Upholding the California Community College Mission – Oppose AB 1705 (Irwin, 2022) as of April 9, 2022 Unless Amended

Whereas, California Education Code 66010.4. (a) (1) defines the primary mission for the California community colleges as to “offer academic and vocational instruction at the lower division level for both younger and older students, including those persons returning to school”;

Whereas, California Education Code 66010.4. (2) requires the California community colleges to offer instruction and courses to achieve all of the following:

1. The provision of remedial instruction for those in need of it and, in conjunction with the school districts, instruction in English as a second language, adult noncredit instruction, and support services which help students succeed at the postsecondary level are reaffirmed and supported as essential and important functions of the community colleges.
2. The provision of adult noncredit education curricula in areas defined as being in the state’s interest is an essential and important function of the community colleges.
3. The provision of community services courses and programs is an authorized function of the community colleges so long as their provision is compatible with an institution’s ability to meet its obligations in its primary missions;

Whereas, California Education Code 66010.4. (3) expands the primary mission of the California community colleges “to advance California’s economic growth and global competitiveness through education, training, and services that contribute to continuous workforce improvement”; and

Whereas, The language of AB 1705 (Irwin, 2022) as of April 9, 2022 defines pre-transfer courses to include “basic skills,” “remedial,” and “college-level” including noncredit courses, and mandates that most students be placed and enrolled directly in transfer-level written communication and quantitative reasoning courses for programs that require any math or English courses;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges oppose AB1705 (Irwin, 2022) as of April 9, 2022 unless the following amendments are enacted to protect the mission and serve the students of the California community colleges:

Placement and enrollment of students in a transfer-level English or mathematics course should not prevent students from enrolling in a pre-transfer level English or mathematics course when a student determines a course fulfills their academic needs based on the desire to do any of the following:

1. Complete a certificate or Career Technical Education program.
2. Make up for learning loss from the COVID-19 global pandemic or break in education.
3. Build skills or re-skill.
4. Fulfill a lifelong learning priority in written communication and quantitative reasoning courses.  

It is the intent of the legislature to neither prohibit nor deny a student the opportunity to enroll in any pre-transfer level English or mathematics course based on students’ rights to determine their educational goals and academic needs.

It is the intent of the legislature neither to create additional English or mathematics requirements in program pathways nor to increase the level of the English or mathematics requirements in program pathways.

It is the intent of the legislature to add support and resources for faculty to implement equitable placement, such as a lower ratio of instructor to students not exceeding 1:10, professional development, embedded faculty tutors in the classrooms, and update the classroom environment to accommodate small groups.

It is the intent of the legislature to exclude noncredit from the definition of pre-transfer in this bill.

MSC