February 2017
In this Issue:
article2California Community Colleges and Public Workforce System Join in "Partnerships that Unlock Social Mobility"
 
With the common goal of helping local communities access today's and tomorrow's jobs, the California Workforce Association and California Workforce Development Board have joined forces with the California Community Colleges to facilitate a series of 17 Partnerships that Unlock Social Mobility conversations.
 
Attendees will experience the intersection of the Workforce Innovation & Opportunities Act (WIOA) of 2014, the Strong Workforce Program of 2016, and the Student Success Act of 2012.
 
California Workforce Development Board Executive Director Tim Rainey (center, gesturing) confers with colleagues at the first meeting of the Partnerships That Unlock Social Mobility.
The National Skills Coalition recently highlighted the initiative.
 
Click here for more information on who should attend Partnerships to Unlock Social Mobility.
Article 1Process Breakthrough Enables CTE Curriculum at the Speed of Business
 
"Preparing workers in California at the speed of business" by former State Controller and venture capitalist Steve Westly and California Community Colleges (CCC) Chancellor Emeritus Jack Scott challenged the decentralized system of 113 community colleges to streamline its process for delivering on quality career and technical education (CTE) curriculum. The Strong Workforce Task Force captured this sentiment in recommendation #8. 
 
In January's presentation to the Board of Governors, the California Community Colleges Curriculum Committee, led by CCC Chancellor's Office (CCCCO) Vice Chancellor Pam Walker and co-chaired by Virginia Guleff and Dolores Davison of the Chief Instructors Executive Committee and Academic Senate of California Community Colleges (ASCCC) respectively, signaled impending breakthroughs that reflect a push to local authority, a re-sequence of processes to tighten timelines while maintaining quality, a push for recommended local effective practices, and revisions to regulations / state guidance.
 
Dr. Doug Houston, Chancellor of the Yuba Community College District, who provided leadership in a 10-college regional pilot states, "The redesigned process and templates will make profound improvements in how to serve our students and their future employers."  CCC Vice Chancellor of Workforce & Economic Development Ton-Quinlivan echoes, "We greatly appreciate the ECMC Foundation for supporting our 10-college pilot in applying lean Six Sigma methodology to think through how best to streamline undue process while preserving quality."
 
ASCCC President Julie Bruno states, "We plan to dedicate resources in 2017 to provide professional development to faculty and other college constituencies on new processes that streamline the creation and modification of curriculum while ensuring quality courses that meet the changing needs of Californians." 
 
New California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Oakley states, "We will look for more opportunities to encourage and support our colleges to improve student outcomes and help more Californians connect to the new economy."

Highlights include:
 
1. Local districts may now approve and offer Stand-Alone Courses.
 
2. The new process, envisioned to go live this summer, will instead be:
  • Delegate approval authority to local community college districts, specifically the Chief Instructional Officers, for quality assurance.
  • To avoid CTE program duplication, regional reviews for proposed programs will be done during the development stage, rather than after development. The template will be standardized across all regions.
  • Modify the state's role to chaptering (i.e., the assignment of a control number) rather than quality control. 

Local trustees are suggested to have curriculum approval as a standing board agenda item, rather than do so annually or bi-annually, which causes significant slow down.
 
See the official memo from the CCCCO office for more specifics.
 
 
  
New Grant Opportunities
 
CAguidedpathways- Apply to be a California Guided Pathways College
Applications are now available for the California Guided Pathways project -- an opportunity for up to 20 California community colleges to receive expert support in designing and implementing structured academic and career pathways for all students by 2019. Applications are due February 28, 2017.
 
preapprenticeships- Apply for Pre-Apprenticeship Grants
The California Community College Chancellor's Office (CCCCO) is pleased to announce the availability of $6,000,000 in Proposition 98 funds for the California Apprenticeship Initiative (CAI) Pre-Apprenticeship Grant Program. Revised deadline for applications: March 3, 2017. 
Strong Workforce
launchboard LaunchBoard

LaunchBoard News

Need help setting accreditation benchmarks?
 
LaunchBoard Video
 
Watch this two-minute video to find out how the LaunchBoard can provide information on local trends in success and employment rates, as well as outcomes at other colleges, to inform institution-set standards.
 
 

California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office
Workforce & Economic Development Division

vtquinlivan@cccco.edu | http://doingwhatmatters.cccco.edu