, based on a dedicated amount of Proposition 98 funding. The average college allocation is approximately $150,000 per participating campus, but varies per campus depending on the size of the program provided. These funds pay for direct training costs.
Students Served: In 2010-11, the FKCE program served over 35,000 foster and kinship care providers.
Eligibility Criteria: The target populations for FKCE are foster parents, kinship care providers, and other resource families caring for foster children and youth placed in out-of-home care. If space permits, others who are directly involved with the care of foster children and youth are allowed to participate alongside the target participants. Critical Issues:
Matriculation Program Fact Sheet January 2012
Program Histroy: In 1986, the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 3, the Seymour-Campbell Matriculation Act, establishing the Matriculation process in the California Community Colleges. The budget for this program for 2011-12 is $49.18 million of which $9.38 million is dedicated to the provision of Matriculation services to noncredit students.
Program Description: The Matriculation process offers services to all students seeking higher education opportunities. Its purpose is to provide students with accurate, timely information and services to help them define and attain their educational goals. Matriculation services are imbedded in the infrastructure of campus student services departments. The Matriculation core components include: Admissions, Assessment (including, though not limited to, placement testing), Orientation, Counseling and Advising, Student Follow-Up, Coordination and Training, Research and Evaluation, and Prerequisite Implementation. Through five of these components, students are served directly to enhance their educational success. Two components, Coordination and Training and Research and Evaluation, improve institutional effectiveness and accountability by enhancing colleges’ abilities to conduct evaluation, coordination, and training.
Students are first introduced to the Matriculation process during the Admissions phase and continue to use these services, such as counseling and advising, throughout their educational careers. Matriculation provides a mechanism to assess students’ needs and abilities and match them to college resources to assure successful educational outcomes.
On September 28, 2008, Governor Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 946 (Scott) enabling California’s community college system to implement the Early Assessment Program (EAP). This program enables community colleges to work with their local high schools and California State University (CSU) to address the high number of students who are unprepared for college-level course work. Students get an early signal about their preparedness for college, and those not proficient in mathematics or English have their senior year to improve their skills level. As of 2010, the CCC’s have been included on the California Standards Test forms and notices for the 11th grade EAP math and English tests. Currently, 62 community colleges have agreed to use EAP test results as a waiver to their college assessments for the placement of students demonstrating college readiness. Another 9 community colleges are in discussion to accept EAP results.
Students Served During 2010-11: Resources and services are intended for all 2.6 million community college students across the state.
Eligibility Criteria: Matriculation services are available and extended to all community college students, including those who may be exempted but who wish to participate nonetheless. As a result of legislative action in 1996-97, Matriculation services were extended to students enrolled in selected noncredit courses and programs as well. No categorical program criteria are required for these core student services.
Appropriation for 2011-2012: $49,183,965 State Proposition 98
Critical Issues: Budget Reductions - Matriculation funded services were reduced by 52% in 2009-10, from $101,803,000 in 2008-09 to $49,183,965. The budget cut was partially off-set by an infusion of one-time federal ARRA funds totaling $5,132,000 in 2009-10 but not in subsequent years. The education budget trailer bill (ABX4 2) allows colleges to trigger a categorical flexibility provision that frees colleges from meeting regulatory requirements for certain categorical programs, including Matriculation. The categorical flexibility for colleges has significantly affected the Matriculation program administration, as colleges are no longer required to validate assessments and ensure that funds are used to provide Matriculation services (counseling, assessments, orientations, etc.).
Results from a community colleges survey on the impact of the budget reductions on Matriculation program services to students revealed that 39% of colleges responding indicated reduced service levels for 2009-10, with 64% indicating they had to reduce services by 40% or more. Community colleges reported the greatest reductions to community college Matriculation services in the following areas: (1) 42% reduced counseling services, including the development of student education plans; (2) 39% indicated a reduction in orientations provided to students; (3) 33% reduced student assessment; and (4) 42% reduced their overall hours of operation resulting in decreased student access to counseling and advising, assessment, and orientation services. As colleges lose their ability to off-set the depth of the Matriculation funded services with other funds for 2011-12, further reductions to counseling, assessment, orientation and other Matriculation-funded services occurred.
Student Financial Assistance Programs Program Fact Sheet January 2012
Program History: The financial aid offices at each of the California Community Colleges (CCCs) administer as many as two dozen local, state, and federal student financial aid programs, which provided 1.152 million students with $2.55 billion dollars in aid to assist with their educational expenses in 2010-11. These programs include fee waivers, grants, work-study, loans, and scholarships. Research has shown that students receiving financial aid are not only better able to access higher education but are also more likely to earn higher grades and complete their educational goals than non-financial aid students. In recent years special attention has been given to the financial needs of foster youth, veterans, and transfer students.
Description: Measured in dollars, the federal Pell Grant program is the largest source of financial aid for CCC students. In 2010-11, more than 491,000 students received over $1.6 billion in student aid through this program to help pay for books and supplies, transportation, child care, room and board, and other educational costs. Measured in participants, the Board of Governors Enrollment Fee Waiver is the largest program for CCC students. In 2010-11, this program waived nearly $411 million in enrollment fees for nearly 1,131,000 students. The Federal Direct Loan Program provided over $325 Million to nearly 61,000 CCC students in 2010-11, and the state’s Cal Grant program provided nearly $81.6 million to nearly 71,000 CCC students in 2010-11. Appropriation for 2011-12: The state’s categorical funding for financial aid administrative support includes: $46,762,000 for Board Financial Assistance Program Student Financial Aid Administration (BFAP-SFAA) Allowance; $7,179,000 million for BFAP 2 percent funding; and $2,800,000 million for the statewide public relations and media campaign, ICANAffordCollege.
Eligibility criteria: Criteria for the various federal, state, and local aid programs vary, but virtually all require that all financial aid candidates demonstrate "financial need" according to a methodology established in federal law. CCC financial aid recipients tend to be from very low-income households. More than two-thirds are without parental support. CCC financial aid recipients are more likely to be full-time students, but a great deal of aid is available regardless of enrollment status.
The Chancellor’s Office administers the Board Financial Assistance Program (BFAP), which consists of the Board of Governors Enrollment Fee Waiver, the BFAP Student Financial Aid Administration Allowance (SFAA), and a two percent allowance to eliminate the fiscal effect on districts for waiving enrollment fees. Lost fee revenue due to fee waivers has been accommodated through the general apportionments.
Critical Issues: Due to the continuing budget crisis, the Legislature and Governor increased enrollment fees from $26 to $36 per credit unit for 2010-11 and will again increase fees from $36 to $46 per credit unit for 2011-12. Fortunately, the budget still includes a $37 million BFAP-SFAA funding augmentation for financial aid outreach and administration to mitigate the effect of the fee increases on students and ensure access by providing colleges with resources to identify and assist students in applying for aid, process applications, and deliver financial aid funding to keep students enrolled and help them achieve their educational goals. The budget also continues to set aside $2.8 million of the $37 million to fund the statewide public relations and media campaign, "I Can Afford College," which communicates that community colleges remain the most affordable educational option.
SFA Recipients
SFA Disbursements
2006-07
732,321
$ 1,132,521,342
2007-08
781,819
$ 1,242,937,952
2008-09
891,984
$ 1,546,117,749
2009-10
1,045,112
$ 2,228,378,952
2010-11
1,152,037
$ 2,546,557,910
4-year growth
419,716
$ 1,414,036,586
4-year growth %
57.31%
124.86%
While there have been no significant cuts in the BFAP-SFAA allocations, financial aid offices have been extremely challenged by the fact that they do not receive COLA or growth increases for this funding, despite enormous growth in financial aid program participants (see above table). This has made it increasingly difficult for financial aid offices to identify and serve the un-served, increase FAFSA application rates, and promote full-time attendance. Continued success will require a commitment to maintain and secure additional funding for this critical categorical program.
Student Mental Health Program Fact Sheet January 2012 Program History: The mental health needs of college students are becoming more prevalent and more complex. According to recent studies, students who access counseling or psychological services on campus are expressing more significant problems than in the past. Data from a 2008 survey of CCC students shows that stress, anxiety, and depression are among the top ten factors students report affecting their academic performance. Almost 50 percent of students reported feeling very sad, very lonely, and hopeless, with over a third reporting they were so depressed it was difficult to function. Eight percent reported that they had seriously considered suicide and almost three percent had actually attempted suicide. Fortunately, other studies support the effectiveness of prevention and early intervention services, indicating that counseling and other mental health services produced a positive effect on student retention and academic performance.
There is a wide range of mental health needs among community college students, and although some seek services, many do not. Among the students who experience or are at-risk of mental health issues are:
Description: The colleges have had limited resources to support the provision of mental health services and, until recently, there were no staff resources at the Chancellor’s Office to focus on this issue or advocate on behalf of the system for outside funding. Generally, mental health services are provided under the umbrella of campus health services, which is at the discretion of each community college district’s local Board of Trustees. Students may also receive mental health services through general counseling or through Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS) if they have a documented psychological disability or seek an accommodation for this disability. Approximately 18,000 students with psychological disabilities received DSPS services in 2008-09. That number increased to almost 19,500 in 2010-11.
In response to these increasing mental health needs, in 2008 the Chancellor’s Office was able to obtain resources through the Mental Health Services Act (also known as Proposition 63). As a condition of receipt of these funds, the Chancellor’s Office implemented a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Mental Health which outlines activities and outcomes related to the funding provided. Initial funding in the amount of $175,000 provided support for one specialist position and activities that address the mental health needs of CCC students and campuses. In 2011, AB 100 proposed significant changes to state level mental health projects, including funding and support for this project. Funding was decreased to $125,000 and in the 2011-12 Budget Act and the 2012 Governor’s Budget proposes further reductions of support to $105,000.
Despite these reductions, the Chancellor’s Office has pursued outside funding to provide support for the campuses and students with mental health issues. In 2009, the Chancellor’s Office obtained a $75,000 grant from the Zellerbach Family Foundation to support the development and delivery of faculty and staff training on the mental health needs of student veterans. As a result of this effort, six trainings were held at three Bay Area community colleges and 226 faculty, staff, and other participants took part in the training, which included segments on military cultural competence; specific common disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury and depression; transition issues specific to student veterans; and concrete suggestions to make the campus a more welcoming environment for veterans that supports their academic success. In addition, the grant provided for local resources to be developed and made available to training participants at each college.
In addition, the Chancellor’s Office also partnered with the Foundation for California Community Colleges to obtain a $6.9 million grant from the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) to address the mental health needs of California community college students. Appropriation for 2009-2010: There is no appropriation associated with this project. Funding is from the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) in the amount of $105,000 and supports one full time specialist position. Additional funding is from a three year grant from the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA). Eligibility Criteria: Students with verified psychological disabilities which pose a functional limitation in the educational setting may be eligible for DSPS services if they apply and seek such services. Critical Issues: The funding for this project comes from the Mental Health Services Fund, which levies a 1% tax on individuals with an income in excess of $1 million. Funds have been decreasing over the past several years as a result of the economy. Grant funding is time-limited and will conclude in 2014. Program History: The mental health needs of college students are becoming more prevalent and more complex. According to recent studies, students who access counseling or psychological services on campus are expressing more significant problems than in the past. Data from a 2008 survey of CCC students shows that stress, anxiety, and depression are among the top ten factors students report affecting their academic performance. Almost 50 percent of students reported feeling very sad, very lonely, and hopeless, with over a third reporting they were so depressed it was difficult to function. Eight percent reported that they had seriously considered suicide and almost three percent had actually attempted suicide. Fortunately, other studies support the effectiveness of prevention and early intervention services, indicating that counseling and other mental health services produced a positive effect on student retention and academic performance.
In response to these increasing mental health needs, in 2008 the Chancellor’s Office was able to obtain resources through the Mental Health Services Act (also known as Proposition 63). As a condition of receipt of these funds, the Chancellor’s Office implemented a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Mental Health which outlines activities and outcomes related to the funding provided. Initial funding in the amount of $175,000 provided support for one specialist position and activities that address the mental health needs of CCC students and campuses. In 2011, AB 100 proposed significant changes to state level mental health projects, including funding and support for this project. Funding was decreased to $125,000 in the 2011-12 Budget Act and the 2012 Governor’s Budget proposes further reductions of support to $105,000.
In addition, the Chancellor’s Office also partnered with the Foundation for California Community Colleges to obtain a $6.9 million grant from the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) to address the mental health needs of California community college students. Appropriation for 2009-2010: There is no appropriation associated with this project. Funding is from the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) in the amount of $105,000 and supports one full time specialist position. Additional funding is from a three year grant from the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA). Eligibility Criteria: Students with verified psychological disabilities which pose a functional limitation in the educational setting may be eligible for DSPS services if they apply and seek such services. Critical Issues: The funding for this project comes from the Mental Health Services Fund, which levies a 1% tax on individuals with an income in excess of $1 million. Funds have been decreasing over the past several years as a result of the economy. Grant funding is time-limited and will conclude in 2014.
Transfer and Articulation Program Fact Sheet January 2012 Program History: The 1960 California Master Plan for Higher Education established transfer from community colleges to baccalaureate institutions as a central element in providing broad educational opportunity. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, and very recently in 2010, major legislative and education system initiatives established the framework for implementing transfer and articulation in California. Major pieces of legislation with this focus resulted in the development of a common intersystem general education core curriculum and transfer center funding (AB 1725 1988) and a comprehensive system of transfer (SB 121 1991). In 2010, SB 1440 was enacted, which established associate degrees for transfer which would also qualify transfer students for admission into the CSU at junior status. Description: Providing lower-division instruction that prepares students for transfer to a baccalaureate granting college or university to complete the work required for the baccalaureate degree is a fundamental component of the community college mission. It enables students who are not eligible for admission to the UC or CSU directly from high school to establish eligibility by performing well in community college courses and provides substantial cost savings for families and the State because of the lower cost of community college education. Significant effort and resources have been invested in creating an infrastructure that supports transfer – course articulation; Transfer Centers established on community college campuses to help provide the specialized counseling and guidance students desiring to transfer need; and the negotiation of transfer-related policies and agreements between the community colleges and the UC and CSU systems, as well as the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities.
Course articulation is the process of developing a formal, written agreement that identifies courses, or sequences of courses, that are comparable between two campuses and acceptable in lieu of lower division courses at the receiving campus to meet baccalaureate major, general education, and elective course requirements. The responsibility for the review of course content to determine comparability rests with faculty in the discipline where the course resides at each institution. Once faculty complete the review of course content and agree on comparability, the course articulation can be formalized. Articulation Officers at each campus play a key role in coordinating and facilitating the faculty-to-faculty agreement and other components of the articulation process.
To facilitate the transfer and articulation process, the Chancellor’s Office works cooperatively with the University of California Office of the President, the California State University Office of the Chancellor, and the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU). Members of the Chancellor's staff represent the community colleges on numerous statewide policy development committees and provide leadership on various intersegmental projects and efforts to promote articulation and increase transfer. An established communication network of transfer and articulation personnel provides two-way communication between the colleges and the Chancellor's Office, and helps the Chancellor’s Office advocate on behalf of the colleges to remove or reduce barriers to transfer.
Students Transferred in 2010-11: In the 2010-11 academic year, nearly 73,000 community college students transferred to either a University of California (UC) campus (16,000), or a California State University (CSU) campus (57,000). Most students achieve upper-division status at the point of transfer, having completed at least 60 transferable units at a community college before going on to a baccalaureate institution to complete their degree.
Critical Issues: With California's current economic climate, access to classes, counseling, and transfer admission to higher education is increasingly becoming more limited for transfer students. Additionally, the state does not currently provide community colleges with direct funding to support transfer-related activities and additional funds are needed to support local college resources devoted to the transfer function.
Veterans Services Programs Program Fact Sheet January 2012 Program History: California Community Colleges are at the forefront of providing increased services to a growing population of student veterans. A statewide program was initiated in March 2006 to increase educational opportunities and provide assistance to active duty service members and veterans by the state’s public education segments and related agencies, and was specifically targeted to increase instructional opportunities for men and women on active duty, the National Guard, and the Reserves. Continuing this momentum, and expanding beyond education, Governor Brown has created an Interagency Council on Veterans to foster multi agency collaboration in striving for better service to California’s service members and their families heading into 2012 and beyond.
Description: Veterans Services Programs vary from college to college throughout the system. The Chancellor’s Office has established a support and communication infrastructure to assist the colleges and provide broader statewide leadership and coordination. This infrastructure consists of a regional representation group that meets regularly to better identify student veteran needs across the system, and encourage the exchange of innovative ideas and effective practices for serving them; a system wide e-mail list for communicating information and strategies related to serving student veterans, as well as rapidly disseminating important or urgent information and providing a forum for dialog; and a web page to better support the colleges by providing information about model programs and GI bill benefits, along with links to other useful resources.
Appropriation: Veterans Services Programs are not part of categorical programs and do not receive formal funding through the legislative budget process. The colleges and the Chancellor’s Office recognize, however, the importance of providing services to this population of students, and as a result there is generous in-kind support throughout the system. Additionally, the Chancellor’s Office has worked with the Foundation for California Community Colleges to secure grant funding in support of the "Welcome Home" faculty and staff training project, a Veterans Summit and efforts to address the employment needs of student veterans. In addition, it has worked with the High Tech Center Training Unit (HTCTU) to increase the number of Veterans Resource Centers on community college campuses.
Eligibility criteria: All California Community College campuses have a veterans’ education benefits certifying official, often located in the financial aid office, who helps with the technical process of certifying eligibility for benefits in accordance with requirements of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). However, with the growing numbers of veterans entering our system and the re-entry challenges many of them face, colleges have recognized the need to expand support services to help veterans successfully integrate into civilian and college life. A myriad of services are typically available to veterans, active duty personnel and their family members at each college. Critical Issues: Additional funding to promote best practices and facilitate training are amongst the most critical issues facing the system. A marquee best practice is the college Veterans Resource Center (VRC) where student veterans can interact with one another, obtain information and secure needed services including tutoring, assistance with completing forms, and referrals to on and off-campus services. Encouraging a robust VRC at each of the 112 colleges will be important moving forward. The "Welcome Home; Creating a Campus Climate of Wellness" training for faculty and staff, which was developed and piloted with the help of a grant from the Zellerbach Family Foundation, provides important insight into some of the transitional issues affecting student veterans. Making this training available to faculty and staff members throughout the system will be another key component in the future of Veterans Services Programs.
Year:
Veterans Education Benefit Recipients:
26200
26272
36896
44731
3 year growth
18531
3 year growth %
70.73%
Currently, the Chancellor’s Office only tracks data on student veterans certified to receive VA education benefits. The chart above shows that the number of these veterans at our colleges is increasing rapidly. Beginning with the 2010-11 academic year, the Chancellor’s Office will be able to collect data on all veterans, not just those certified for VA education benefits, providing a clearer picture of how many veterans are attending our colleges and the ability make better decisions in serving this population.
AB 540 (Firebaugh) Exemption from Nonresident Tuition
California Nonresident Tuition Exemption For Eligible California High School Graduates
(The law passed by the Legislature in 2001 as “AB 540”)
GENERAL INFORMATION Any student, other than a nonimmigrant alien, who meets all of the following requirements, shall be exempt from paying nonresident tuition at the California Community Colleges, the University of California, and the California State University (all public colleges and universities in California).
Requirements:
The student must file an exemption request including a signed affidavit with the college that indicates the student has met all applicable conditions described above. Student information obtained in this process is strictly confidential unless disclosure is required under law.
Students eligible for this exemption who are transferring to another California public college or university must submit a new request (and documentation if required) to each college under consideration.
Nonresident students meeting the criteria will be exempted from the payment of nonresident tuition, but they will not be classified as California residents. They continue to be “nonresidents.”
AB540 does not provide student financial aid eligibility for undocumented alien students. These students are eligible for state aid for terms on or after January 1, 2013.
PROCEDURES FOR REQUESTING THIS EXEMPTION FROM NONRESIDENT TUITION
California Community Colleges: Complete the form on the reverse. Submit it to the Admissions Office at the community college where you are enrolled or intend to enroll. You may be required to submit additional documentation. Call the college Admissions Office if you have questions.
University of California: The University of California (UC) system has its own nonresident tuition exemption application and affidavit form, but it will accept the exemption request form used by the California Community Colleges and the California State University. Your campus has established deadlines for submission of exemption requests; however, requests are not to be submitted until you have been admitted to a UC campus. Some students, such as transfer, graduate, and professional students, also must submit their official high school transcripts; check your campus for specific instructions. Once you are determined to be eligible for the exemption, you will continue to receive it as long as you fulfill the eligibility requirements or until the University no longer offers this exemption. The exemption covers the Nonresident Tuition Fee and the Educational Fee differential charged to nonresident students. Applying for the exemption does not alter your responsibility to pay by the campus deadline any nonresident tuition and associated fees that may be due before your eligibility is determined. For general information, visit the following website: www.ucop.edu/sas/sfs/ppolicies/ab540faqs.htm. For campus-specific instructions regarding documentation and deadline dates, contact the campus Office of the Registrar.
California State University: Complete the form on the reverse. Contact the Office of Admissions and Records at the CSU campus where you are enrolled or intend to enroll for instructions on submission, deadline information, and additional requirements. You will be required to submit final high school transcripts and appropriate records of high school graduation or the equivalent, if you have not done so already. Call the Office of Admissions and Records at the campus if you have questions. ____________________________________________
Revised Sept 2003, Dec 2007
California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request
Legal Advisory 07-01
AB 982 Health Fee Waiver
Implementation of AB 982 (Laird),
Health Fee Waiver Guidance
Implementation Guidance for AB 982 (Laird)
Health Fee Waiver Based upon the provisions of the recently enacted legislation AB 982, the System Office is disseminating guidance to the most frequently asked questions regarding interpretation and implementation: Q 1. When does AB 982 become effective? The bill is effective January 1, 2006 for terms beginning on or after January 1, 2006.
Q 2. Can a district choose to delay or postpone implementation until the 2006-07 academic year? Yes. Districts choosing to implement a change in current policy may do so any time after January 1, 2006.
Q 3. Can a district elect to do nothing? Yes. Districts are permitted, but not required, to change their policies with regard to waiving health fees for BOG fee waiver recipients.
Q 4. Since the legislation becomes effective in mid-academic year, can a district implement one policy for the upcoming 2006 Spring and Summer terms and a different one for the 2006 Fall term? Yes. A district has the discretion to do whatever is necessary to make implementation easier or more understandable for students and staff.
Q 5. If a district decides to implement for the upcoming term, can fees be assessed and collected for Spring 2006 now during the Fall term as students are registering for the Spring term? No. The authority to assess the health fee is not effective until January 1, 2006; therefore the health fee for Spring term cannot be assessed at this time. Community college districts that charge a fee in advance that is not authorized would be in violation of a minimum condition for receipt of state aid.
We believe the law does not preclude a district from asking affected students who register early if they wish to voluntarily pay the increased fee in anticipation of the assessment after January 1, 2006. However, districts choosing this option must inform students in advance that payment of the fee for the Spring 2006 term is required, that students do not have to pay the fee before January 1, 2006, and that if they choose not to voluntarily pay the fee prior to that date, they will be notified to pay the fee after January 1, 2006.
Q 6. Can the health fee be assessed retroactively? Since the change in the law is not effective until January 1, 2006, districts cannot retroactively eliminate the fee exemption for terms that began before that date. A district has the discretion to implement the health fee assessment for the Spring 2006 term; however a district may not require BOGFW students to pay health fees prior to January 1, 2006 for enrollment in any term. The actual assessment of the fee from each student by the district may only occur AFTER January 1, including for those students registered during early Spring registration held in the current Fall 2005 semester.
If a district decides to implement the health fee assessment for BOGFW students effective for the Spring 2006 term, students enrolling prior to January 1 should be provided a clear explanation of the circumstances related to the expected fee assessment and be informed that payment of the fee for the Spring 2006 term will be required and collected after January 1, 2006.
Q 7. Can a district charge a lower health fee amount to low-income students? Yes. The System Office Student Fee Handbook, which can be accessed on the System Office Legal Affairs website at:
http://extranet.cccco.edu/Portals/1/Legal/Resources/Student%20Fee%20Handbook%2010-01.pdf discusses in Section 3.1, a district’s authority to charge a Health Services Fee that may not exceed the maximum allowable fee as specified in statute (currently $14). This enables districts to assess low-income students a lesser amount if it is determined to be sound policy and in the best interests of the students. Please note, however, that the decision to charge some students a lower fee should be made on a consistent basis (i.e. for a group of students rather than on an ad hoc individual basis) and may not be based on discriminatory criteria.
Q 8. Is Board action needed to collect the fee from low-income students or will previous actions based upon the law and setting the rate serve as sufficient for implementation? Law currently in effect (Education Code §76355 (c)) has required governing boards of districts to adopt rules and regulations to exempt the specified groups of students from paying the health fee. For governing boards that have adopted such rules, regulations or policies, board action would be required to change that current policy. Even if a governing board has not adopted specific rules, regulations or policies regarding exemptions from paying the health fee, we strongly recommend that districts schedule Board action as a means to ensure adequate notice to the campus community and opportunity for input on the intent to change district health fee waiver policies in accordance with local shared governance policies and procedures.
Q 9. If enrollment fee waiver recipients are no longer exempt by law from paying the health fee, does the district’s governing board have the authority to continue to exempt BOGFW students from the health fee? Yes. It is the district’s decision as to whether to ask all students to help supplement the health services budget through the assessment of the health fee or whether to continue the status quo of not charging BOG fee waiver recipients or to not charge a health fee at all. The fiscal strength of the individual campus health centers would likely influence the decision.
Q 10. Does the district’s governing board have the authority to decide for what type of student the health fee should be mandatory or optional OR does the district have to decide across the board for ALL students whether the health fee should be mandatory or optional? This legislation allows the flexibility to determine what works best for each district and its students. The district can decide to charge everyone or allow some students to continue to be exempt from the health fee while charging others. For example, the district could decide to exempt the lowest-income students by exempting BOGFW-A and BOGFW-B recipients (students who are receiving public assistance or who meet income eligibility standards respectively). A decision could be made to charge the health fee to BOGFW-C recipients (students who complete the financial aid application) and all other students. Any decision made in this context should take into consideration the additional staff workload required to identify fee waiver distinctions, the harm or benefit to students and the health services budget needs. In addition, such decisions should be made on a consistent basis (not on an ad hoc individual basis) and may not be based on discriminatory criteria.
Q 11. College districts have recently been informed that the health fee can be increased by $1 to a new total of $14 due to the increase in the Implicit Price Deflator for State and Local Government Purchase of Goods and Services. Can this $14 health fee be prorated for part-time students or must the entire fee be charged to all students? Existing law (Education Code §76355 (b)) gives districts the flexibility to determine the amount of the fee, if any, that a part-time student is required to pay. The district governing board may decide to charge part-time students the full fee, to prorate it or not charge them the fee at all.
Q 12. Will AB 982 result in a reduction in the annual amount that the state provides as reimbursement for claims related to the mandate that applies to those districts that have continuously provided health services since the 1986-87 fiscal year? Yes. The amount that the State Controller provides as reimbursement is based, in part, on the potential amount of health fees that the district can collect. This potential amount becomes larger once AB 982 takes effect because a significant group of students--BOG fee waiver recipients--will no longer be expressly exempt under state law from paying a health services fee. As a consequence, the amount that the State Controller will calculate as eligible for reimbursement will be reduced beginning with claims filed for fiscal year 2005-06. On or after January 1, 2006, a district can charge BOG fee waiver recipients a health services fee, increasing its annual health fee revenues and thereby partially or fully mitigating the effect of a reduced annual state reimbursement. The cash flow effect of any reduction in state mandate reimbursements will probably not be felt for several years because the state is now several years in arrears in its payment obligations for this (and all other) mandates due to the absence of funds for mandate purposes in recent state budget acts.
Q 13. If fee waiver students are charged the health fee, is it permissible to use other resources to cover the cost for low-income students? For example, do the EOPS regulations allow the expenditure of EOPS funds for this purpose? Categorical program funds may be available to help some low-income students meet the additional health fee assessment provided that the funding source does not have restrictions that would prohibit such usage and that the program has sufficient resources available to use for this purpose. However, colleges should take into consideration that due to a variety of factors such as program eligibility and/or resource limitations, funding may not be available through categorical programs for all low-income students assessed the health fee.
EOPS rules, for example would permit the expenditure of funds to help students with this new assessment. However, such help would be restricted only to those students admitted to the EOPS program on campus and, although permitted, the actual use of the funds for this purpose would be at the discretion of the college and the program. The ability to provide funding in this manner would be discretionary at the local level based on the adequacy of funds to provide for this additional coverage as a priority in relation to other benefits and services it provides with its finite resources.
Despite being Medi-Cal recipients, CalWORKs students may be able to have the health fee paid by county social services as a reimbursement for fees "required as part of going to college." The System Office is scheduled to meet with the Department of Social Services at the state level to discuss coverage of the health fee. Campus CalWORKs programs do have the option of spending TANF funds for this purpose as a last resort.
Q 14. Won’t financial aid cover the cost of health fees for most BOGFW recipients? No. For Financial Aid (e.g. Pell Grant and other federal or state aid) recipients, the health fee can be added to the student’s cost of attendance, but without additional funds to cover the cost it will simply result in increased unmet financial need.
(11/16/05) Chancellor’s Office, California Community Colleges
CalWORKs Prop 98 Federal TOTAL
39,800
CARE Prop 98
8,154
DSPS Prop 98
124,105
EOPS Prop 98
$64,273,000
79,517
For division website assistance contact Koney Austinn at kaustinn@cccco.edu